Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
The moment she says it, my hackles rise, but before she can speak, a massive black Mercedes bus pulls up and the driver steps out. “Miss Paige. Good to see you.”
“Hi, Kevin.”
“Ready to go, are we?” the older man whose name is apparently Kevin says.
“Oh, hell yeah!” Cam shouts, and she doesn’t wait for anyone. She grabs Brady by the sleeve and makes her way inside.
The others slowly follow, and I step up to Paige, ushering her first before following in after.
This thing is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, not in person anyway.
It’s like one of those double-decker buses you see in the city, but without the second row of seats up top, instead giving even us six-foot guys the chance to stand without hunching as we slip in. The lights are low, shining a blue-and-purple fluorescent color, and it’s black leather all around with small fridges in each corner and ice buckets in the center, where a standing table is locked into place. Fancy as fuck.
The server, who apparently comes with the ride, pours us each a glass of champagne that I can’t even pronounce and then Paige clears her throat.
“So, you all know that I have this long-lost grandfather who found me last year.” She looks around, but when her gaze settles, it settles on mine. “Well, he’s sort of…wealthy. As in wealthy enough to fly us to San Jose and back in one night on a private jet for front-row seats to a touring live show.”
I’m pretty sure my mouth is hanging open and I’m not the only one.
“Wait, so we’re about to get on a private jet and fly to San Jose?” Mason asks, his brows jumping. “And my fiancé knew this and still made me come without her?”
Paige smiles sweetly, nodding.
“She’s in so much trouble,” he mutters, but there’s a smirk on his lips.
“I thought you guys knew.” Noah grins and my eyes snap to his.
“You knew?” Why does that annoy me as much as it does?
“I told him,” Ari offers quickly, and I don’t like how her eyes are moving between me and Paige. “Sorry, Paige. He had to get himself a flight, and I didn’t even think about it. Actually.” She pauses, looking at her man beside her. “I didn’t even mention the rich part, did I?”
Noah smiles, pulling her closer and shaking his head. “No, but it was the only conclusion, considering.” He looks to Paige, a softness in his eyes that mirrors the one in hers. “It’s crazy you had another family member out there all along. I’m happy for you, Paige.”
Paige laughs lightly, but it’s anxious, though I’m not sure anyone else picks up on it.
The conversation shifts instantly; the guys are always eager to hear everything Noah has to say about playing pro ball. I should lean in and listen, ask questions of my own, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
So I sit silently, and a half hour later, when we’re unloading onto the small, private airstrip where there is a mini-jet waiting, the words Randolph Legacies scrawled across the side, the group grows even more excited.
Ari and Cameron squeal, running up and dragging a slightly tense Paige with them. They shake her a bit, and finally she relaxes, letting the guys take a few pictures of them on the stairs in their pretty gowns.
My fingers twitch with the thought of taking my own, but I don’t, and then we’re following them inside, pausing at the entry, so Ari can take one of the four of us guys.
The energy shifts even higher on the jet as they settle in, and this time there is a new server, or maybe flight attendant is the right word, since we’re on an aircraft. He’s an older man with little to no hair on his head but a sharp silver along his ears.
“Hello, Miss Paige. It’s an honor to host you this evening.”
“Hi, Henry. It’s good to see you again.”
“I sure hope so, Miss Paige. I’m hoping to see much more of you in the future.”
She gives him a small smile, but my eyes narrow at her hands, fidgeting in her lap. Why do his words make her uneasy?
The man gives a small bow and sits down for takeoff. Not five minutes later, he’s up again, a new bottle of champagne being opened and poured.
He passes it around, and while we don’t tend to drink during the week when we know practice will follow, everyone accepts—everyone but Noah, of course.
Conversations begin again, this time about the play or show or whatever you call it that we’re going to watch. It seems as fast as we take off, we’re landing, then loading up in a different, just-as-nice ride, this time a sleek SUV with black-out windows.
The venue isn’t too far from the airstrip and the buzz in the car shifts as we roll up to see people in suits and gowns all around, the excitement in the air contagious.