Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“I’m headed to the office, then.” Kindred makes her way toward me. “So you’re sticking around, I hear.”
“Yes, I’m so—” Kindred cuts me off before I can apologize.
“We should go to the bakery later. The place is to die for. I can show you around New Hope.”
“Oh,” This was not how I thought any of this would go. “Okay.”
“Did Hollis give you my number yesterday?”
“No, it slipped my mind.”
“I’ll make sure it gets into her phone,” Hollis says. “And I can show her around town.”
“Why do you get to do it? I’m from here.”
“I’m the mayor.”
“Watch it, or you won’t be come next election.” Hollis rolls his eyes at her. “See, all bark and no bite. Don’t be scared to push his buttons.” With those parting words of advice, Kindred is heading out the door, her heels clicking on the wood flooring. How does she run around in heels all day in the snow?
“I’m sorry about your breakup.”
Hollis waves it off. “The relationship never should have started. Neither of our hearts were in it.”
“But you were engaged.”
“Not really. No ring.” This is strange, but again, what do I know about dating? “Let me get a new shirt, and I’ll make us breakfast.” Hollis steps closer. “I was getting worried.” He picks up the end of my braid, stroking it. “Think the baby will have your hair color?”
“Maybe.” The baby could have his.
“All right, I’ll be right back.” Hollis surprises me when he kisses the top of my head before heading up the stairs.
“What in holy candy canes is going on?” I mutter to myself. It’s really hard to come up with a plan when everything can change on a dime around here.
What’s most confusing is Kindred. She’s so freaking nice and sweet to me. I guess that would make sense if neither one was into the relationship. They both must be really over it. There is no way I could be that chill about it.
Hollis comes jogging down the stairs. His buttoned-up shirt is replaced with a dark green sweater. He’s still in slacks, but this is a much more relaxed look.
“I should have asked last night if you have any allergies.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Are you sure everything is okay?” When Hollis doesn’t respond quickly, I shift on my feet. I know something is off.
“No.” He sighs. This is it. I’m going to get a crazy bomb dropped on me. Hollis has been too good to be true. “Kindred and I were never together.” My brows rise. I don’t get it, but he keeps going. “My mother is always trying to set me up, so I was sure this party planner would be one of her ways to do that, so Kindred agreed to fake date me so that the planner didn’t get any ideas.”
I feel both a huge sense of relief at his confession but also a wave of guilt because he now knows that I kinda-sorta scooted around the truth about being the party planner. I didn’t outwardly lie, but I did play along.
I glance down at my feet. “You know.” He keeps saying "the party planner" and not referring to me.
“Do you want me to know?” His fingers come to my chin. He gently makes me raise my head to look into his eyes.
“I don’t know,” I whisper. His expression turns soft.
“We can play this however you want. I’m only worried about you being safe and not upsetting you or the baby.” His hand comes to my stomach. I love it when he does that. With Max, I would get uncomfortable, but he only asked a few times, thankfully.
“I’m not the party planner.” I come clean. I’m finding I don’t want him to think of me as anyone else. I want him to know me.
“That’s fine.” He shrugs it off so easily. “Is your name really Gwen? I would like to know that much.”
“Kinda. It’s Candy Gwendolyn Snow.”
“Now, that name truly does fit you. Snow being your last with your cool blue eyes and whitish blond hair.”
“Yeah, my birth mom must have thought the same because she just gave me the last name Snow. No one actually had it.”
“Seriously?” I can tell he’s fighting a chuckle. It is kind of funny when you think about it.
“Now the Candy part she might have stolen from one of the girls at the club she worked at.”
“Like a strip club?” I nod, my eyes searching his face. How will he see me if he knows about my past? The only reason I have some nice things is because of Max.
“It’s a stripper name,” I tell him.
“I don’t think strippers get to hold the rights to a name. I think it fits you too. You’re sweet. Sweet as candy.” Those stupid tears sting at my eyes.
“Max wanted me to go by Gwen. He was the one that kind of said Candy was a stripper name.”