Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“Hi, Henley.” I force a smile. “I’ve reconsidered your offer.”
His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “For?”
“The date.”
“Oh.”
“Yes.” I shrug as I try to act casual. “Turns out I can be your date this weekend after all.”
“Why is that?” he asks flatly. “You were repelled by the idea when I asked you.”
“Yes, well . . . I don’t like you barging over every time I have a man come to the house when you can’t be bothered to even acknowledge me if you see me anywhere else.”
“Like where?”
“Like at Carol’s party.”
“You were talking to Rebecca all night.”
“Yes, while you were talking to Taryn.”
He rolls his eyes. “I’m single, Juliet.”
“So am I, so I don’t appreciate you barging in on Joel and I.”
Ugh, why am I such a smart-ass around him? He brings out the worst in me.
“Isn’t dating your designer going against some code of ethics or something?”
“Who cares. So is it a date?”
He glares at me.
“Hurry up and make your decision,” I snap.
Take the bait.
“Don’t try and tell me what to do, Juliet. I don’t like it. And, yes, it is a date. A fake date—don’t get any ideas.”
Anger bubbles just under the surface. He really is infuriating in the flesh. “Believe me, ideas are the last thing I’m vibing from you right now, Henley.”
He crosses his arms, and it’s then I notice he’s shirtless and in boxer shorts.
Eyes up.
“Seeing Joel this week, are you?” he asks.
“Not sure,” I lie.
His calculating eyes hold mine, and I inwardly smile. Maybe he does like me, even if it’s only a tiny bit.
“What time on Saturday?” I ask.
“It’s in the city and will be a late one. We will probably have to stay the night in a hotel.”
“What?”
“You’ll have your own room, of course.” He rolls his eyes. “I’m not stupid, and there is no way I’d share a room with you.”
There’s a reason Henley James doesn’t date; nobody would put up with his shit. “Goodbye, Henley.” I walk down the steps.
“It’s black tie,” he calls.
I turn back. “What?”
“The function, it’s black tie.”
Fuck it, now I have to spend money that I don’t have on a stupid dress. “Great.” I smile. “Can’t wait.”
I storm back to my house while inwardly kicking myself for agreeing to this.
What did you do?
Vroom, vroom, vroom.
Laughter echoes through the street, and Barry’s ears prick up.
“Huh.” I glance toward my front windows. It’s nearly 6:00 p.m. on Thursday night.
“What’s that sound?” Chloe asks from her fold-up chair. Damn it, I wish my new couch would arrive already.
Vroom, vroom, vroom.
More male laughter. A girl screams.
“What is it, Barry?” I get up and walk to the front window, and my eyes widen in horror. “What the hell?”
“What?”
“You better come look at this because you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Chloe gets off her fold-up chair and comes and stands beside me to spy through the sheer curtains.
Taryn is roller-skating up and down the street. She’s wearing electric-blue biker shorts and a matching sports bra. Her hair is in two pigtails, and her huge perky boobs are hanging out on display. She has white knee and wrist guards on.
“Are you kidding me right now?” Chloe snaps. “Who the fuck is that?”
“Taryn, the one I was telling you about.”
The neighborhood men are all on Blake’s front lawn chatting, while secretly eyeing her.
“She obviously saw them and then came out to put on a show,” Chloe scoffs. “Has she no shame?”
“Does it look like she does?”
We both watch as Taryn is over-the-top flirting and being dramatic as she skates. I roll my eyes. “Give me a break.”
She touches Blake’s tie and says something to him, and he laughs out loud.
“Fuck off, you silly show-off witch,” Chloe snaps, her eyes glued to them.
Henley’s car pulls around the corner and slows right down. He says something to her through the window of his car, and she laughs out loud. “Oh, Henley, you’re so funny.”
No, he’s not.
“He’s a grumpy shithead. Goes to show how little you know about him,” I whisper angrily.
Henley doesn’t bother driving into his garage. He parks his car in the driveway and gets out and goes to talk to the boys on the curb. They stand around chatting as they enjoy the show.
“Of course he does that,” Chloe snaps, infuriated. “He’s a fucktard too.”
He eyes her up and down, and I fume.
“We have established this already.”
She starts to try and spin with her arms out wide, and I roll my eyes. “This isn’t fucking Xanadu, you silly bitch.”
I spy through the sheer curtains, and I watch Henley watch her.
I don’t like him looking at anyone else.
Rebecca walks across the road. “Who’s this coming?” Chloe asks.
“Rebecca. I met her on Saturday night. She’s nice.”
She steps onto my lawn. “Why is she coming over here?”
“I don’t know. Quick, act natural.” We both run and dive onto our fold-up chairs.