Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Have you ever seen a woman so beautiful in your life?” I asked.
My brother, along with my best friend, Gary, both turned in the direction I was staring.
“The blonde?” Gary asked.
I resisted the urge to sigh. “Yeah. She’s sitting next to Kim Marshall.”
“That is Vivianne Pennington,” Gary replied. “She was in one of my classes, I can’t remember which one. Nice girl, but I think she has a boyfriend.”
“Can you introduce me to her?” I asked.
My brother laughed. “Are you serious right now?”
I glanced his way and nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
He stared at me for a minute. “You haven’t been interested in any girl here for the last three years.”
Gus laughed. “Trust me, your brother isn’t lacking in the women area. Who was the one you hooked up with the other night? You called her some other girl's name.”
I rolled my eyes. “It was an honest mistake and yes, I’ve had a few…a few… casual relationships, but there is something about her that’s…different.”
“Oh hell,” Gary mumbled. “Not the whole she’s different thing. Anytime a guy says that, forget it, he’s a goner.”
David nodded. “It’s true. I lost my friend Doug after he said those very words. I can’t even tell you the last time I even spoke to him!”
Gary looked at David and pointed to him. “I’ve known a few who have fallen to those words as well.”
“Would the two of you stop it. I just want to meet her, that’s all. I’m not saying I’m going to fall in love with her.”
At that very moment, she looked over and our eyes met. Even from where I stood, I could see her blue eyes. Then she smiled, and my entire world shifted. I started to make my way over to her, only to hear Gary rushing to stand up and follow me.
“Jesus, Ladd, give me a warning at least!” Gary stated as he ran up next to me. Before I could even give him a chance to speak, I walked up to her and smiled.
Reaching out my hand, I said, “I’m Ladd Wilde.”
She smiled even bigger as she reached for my hand and gave it a good, firm shake. “Vivianne Pennington.”
“Vivianne, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
The two women she had been with giggled.
Vivianne, however, simply nodded. “I would love to have dinner with you, Ladd.”
I obtained her information, and we agreed on a time for me to pick her up. I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I took a few steps back and said, “I’ll see you at six tonight.”
Her hand lifted while she bit down on her lower lip. Turning, I headed back to my brother, who stood there with a smirk on his face. As I grew closer, he asked, “Well? What happened?”
I grinned. “I just fell in love little brother.”
Mike closed his eyes and groaned. “Dad isn’t going to like this one bit.”
“Probably not,” I agreed before walking toward my car. “I need to go find something to wear tonight.”
Laughing, I heard David say, “Did I hear that right?”
Gary sighed. “We lost another one, I’m afraid.”
##
“How does this look?” I asked my brother, who was sitting at the end of my bed. He had moved in with me, Gary and our other friend, Jack, last summer. We rented a four-bedroom house right off campus, and when our previous roommate graduated and moved out, David asked if he could move in. It had been perfect timing, as he was starting his freshman year and didn’t want to have to live in a dorm; the cost to rent the one room was cheaper.
“Did you really ask me that?” Mike asked, nearly missing the small football he had been throwing up in the air.
“I did ask you that. I want to make a good impression on Vivianne.”
He frowned. “What is it about this girl that has you so in knots, Ladd? I’ve never known you to go out of your way to dress up for a girl.”
I shrugged, then turned back and looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing jeans, a white button-down shirt, and a tie. I planned on taking Vivianne to my mother’s favorite Italian restaurant. Anytime my parents came to visit, Mom always wanted to go there to eat.
“Where are you taking her?”
“Marcos”
A gasp came from my younger brother, and I turned to look at him. He wore a surprised expression.
“What’s wrong?”
He slowly shook his head as he said, “You’re taking her to Mom’s place?”
“No, I’m taking her to Marcos' Italian restaurant.”
“That’s her place. Moms! What in the hell kind of spell did this girl put on you?”
I laughed. “I’m pretty sure our mother doesn’t hold rights to any restaurant. Besides, it’s a nice place and I think she’ll like it.”
David shrugged. “If she likes Italian food.”
“Who doesn’t like Italian food?”