Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 79670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“There you are.” I see Nico walking toward me. “I figured you arrived when I heard the roar of the crowd.”
I laugh at him, putting my hands in my pockets. “That was for Dylan, I think.” I look around, trying to find her. It’s as if my body knows when she’s around. My eyes find her with Dylan as she poses for a picture with him. A man walks over to them, and she smiles so big as she hugs him around his waist, and he kisses her head. That must be her father. They share the same eyes and smile. I make a mental note to introduce myself to him before the night is over.
“This is spectacular,” I say looking around the room at all the people who are mingling.
Toward one side of the room are two long tables with what look like auction items. “Why don’t we go spend some money.” I motion to the table, and he laughs. I also want to go that way because that is where Gabriella is now.
I walk over with Nico, and he smiles at a couple of people as we make our way toward the table. “Well, look who it is,” Nico says to Gabriella’s father when we get close enough. Gabriella stands there looking so fucking beautiful my chest hurts. “A little out of the way,” he teases, shaking the man’s hand and pulling him in for a hug.
The man just laughs at him. “Figured I would see what Dallas is all about,” he jokes back.
“Justin,” Nico says. “This is Romeo Beckett.” He introduces us.
“Pleasure,” I say, holding out my hand first.
Justin takes my hand in his, and I know Gabriella hasn’t told him about me because he’s shaking my hand and not punching me in the face for hurting his daughter. “Why does that name ring a bell?” he asks, looking at Nico. “He definitely doesn’t play hockey.”
I drop his hand, and I laugh. “I can skate, but it stops there,” I admit, putting my hands in my pockets before I reach out and slide them around her waist before I pull her in for a kiss. “I’ll stick to being a pretty boy on the screen.”
Justin laughs as a blonde lady comes over, looking around. “I can’t find Christopher,” she states, and I can see this is Gabriella’s mother because they share the same eyes. “I’ve looked everywhere.”
“He’s here somewhere, Mom, but I’ll go look for him. Excuse me,” Gabriella says and walks away from us.
“Baby,” Justin says to the blonde woman, “this is Romeo.” He puts his hand around her waist. “This is my wife, Caroline.”
I put out my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I respond, and I suddenly hate meeting them like this. I hate I’m not meeting them through Gabriella. “If you will excuse me.” I look at them. “I’m going to go bid on some things.”
I nod at them and walk away, making my way to the table as my head spins around and around. I walk up to the tables, my eyes roaming on the papers in front of me, and I’m not even paying attention because all I want to do is seek out Gabriella.
This whole week has been hell. Pure torturous hell. The night of the showdown, all I did was sit on the couch, watching the time go on. One second turned to a minute, and then the minute turned to hours. The first thing I did was call my therapist because I had to talk to someone. I started talking to him a month after Gabriella left me. I wanted to make sense of what I did. There was no sense, but I wanted to figure out how I could have fucked up the only thing that was ever good in my life. Ultimately, the only thing I could pinpoint was that I was an idiot and a dick.
I didn’t leave my room the whole week. Instead, I stayed in and made list after list. Why she should be with me and why she shouldn’t be with me. I’m embarrassed to say the “shouldn’t be” list was the winner because the only thing I had on the “should be with me” list was I loved her more than I loved myself.
I look down at the paper in front of me for a trip to a secluded cabin in the woods. I bid ten thousand dollars before looking up, my eyes searching for her and no one else. I spot her talking to a guy as she holds the glass of champagne. I watch her as she smiles at the guy, but I know the smile means nothing. Her eyes are guarded, and she nods at him before walking away from him.
Turning, she finishes her champagne glass before putting it down on the server’s tray. She walks away from him and all he can do is turn and watch her go. My head tells me to leave her alone while my feet follow her out of the room.