Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“I didn’t think so,” he allowed, relaxing his stiff posture slightly, “but for the life me, I cannot figure what your game is.”
I exhaled. Ran a hand through my hair.
“You always said you didn’t want to get married or have kids,” he reminded me.
“I know.”
“And that’s changed?”
“Not exactly, but it’s a long story.”
Xander pulled out a chair from a nearby table and plunked himself down. “I got time.”
“I thought you needed me to help move—”
“That was bullshit.” He kicked the chair across from him out from the table. “Now sit down and tell me what the fuck is up.”
Giving in, I dropped onto the chair. “What I say here stays between us.”
“Fine.”
“I’m serious, Xander. Dad can’t know. Austin can’t know. Lexi and I have an understanding. But . . .” I took off my glasses and cleaned them on my shirt. “She told me she confided in a friend, so I guess I can tell someone the truth too.”
“What’s the truth?”
I spilled it—all of it. About the will, quitting my job, forming the plan, convincing Lexi to go along with it, flying to Vegas, tying the knot.
“This is fucking nuts,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe Lexi went for it.”
“What was the alternative? Watch her childhood home be demolished? She’s got too many memories there to let it go without a fight.” I told him about her parents. The ashes scattered at the top of the mountain.
“Jesus.” He scrubbed a hand over his beard. “That’s tough. But still—getting married just to inherit?”
“She’d probably have done something even more extreme,” I said. “You don’t know her like I do. The girl is highly emotional. Fiercely sentimental. And she’s got a wild streak. She runs hot.”
A smile crept onto Xander’s face. “I bet she does.”
“Not like that,” I said. Then I paused. “Actually, yeah, like that.”
Xander laughed. “I figured there was more in it for you than just getting back at some business rival.”
“There’s more in it for me than just sex,” I said defensively. “I’ve got some money saved that I’m going to invest in Snowberry. I really think it will do well. I’ll see the return eventually.”
“I thought you were saving that money for some kind of kids’ summer camp.”
“I was, but . . .” I shrugged. “That will have to wait. I want to help her out. And listen, don’t tell her about that. I don’t want her to know I was saving that money for a specific purpose. She’ll feel bad.”
Xander leaned back in his chair, tipping it onto two legs. Studying me with curious eyes. “You like this girl.”
I shrugged, trying to downplay my feelings. “I like her.”
“A lot. I saw you with her last night. It wasn’t all for show.”
“Fine, I like her a lot.” I frowned. “Did you have to tell her I was afraid of the chairlift, asshole?”
“Yes. I felt it was my solemn duty as your big brother to roast you a little bit on the occasion of your marriage.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He was silent a moment. “Dad seems happy.”
“Yeah.” I cringed a little bit. “I do feel bad about that.”
“How long you plan on staying married?”
“We think six months should do it.”
He cocked his head. “Six months playing house, huh? And then you just say goodbye? Move back to Boston?”
I shrugged. “Or somewhere else. I haven’t decided yet.”
“And she’s going to be fine with that?”
“Absolutely. We have it all worked out.”
He cocked his head and gave me a smile that said he knew better. “Of course you do.”
When I got home, I went up to my bedroom to find Lexi pacing back and forth at the foot of the bed.
“Thank God you’re here!” she whispered frantically, rushing to shut the door behind me. “I’m losing my mind!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, exactly, it’s just that there’s a party tonight for our wedding and in that bag over there is a dress I’m supposed to wear and Veronica and Kelly were so kind to me today and so excited for us and I’m wearing this gold band on my finger and your dad gave me these earrings that were your mom’s and I finally saw our wedding photo today and I just can’t—it’s all fake, Devlin! We’re liars! It’s all fake!” She burst into tears, and I instinctively pulled her into my arms.
“Hey. Shhh, it’s okay.” I stroked her hair, the way I knew she liked. The way that relaxed her. “Everything is okay. So you found a dress for tonight?”
“Yes.” Her voice was muffled in my shirt. “It’s white.”
I smiled. “I like you in white. You were wearing a white dress the night we met, remember?”
“I remember.” She sniffed.
“You had fun with Kelly and Veronica?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s this about earrings?”
Sighing, she backed away from me and held up her hair so I could see the pearl earrings she wore. “They were your mom’s.”