Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 128417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
I giggle.
“We’re gonna need to do a good-old-fashioned sleepover when I get back so I can tell you all about it.”
“Coolio. I’ll bring the champagne,” I say.
“Hell yeah, you will,” Sarah says. “Seeing as how you’re now a fancy mill-i-on-aire.”
“Hey, aren’t you a fancy mill-i-on-aire, too?” I ask.
Sarah giggles. “Why, yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” She squeals. “I keep forgetting about that.”
I roll my eyes to myself.
“Okay, I’ll bring the champagne,” Sarah says. “You bring the chocolate. If you can peel yourself away from Josh for a night, that is,” she says coyly. “Have you two gone off like a nuclear bomb yet?”
“Um, yeah, pretty much,” I say, my eyes drifting to Josh’s face. He’s watching me intently, his blue eyes sparkling.
“The good kind of nuclear bomb, I hope?” she asks.
“Is there a bad kind?”
“Uh. Yeah. There is.”
“Well, it’s the good kind, then. The very, very good kind.” I sigh. “Oh, Sarah.”
“Oh, Kat.”
“So when are you coming home?”
“A couple days. We’re gonna swing by New York first to visit—oh hang on.” She says something obviously not intended for me. “Okay, my sweet love, hang the fuck on. Yes, I know. Patience, hunkster.” Now she’s back to me on the phone. “Jonas wants to talk to Josh again. He’s a wee bit amped right now,” she whispers. “He’s kinda bouncing off the walls. God, he’s so cute.”
I laugh. “Okay. But—” My voice breaks with emotion again. “I love you, Sarah. Please just know I love you so much. I’m so frickin’ relieved you’re healthy and safe.”
Sarah’s voice instantly floods with emotion. “I love you, too, Kitty Kat. And I’m so frickin’ relieved, too.”
I hold out the phone to Josh, wiping my eyes, and he grabs it from me.
“Yo.” Josh listens for a beat. “Tonight?” He suddenly looks stricken. “Dude, no way.” Josh looks at me pointedly as he listens again. “Because I have something extremely important to do here in Vegas tonight, that’s why.” He rubs his face. “Jesus Fucking Christ.” He exhales. “Fine. But I’ll come tomorrow night, not tonight... . Because I can’t, that’s why, motherfucker... . Because I’ve got something I need to do here in Vegas tonight... . So what? You head out to see him tonight and I’ll come tomorrow—no big deal. Because I’ve got something to do, Jonas. Chill the fuck out.” He listens and then grins broadly. “It’s none of your business what it is.” He laughs. “Well, I’m not saying yes or no, but if it were that, then I think you’d agree that’s something extremely important.” Josh looks at me lasciviously, like a wolf scoping out a bunny. “Oh, bro, you have no idea.”
My clit begins faintly buzzing.
Josh laughs. “It’ll be fine, Jonas, trust me. When you’re telling Uncle William the news, just hold up a photo of a trout and he won’t even notice what you’re saying.” He belly laughs. “Okay. Bye. You, too. Oh, hey, Jonas?” He pauses. “I’m proud of you, man. Remember the text I sent the other day? Pretend I just sent you another one just like that.” He snickers. “Sorry. I know. Fuck me.” He slaps his cheek hard, making me jump back with surprise. “Yeah, I did it, cocksucker.” He laughs. “Okay. See you tomorrow, bro.”
Josh hangs up and looks at me mournfully. “Well, Party Girl, I’ve got some bad news. I gotta hop a flight to New York tomorrow morning, first thing.”
“Oh,” I say, the wind completely knocked out of my sails. I was really looking forward to spending a few days (and nights) alone with Josh in Vegas, just the two of us living out our sick-fuck fantasies together before being forced to leave this bizarre bubble and return to real life (and our separate cities). I don’t know if this thing with Josh (whatever it is) is going to carry over into the real world or not—and if not, I don’t feel ready to find that out. “Why do you have to go to New York?” I ask, trying to keep my voice from sounding too hurt.
“Jonas and I have to talk to our uncle about something important,” Josh continues, “and Jonas insists we do it as soon as humanly possible.” He twists his mouth. “And, unfortunately, Jonas is one hundred percent right about that. It’s not something that should wait.”
“I’ll be heading off tomorrow, too,” Henn says. “Jonas said the feds want me to meet with them in D.C. to help them sort through the database. But, hey, that still leaves us tonight to celebrate, right guys? It’s not every day a guy (or girl) saves the world, huh? And especially not with his best friends.”
Josh and I exchange a look. What have we been thinking? We went on and on about launching into our sick-fuck fantasy fulfillment the minute our mission was complete—but, clearly, that’s a nonstarter. There’s no way in hell either of us would ever let our beloved Henny celebrate this incredible victory all by his little, brilliant, quirky self. I make a face at Josh and he smiles wistfully, obviously resigned to our sudden change of plans for tonight.