Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 105679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
25
AN APOLOGY BOUQUET
Ivy
Fun fact. There is hardly a woe that a vanilla latte and girlfriend time can’t cure. But big woes require big drinks, so I get a big-ass one.
With my drink in hand, I sink down into a comfy chair at a sidewalk table at Dr. Insomnia’s and take a thirsty sip from the mug. It gives me courage.
So does Roxy, who’s curled up in my lap at this outdoor table with me. When Trina brought my pup, she whimpered with excitement when she saw me, proving once again that dogs are a girl’s best friend. I scratch her ears while Trina’s three-legged pup, Nacho, sits on the sidewalk like a good boy, ears up, checking out lady dogs with avid interest as they walk by.
Well, he might be checking out boy dogs too. I don’t really know his preferences.
Aubrey settles in with her mango smoothie, flicks some strands of her red hair, and gives me an I’ve been waiting too long look. “Are you finally going to tell us about your wedding night?”
They already got the big picture details in text. Now it’s time for the real tea. My stomach does cartwheels as I draw a deep, fueling breath. I start with the good news. “I have been introduced to the joys of a double dicking.”
Everyone’s quiet for several long seconds till Aubrey gasps, and Trina’s green eyes pop. “Get it, get, get it,” she sings, shimmying in tune, before she says, “With who? I want details. Do not skimp.”
Aubrey lifts a finger. “Hayes and Stefan, I bet.”
“Nailed it,” I say.
“Sounds like they nailed you,” she corrects.
“Touché.”
Then Aubrey shoots me a frustrated stare. “Also, I hate you. That’s not fucking fair. When do I get my turn on the double-dude merry-go-round?”
Trina points down the street. “There’s a ticket counter at the fairgrounds. Just order two for the price of one and you’re good to go.”
“Thanks for the tip,” she deadpans, then turns back to me. “Now. Story time. And start at the beginning.”
“I will, but how did you guess who it was?”
She taps her skull. “They seem like the type who’d give a good dicking.”
“You’re not wrong. Also, who knew pleasure could be exponential when it’s doubled?” I whisper.
Trina clears her throat, all over the top. Takes the time raising her hand.
Aubrey slumps in her chair, hands raised in surrender. “Seriously, what does a girl need to do to get in on the double-duty action?”
“It’s not all fun and games,” I say, since as good as the night was, now I have to deal with the mess during the day. “Have I mentioned that I’m stuck being married to only one of them while I still want to see both of them?”
Aubrey mimes playing a small violin. “Poor baby.”
“Seriously, though. What do I do? I didn’t sign up to be a fake wife.” I take another drink.
Trina sets down her coffee and gives me a thoughtful look. “What do you want to do about it? Do you want to come clean to the team owner? That’s a viable option.”
I shudder, immediately and involuntarily. “Jessie’s been good to me. I don’t want to let her down. I don’t want to draw more attention to myself either.”
“There’s your answer. You have to pretend,” Trina says. “For a reasonable amount of time.”
My gut swirls, but I know she’s right.
“Do the charity event,” she continues. “Then move on and it’ll be fine. Relationships don’t always work out. Maybe in a few months, you can quietly divorce. It’s not like Jessie’s going to say you must stay married forever. It sounds like you’re just trying to get through a couple months to save face, to be honest.”
I give that some thought as I take another drink. That sounds reasonable enough. This isn’t forever. It’s just for a short while. I can handle that. Hayes needs to focus on hockey and finding his footing with the team, and I can do this for him. He was helpful to me with his plus-one offer the night I met him. Maybe this is my turn to white knight him. I can be his plus-one. We’ll do Jessie’s golf luncheon so he can impress the owner. And we’ll go to Xander and Simone’s wedding so I can write about it for Your Scrappy Little Fashionista. Tit for tat. “You’re probably right. I was so pissed earlier that he didn’t check with me, so I’ve been stewing, and I hadn’t really thought through those details. But a short marriage makes sense.”
Aubrey taps a long pink fingernail against the iron table like she’s thinking this situation through too. “Besides, is it really the worst thing? It sounds like you could enjoy some benefits, if you know what I mean.”
I sure do, and I like how her dirty brain works. “I’m not interested in anything serious though. I don’t want to jump into another relationship.”