Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
EPILOGUE
Minnie
“Your ring looks beautiful,” Juliette gushes. “Are you excited to get married?”
I nod, practically sparkling with joy.
“Yes, but we’re waiting to get married. We’re going to have a long engagement first because we want the baby to be born, and then to get settled with being new parents and everything. But your ring is gorgeous too,” I praise. “I had no idea that you and Harry were planning on tying the knot.”
My pretty friend colors a bit.
“Well, Harry and I have been dating for a while now,” Juliette murmurs. “And you know that I’m on a student visa right? But it’s going to expire after graduation, and without a job, I can’t stay in the U.S.”
I stare at Juliette.
“Wait, you’re marrying Harry for a green card?” I ask, surprised. “I had no idea that things were so dire. I thought people from Europe had an easy time immigrating here.”
Juliette is pensive.
“No, it’s never easy,” she says. “Even Europeans have to have a job with an American company, and then that company sponsors them for a work visa. But I don’t have a job lined up, so Harry said we should do this. But I’m happy!” she announces, sitting up straighter. “This is great news!”
I marvel at the huge sparkler on her hand.
“And I love the diamond too. It’s enormous!”
Juliette stares at the gem, her cheeks flushing slightly.
“It is, isn’t it? It’s an heirloom that Mr. Lewis gave to Harry to give to me after we announced our engagement. It belonged to Harry’s grandmother.”
“Oh, so you’ve met Harry’s parents already.”
“Well no, just his dad,” Juliette corrects, flushing again. “Harry’s parents have been divorced since forever, so I just met his father. You might know of him because Jordan Lewis is on the Board of Trustees at Evergreen. I guess he’s an alum from a long time ago, and so he’s serving a term.”
I pause for a moment, my brow scrunching.
“Wait a minute. Is this the Jordan Lewis who built the Lewis Athletic Center on campus? The real estate magnate? That’s Harry’s dad?”
Juliette nods, flushing brightly again.
“Yes. Harry’s basically legacy at Evergreen although he’s very smart,” she rushes. “He definitely deserved to get in on his own merits, and I’m lucky to be engaged to him,” Juliette adds a little too vehemently. “Very lucky!”
I hold up a hand.
“Okay, girlfriend, I totally believe you. Your fiancé’s a smart cookie. But I think I saw Jordan Lewis’s picture in the last issue of the Evergreen Collegiate, and your future father-in-law is H-O-T, Juliette. Like seriously ga-ga worthy. Oh my god!” I say, fanning myself as if I’m wilting from heat.
Juliette laughs a little uncomfortably, and I wonder if something is going on that I don’t know of. But at that moment, my handsome fiancé appears at the door, and Juliette jumps up in a rush.
“Hey Mr. Landry,” she greets. “Thanks so much for the job at Excel! I really enjoyed my summer there, but I have to go now. See you both!” she says before practically running out of the living room. The front door slams as my boyfriend stares at me.
“Did I do something wrong?” Brad rumbles. “That girl was running out of here like her hair was on fire.”
I giggle before pulling his massive form to me for a kiss.
“No, but I think she wanted to avoid you because Juliette didn’t get a full-time offer from Excel. You know she was an intern with me last summer, right? But she said she completely bungled her final project, and the PR department decided not to offer her a job.”
Brad frowns.
“Really? I thought the bar was low on those projects. Like if you slapped together something decent, then you were in.”
I shrug.
“Juliette said things went off the rails at the last moment, although she never specified what happened, exactly. But now, without a job lined up, she’s getting married to her boyfriend for a green card. I guess she really wants to stay in the States.”
“Wow,” Brad growls, sitting on the divan before pulling my pregnant form close for another kiss. “Holy shit, that sounds pretty desperate.”
“Yeah,” I murmur slowly, still caught up in my friend’s drama. “Especially since her fiancé has always struck me as gay. Don’t get me wrong because any man would appear feminine and weak compared to you, Brad, but Harry Lewis is ... I don’t know. I guess my gaydar must be off.”
“Could it be a sham marriage?” Brad asks. “Like a gay guy marries his best friend so she can get a visa?”
“But they’ve been dating for a while,” I say, utterly confused. “Has Juliette been lying all this time, and she and Harry have never had sex? Or can gay men still have sex with women?” I ask. “I’m so confused!”
“Don’t think about it for even a second more,” Brad murmurs in my ear while resting a big palm on my belly. “There’s no reason to trouble your pretty little head about your friend’s problems.”