Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
She’d declared them delicious and protested the police.
“There’s no mold,” I agree, though Ani’s being a party pooper. “You’re not going to be taken over by some zombie fungus.”
Her fiancé is what I like to call a geek of the highest order. Not that Ivy isn’t, too, but Heath likes to take it to new heights. I wish she’d never watched The Last of Us.
Ivy’s nose wrinkles. “We hope. But it is real, you know. It exists in nature, and we’re one scientific experiment away from it becoming sentient and taking over the world.”
I feel my eyes widen at the hypocrisy. “Says the woman who works on AI all day.”
She waves me off. “Emma isn’t going to launch nuclear bombs or anything. Though she could take over dating sites and question some women’s choices. I might have fed her a bunch of feminist literature, and she’s got strong feelings now.”
I’m sure Heath loved that. “So when are we starting? I know you have to get through the royal wedding thing first.”
Anika grins. “Yes, I do have that to somehow survive. How did your last dress fitting go?”
I sigh. “Fine. It’s all fine. I’ll put on a pretty dress and watch you become a queen.” I sling an arm around her. “I’m proud of you. You know that, right? I tease you, and I hate the five-inch heels that will absolutely wreck my knees, but I’m so happy for you and Luca. One day Ivy and Heath will get their butts in gear. But I bet she doesn’t care if I wear sneakers to her wedding. I’m trying to figure out how you managed to plan a whole-ass royal wedding, get a production company up and running, and Ivy still hasn’t had an engagement party.”
Ivy groans and joins us. “I’ve been busy. I tried to get Heath to go to Vegas and get it over with, but his nonna isn’t having it. I don’t understand. My mom’s been seeing Thomas, and I heard her saying if she did ever think about marrying again, she would elope. If it’s good enough for my mom, it’s good enough for me. But she’s on Lydia’s side.”
Ivy’s mom recently turned her whole life around and is seeing an incredibly nice man named Thomas, who works for Ivy’s mentor, CeCe Foust. She’s incredibly happy to see her mother finally moving on with her life.
I wish mine would.
“She wants to see her baby girl get married in a pretty dress with her family all around her.” Ani’s eyes light with delight. “Maybe in a stunningly beautiful mansion that’s been refurbished by one of her friends.”
Ivy stares at Ani for a moment. “You think we should get married here?”
It’s a brilliant idea. After all, in so many ways this is where our dreams began. “Why not? Do you remember that field trip?”
We were sixteen, and I was the only one excited about touring an old mansion. We found our way to the servant’s quarters on the top floor, away from the mean girls and teachers who were only trying to get through a day. We ate our lunches and talked about the future.
Ivy moves in, wrapping an arm around me so I’m surrounded by the women who saved me time and time again. Who make my life better.
Who are moving on with theirs while I stay trapped in the same place.
I am truly happy for them. I just wish I could move forward, too.
“I remember we promised never to let go,” Ivy says quietly as though she can read my mind. “And we never will. So you better make this place spectacular because I intend to be a bridezilla. Also, the reason Ani can put together a wedding so quickly is the network gave her a big old checkbook, and her husband literally owns a country. I bet she’s not having to battle for a venue. It’s like the Hunger Games except with glitter and a Taylor Swift soundtrack.”
“If everything goes right with Banover Place, you won’t have to Katniss your way to a venue. It’s possible we’ll have time for a wedding. Unless we sell the place very quickly.” Ani seems extremely pleased with herself. “You can relax and plan. Or simply relax and let your mom and Lydia take care of everything. You have a couple of months. I think the perfect way to finish out this project is a wedding.”
I step back and stare at Ani for a minute. “You’re ambitious. This is your first production. Maybe we should go slow.”
When Ani told me about her and Luca’s plan to bring money back into their cash-strapped country, I thought she was a little… Well, I thought maybe there were better ways than getting into the reality TV game. But she showed me how it could work, and I’m all in.