Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 54520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Fury radiates off her in waves, I can feel it in every stiff bone of her body. I also notice how fucking good she smells. Like vanilla and something else sweet. The scent penetrates every one of my senses, making my cock harden behind my zipper.
Pull it together, Masters.
“That’s right,” Harlow says, her tone sugary sweet as she loops her arm around my waist. “Couldn’t deny all this charm any longer.” She follows the words up with a sharp, hidden pinch to my side.
Ow. Shit.
“Well, this is great!” Hattie beams.
“Yes, it is,” Finch chimes in, draping his arm around her shoulders in a way that mirrors mine.
What a jackass.
“Maybe we should share our news, darling.”
Hattie stiffens, clearly disagreeing.
“What news?” Harlow asks, her gaze shifting between the two.
“Nothing,” her sister rushes out. “It can wait.”
Finch doesn’t follow her lead, blabbing it anyway. “Hattie and I are getting married.”
The announcement lands like a bomb, detonating a thick, suffocating silence.
I chance a look at Harlow, her face unreadable, but I don’t need to see her expression. I can feel it—the hurt, the shock, the betrayal…it rolls off her in waves.
Jesus. What the hell happened between these two?
“Wow. Congratulations,” Harlow finally says, her smile as tight as her voice.
“I called to tell you last week,” Hattie utters softly. “I left a message.”
Harlow nods once. “Right. Sorry. It’s been busy.”
The lie is more than obvious and only makes everything more awkward.
“Speaking of busy, I should get back to work.” She straightens, tone brisk. “I’m sure we’ll see you around later. Enjoy your night. Congratulations again. Come on, honey.”
Her hand finds mine, gripping like a lifeline as she pulls me across the church and into an empty room. The moment the door shuts, her composure cracks wide open.
“I can’t believe that just happened,” she breathes out, pacing the floor like a caged animal. “His parents are business associates? Seriously? How the hell did I miss that?”
Considering she’s the wedding planner, I would have thought she’d know the entire guest list but now doesn’t seem like the time to point that out. So, I hang back by the door instead, giving her space, my gaze tracking the subtle sway of her skirt with each flustered step.
She’s dressed differently than every other woman here—professional, understated, with a touch of elegance. And yet she’s the only one who stopped me in my tracks the second I laid eyes on her.
Story of my fucking life…
“Why couldn’t she just spit it out in the damn message?” she continues, her voice rising with every word. “Instead of, ‘Hey, call me when you have a sec,’ she could’ve said, ‘Surprise! The guy who cheated on you with me? Yeah, we’re getting married. Talk soon. Bye.’”
My brows shoot up. Not just at the betrayal but the fact she even dated that loser. Finchy Boy doesn’t exactly scream her type. Not that I know much about her type, but I’d have bet money it wasn’t some stuck-up prick in a tight suit.
“I even talked to my mother just last week,” she says, bitterness sharpening every word. “Could she be bothered to tell me? Of course not. Why would she? My feelings have never mattered to her.”
Her anger’s shifting now…less sharp, more raw.
“Look, Harlow.” I push off the door, but she barrels right over me, too far gone to even register my voice.
“Now I need to check the seating chart and make sure they’re not sitting with anyone who knows us, which is a pain in the ass, because I already had to move Uncle Ray away from Aunt Carol. Apparently, they hate each other, and no one thought to mention that until this morning, and—”
“Harlow,” I bark, snagging her arm.
She whips around, eyes blazing. “What?”
“Take a goddamn breath!”
She glares but does it, her chest rising and falling until the heat in her cheeks slowly fades.
“You good?” I ask, tone softer now.
“Oh yeah, Linc. Just fantastic,” she snaps, ripping away from me. “I’m working a wedding where my sister and my ex just announced they’re getting married. I’m beyond peachy. How are you?”
I grunt at her sarcasm but decide it’s better than watching her spiral.
She drags a hand through her hair, trying to pull herself together. “Look, I’m sorry. We just need to get through the next few hours, then everything will be fine.”
My brow cocks at the statement. “I’m sorry, we?”
Her gaze sharpens. “Yes, we. We’re dating, remember? Which means no cock-partying for you tonight, Mister. You need to keep up the pretense that we’re dating.”
This chick is something else…
My arms fold over my chest, a slow smirk tugging at my mouth. “I don’t have to do shit, sweetheart.”
Before I can blink, she’s in my face, jabbing a finger into my chest with a fierceness that shoots straight to my groin. “Oh yes, you do. You agreed to this. You can’t back out now.”