Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
He nods, agreeing with me. “You’re right about that, Ally is not stupid. But she has been your best friend for over half your lives. Of course her best friend is going to be there for her and try to help her.”
I tilt my chin at him. “Are you saying that she thinks I’m doing this… that I’m asking her to marry me and spend the rest of her life with me because we’re… because she’s my best friend?”
An explosion of laughter escapes from his lips. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Maybe if you came clean and told her how you felt… told her why you’ve waited this long to tell her how you truly feel about her, then she might be able to make decisions based on truth instead of some bullshit idea you’ve put in her head that you’re doing this for her own good.”
I’m on the edge of my seat, ready to argue every point he just made when it hits me. He’s right. Fuck, I know he is. The only way I’m going to get what I want—what we both want—is if I come clean with her and tell her how I feel. I glare at my older brother. “Does it make you happy to always be right?”
He whips out his phone. “Uh yeah, can you say that again because I’m going to record that shit.”
I brace my forearms on my knees. “Fuck you. I’m not recording that. Anyone asks, I’m denying I even said it.”
He shrugs and puts his phone in his pocket. “All right, so you got a plan?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m going to stop and get flowers and ice cream and then go home. It’s time Ally and I talk this out.”
Ford jumps up from his seat and walks over to the door, jerking it open. “Damn right it is.”
I can’t help but laugh. My brother has definitely mellowed since he and Lilian got together. “Thanks, brother.”
He smacks me on the back and follows me through the plant. “Anytime.”
Chapter 17
Ally
Elle looks at me with hope and excitement on her face. “Are you ready now?”
I look across the room, but not at Elle. No, I look at the pile of bags that are stowed in the corner. “He shouldn’t be buying me all that.”
Elle goes over to pick up the bags. She carries them toward me to lay on the end of the bed. Back and forth she goes between the corner of the room and back to the bed, carrying bag after bag. Elle got here shortly after Austin left. She and Huddy carried all these bags into the room, but I told her I didn’t want to open them yet. Mostly because I felt guilty accepting so many gifts from him. It’s too much. Way too much.
Elle and I have eaten lunch, talked, and watched a new romantic comedy that we’ve both been waiting to see, and now here we are. Elle holds the last bag up and drops it on the bed. “All right, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.”
I force a laugh. “You mean the mountain of bags you’ve laid on my bed?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “No, I mean why you don’t want to accept these gifts from Austin.”
I’m not ready to get into all that. “Okay, you talked me into it. Let’s check it out.” And then I shake my head. “I mean, I know you’ve already seen it all, so I can go through it later if you want.”
She brings a bag closer to me. “Oh no, I haven’t seen any of it. All I know is that Austin asked Huddy to meet him downtown this morning before we came over here. He and Huddy carried all this to our truck. Austin picked it all out.”
My eyes about pop out of my head, and my mouth drops. “No way.”
She giggles. “Yes way. Why else do you think I’ve pestered you all day? I want to see what he got too.”
I can’t help but laugh. I haven’t known Elle long. She’s sort of new to Whiskey Run, but as soon as Huddy met her, he pretty much claimed her. Since then, she’s been a part of all the Blaze festivities, and since I’m Austin’s best friend, I’ve gotten pretty close to her. “Okay, well see, you should have started with that. Let’s open them.”
She sits on the bottom of the bed and watches me. Bag after bag of clothes. All of them are cute maternity clothes. The next bag contains bras and panties. Some are practical, and some of them have my blood racing when I imagine wearing them in bed next to Austin. With a blush on my face, I quickly stuff those back in the bag but not before Elle gives me a look that says she knows exactly what I’m thinking.