Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“Oh, there you are!” Eve shrilled as the top of someone’s head appeared near the stairs. The video ended abruptly.
“Shit,” I hissed. I rewound the video to study the top of the person’s head. It was hard to tell who they were. The sunlight behind the person made them look like nothing more than a dark smudge. I wanted to pinch zoom, but that’s not how Eve’s camera worked.
I clicked to the next video. This was one of her get ready with me videos. She didn’t talk, but I admit it was awkward seeing live footage of her getting ready. I saw videos like this all the time online, but it’s different when there’s music, editing, and the video is sped up twice the regular speed.
The time stamp showed it was 7:21 in the morning on September 3rd. She was setting up the camera at first, staging it just right. Then she climbed back into bed and pulled the covers on top of herself. She sprang up and faked a yawn as she twisted her legs to hang off the side of the bed. Her arms stretched above her head before she stood, wearing shorts and an oversized T-shirt.
I groaned. This was painfully awkward to watch. There was noise in the background as she made the bed then rushed to the camera again to pick it up from the stand. She held the camera, tossing an outfit on the bed for all to see.
Then the video ended.
I clicked to the next one.
In this one, the camera was set up behind her and she was washing her face, brushing her teeth, going through her whole morning routine, but not without intentionally raising a bottle of face moisturizer for the camera. Likely from a company that’d paid her to feature it. The video ended there.
I clicked to the next one and pressed Play.
She was fully dressed and standing in front of the floor-length mirror in the hallway while holding the camera. “Here’s my outfit,” she said. “What do you think? Let me know in the comments.”
After a few more poses, she carried the camera with her and rounded a corner. The noise in the background grew louder. It was the sound of dishes clinking, glass tinkling. Someone else was in the cottage with her. I waited to see if she’d turn the camera to the kitchen but she didn’t. She kept it straight and walked to the patio doors to step outside.
“Guys, I’ll never get tired of this view.” She sighed, zooming in on the lake.
“Me neither,” a guttural voice rumbled behind her.
Mid-giggle, Eve ended the video.
That voice. I knew that voice but couldn’t place it. Where had I heard it before? Something chirped and I jolted. When it chirped again, I rushed to the bedroom. Eve’s iPhone. It had powered back on. I picked it up while it was still on the charger and there were multiple notifications from Instagram. A passcode was required to unlock the phone.
Zoey’s birthday. It was always her birthday.
I typed in the digits and the screen unlocked. There were hundreds of notifications, most of them likes and comments from followers. I opened the app and scrolled through them. I went to her DMs and checked a few she’d responded to. Most of them were to her followers, thanking them or responding to a question they had. There wasn’t much luck there.
Her text messages were dry, and that didn’t surprise me. She didn’t use this phone to text or call people. In fact, it didn’t have any service unless connected to the Wi-Fi. It obviously had been automatically connected to Twilight Oaks’s.
I went to her photos next, spotting selfies of her on the dock, a few of her on the hill while sitting on a blanket with a book. Photos of the sky and the trees above. Then I saw a picture that made my heart drop. A selfie she’d taken with a man holding her from behind. Suddenly, it became very clear who that familiar voice I’d heard in the background belonged to.
Kissing her cheek as she smiled and held the phone in the air was Lincoln Fowler. Eve’s ex-fiancé.
Eve Castillo journal entry
I just got back from Cancún. It was soooo damn hot. My gosh! Zoey came with me, but she didn’t want to do anything. She stayed in the room most of the time, reading. I wish she’d come out of her shell more. She tells me I do entirely too much, but I tell her she does entirely too little.
I don’t understand what’s so wrong with having a little fun in life. Why does everyone take everything so seriously? I feel like I’m the only person who just goes with the flow and travels where I’m needed.
Lincoln has been constantly texting me. He actually sent my favorite chocolates before I left for my trip. I think he’s changing. I wish I could talk to Rose about him, but she hasn’t answered my calls or texts in weeks. I went to her job, hoping to catch her and apologize, but she had security kick me out. Now that I think about it, that wasn’t a smart move. I could’ve embarrassed her, then she’d have been even more pissed.