Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
She looked familiar. Her dark-brown, curly hair was pulled back so it rested down her back and her wide, hazel-colored eyes glanced over them all. She was gorgeous.
“Wow, you’re so pretty,” Immy blurted out. “Is your hair naturally that color?”
“Um, yeah.” The woman brushed her hair back. “It is. My stylist wants to dye it, though.”
“Really? I love it.”
“Your hair is the most beautiful color,” the other woman told her.
“It is? But it’s so . . . bright.” Immy wrinkled her nose. “And I’ve got all this pale skin. I never tan. You look like the sun kissed you.”
“You’re gorgeous as well, Immy,” Jenner immediately told her. “Stop saying bad things about yourself.”
Whoa.
That shut the conversation down fast. Jenner was frowning at her while the two women stared at him in shock.
“Immy, I wonder if you’d go find Sampson for me,” Lauren said.
“I guess I could,” Immy said, reluctant to step away from Jenner. “Why?”
Lauren gave her a sharp smile. “Because I’d like to talk to him.”
“I’ll message him,” Jenner said
“I’m sure that Immy could get him,” Lauren said through gritted teeth.
Honestly, she didn’t look well.
“Are you all right, Lauren?” she asked in concern. “You look like you need some painkillers. Have you got a headache?”
“I’m fine,” Lauren told her.
“Are you sure?” Immy leaned forward. “It’s not that time of the month?”
Lauren’s eyes widened while her friend made a choked noise.
“Why would you say that? And here?” Lauren asked.
“Why not? It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Immy said matter-of-factly. She glanced up at Jenner, who was frowning at Lauren. “Right?”
“Right,” Jenner said firmly. Immy had been the last one to get her period out her, Cat, and Maeve. She’d gotten her period late. Really late. When she was sixteen.
Her mom wasn’t someone she could go to and Maeve and Cat hadn’t been around. So the guys had helped her.
It hadn’t really been weird to Immy. Because the guys were always there for her. And it was natural, right?
“Oh, look, here comes Sampson.”
Sampson stepped up on Immy’s other side, frowning at Lauren.
“Sampson, Lauren wanted you,” Immy told him, leaning slightly into him.
“I didn’t want Sampson.”
“Then why did you want to send Immy to get him?” Jenner asked.
Silence fell after that and she felt the guys stiffen around her.
Ahh, she got it. Lauren wanted to get rid of her. Probably so she could introduce Jenner to the goddess standing beside her.
That goddess at least had the good grace to appear embarrassed.
“Jenner, I wanted to introduce you to Amaya. She’s an up-and-coming country and western singer with the most beautiful voice.”
“That’s where I’ve seen you,” Immy said. “You opened for Wyatt Brand, right?”
“I did. That was six months ago. Were you at that concert?” Amaya asked.
“I was. Wyatt gave me some VIP tickets. He’s such a sweetie. Abe took me.”
“I don’t remember this,” Jenner said with a frown.
“You had something to go to. I don’t remember what. That was such a good night.”
“Did you really just call Wyatt Brand a sweetie?” Amaya asked, looking shocked.
“Yes. Why?”
“He’s just . . . he’s grouchy and sharp and demanding.”
“Oh. He’s always been kind to me. Are you doing any more concerts with him? Or with Jenner?”
“Uh, we just met, Immy,” Jenner reminded her gently.
“Right, but Amaya has the most amazing voice.”
“Thanks,” Amaya whispered. “But I’m not in Jenner Knight’s league.”
“Jenner,” Lauren said loudly. Too loudly. Several people turned to stare at them and Lauren glared at Immy for some reason.
Honestly. Immy was starting to worry about her.
“Yes?” Jenner asked.
“Could you please show Amaya around? Introduce her to people?” Lauren asked in a quieter voice.
“I don’t think we can do that tonight. We have to get home to a friend.”
“Surely Immy and Sampson can go. And you can stay. Alone.”
Yep. Just as Immy thought.
This is who Lauren thought that Jenner should be seen with. And Immy got it. They were definitely in the same league. Both of them were so beautiful it almost hurt Immy’s eyes.
They could make beautiful babies and she could be crazy Auntie Immy.
Immy could totally see that working.
But the thought of it just made her want to cry.
“What the fuck?” Sampson snapped, not bothering to try and temper his tone. Or speak quietly.
“Amaya is the one that won your auction. We had to have someone do the bidding for her, though,” Lauren said.
“Oh right. Guess I will need to contact you about that,” Jenner said awkwardly.
“We need to leave,” Sampson said bluntly.
“Oh, of course,” Amaya said.
“It’s early, surely you can stay, Jenner,” Lauren said.
“I really can’t. You understand, Amaya?”
“Of course. That’s fine.” Amaya smiled at Jenner.
But it wasn’t fine with Lauren and it was clear that she expected Immy to say something from the way she was glaring at her.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” she said, stepping forward since that was her only free path. It meant she had to push through the two women.