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)
Crap. There’s an actual name for it? “I can go grab that Sprite for him.”
“Sit down, Harper,” CeCe commands.
And I do. Which is proof the woman has some witchy talents because I don’t tend to blindly obey.
“What happened last night?” Ivy asks. “I would have had this conversation in private and kept the moms off your back, but you skipped on breakfast this morning and then ignored me when I tried to talk to you after Ani’s send-off. You ignored my texts.”
“I did not. I answered them.”
She frowns my way. “You replied to hey, are you okay with a thumbs-up emoji. And to what happened with Reid last night with a pukey face. That is not an answer, Harper.”
I sigh. There’s probably no getting out of this. I would argue if I thought they were simply trying to get gossip, but these women are my family. Even more than my own mom who I would never go to for advice because somehow it would get turned around on me and whatever I was worrying about would be my fault. Still, I can try. “We were both tired and decided to go to bed.”
The moms all lean in, anticipation clear.
“Not together,” I clarify.
They all sit back, obviously disappointed.
This is where my own mother would give me advice about cows and free milk and how she made my father wait, and look how that turned out. Unhappy. Unfulfilled. Constantly disappointed in everything around them, including their only child.
“He seemed so into you,” Ivy muses. “I was even taking bets with his brother about who had to make sure the two of you ate breakfast this morning.”
“Well, no one won that bet since we made the decision to be adults and not let sexual attraction ruin what might be an excellent working relationship,” I reply.
Ivy’s eyes narrow. “Really? You’re going to be friends and have a great working relationship? That’s what you were doing last night when you were dancing with him and looking at him like he was the last man in the world?”
“Like you were a kid who found the world’s biggest candy store,” Lydia adds.
“Or a very horny young woman who hasn’t gotten any in a long, long time.” CeCe isn’t good with metaphors. She just puts it out there.
I force a smile on my face. They’re not getting to me so easily. “I had a lovely time with him. He’s a handsome man, but we decided to be mature adults and not complicate the relationship.”
“Mature adults who are planning to be friends reply to each other’s text messages and calls,” Ivy says.
How does she… “Did you look at my phone?”
“I didn’t have to. Reid texted me to see if he had the right number,” Ivy explains. “He didn’t understand why you wouldn’t reply, and he worried he’d gotten the wrong number since it appears the one he’s been calling has blocked him.”
I probably shouldn’t have done that. “I’ll talk to him when we get home.” Why am I holding back? These women aren’t looking to make fun of me, but I’m protecting myself like they’re the mean girls from high school. Maybe talking about it will give me perspective and I’ll be able to do what I vowed to do—take the high road. “I went back to his room and things got hot and heavy, and then his brother rushed in and I was hustled out because his fiancée showed up.”
“I’m going to need that popcorn,” Diane says, leaning in. “He has a fiancée?”
Lydia huffs and holds on to the tea she ordered. “He never once mentioned that in his questionnaires.”
“He had a fiancée. Some Swedish stick figure,” CeCe says. “But according to the European gossip rags, they broke up.”
CeCe knows something? “Anika didn’t mention it. Neither did Luca.”
“Why would Luca tell you Reid had a girlfriend? He broke up with her before you met him,” CeCe replies. “Although they do have a history of breaking up and making up. It’s all on the report I did on him and his brother before Anika hired him.”
“You had him investigated?” It’s a bit shocking to me.
CeCe waves me off. “Of course. What do you think Private Detective does?”
Well, he’s six foot two inches of pure muscle with a movie-star-like smile, so I kind of thought he did CeCe. She’s a mystery. “Why would you look into him?”
“Because Ani is in a position where people can and will try to take advantage of her. I would allow her mother to handle things, but she’s not exactly the ruthless kind,” CeCe points out.
Lydia nods. “Yeah, we need someone without any ruth to watch out for our girls.”
“I helped Paul,” Diane admits. “He’s the investigator. Thomas and I did some of the legwork ourselves. He seems to be a fairly solid guy, though I question the talk about his wealth. I think his father left them with less than society thinks.”