Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“It feels like we’re married already, so we may as well make it official. She’s been dropping hints for years now. I got the ring picked out and everything. It’s hiding in a drawer at my house.”
“Is she going to want to move into your place?”
“We’ve talked about it vaguely. I think she might keep her place as a studio to work on her clothing line and just move into mine full time for living. We’ll figure out the details. All I care about is making her mine.”
“I’m really happy for you. Shots to celebrate?”
Mason grins. “You’re speaking my language!”
I order four shots of tequila and four more beers and bring them back over to Mason.
“Damn, I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Hey, we took rideshares for a reason, right?”
He holds up the first shot. “To being out with the guys,” he says, tapping his glass against mine. We throw back the shots and then immediately go for the second one.
“To marriage,” I say this time. “And to me being your best man, obviously.”
“Obviously,” Mason says, and we take our second shots. The alcohol immediately starts to warm me up. I’m planning on letting loose tonight in a way I can’t when I’m driving. But, at the same time, Mason is on Spencer duty. He has to ensure I don’t get into fights or anything. Someone else will have to handle the injustices in the world tonight.
Mason and I keep dancing and drinking. I’m feeling happily buzzed, like nothing can ruin my night, until the only person on the planet who can take away my drunken happiness shows up.
“Ugh, what is she doing here?” Mason asks when he spots Candy at the same time I do. “I swear she never used to come to this place until you two started working together.”
“I was hoping since we finished our movie, she’d leave me alone, but I guess I’m not that lucky. Maybe she won’t bother us.”
My hope is short-lived when Candy comes over and starts dancing near us.
“Hey, Spencer,” she purrs.
“Hello, Candy,” Mason says, standing between us. “My boy and I are having some fun that doesn’t include you.”
Candy, having no sense of personal space, pushes around Mason and comes close to me, running a hand down my arm. She leans in really close to my face and whispers something I can’t understand over the music.
I realize too late that she is asking me a question, and when I don’t say no, she stands on her toes and smacks her lips against mine.
It takes me less than a second to push her away. “What the hell, Candy? You can’t do shit like that. I have a girlfriend, remember?”
Candy pouts. “I asked if you wanted it, and you didn’t say no.”
I wipe her sugary lip gloss from my face. “That doesn’t mean you can kiss me. I didn’t hear you. We’re in a fucking club, and it’s loud. Leave me alone.”
“Come on, Spencer. You want me. We belong together.”
“We do not, and I expect you to leave me alone. If you approach me in anything but a professional setting again, I’ll call security.”
“Don’t be like that, baby,” she says, running another finger down my chest.
I back away again, saying, “I’m asking you nicely to leave me alone. Don’t make me escalate this.”
“Until we meet again, Spencer James,” she says with a smile.
“I doubt it,” I say.
Mason is staring at me when Candy finally walks away. “Dude, you have to tell Leila about that immediately.”
“She doesn’t need to know. It was a meaningless kiss, and Candy clearly ambushed me.”
“Man, I hate that woman. I don’t like the idea of keeping it a secret, though. You gotta come clean while you can.”
A chill runs down my spine as I notice cameras all around the dance floor. Did any of them capture a photo of Candy and me? I shake away the thought. “It’s going to be fine. Leila doesn’t need to know, and if pictures do get out, I’ll explain it to her. I’d rather not cause a fight if I don’t need to. What are the odds that anyone caught that stupid kiss on camera?”
Mason is clearly hesitant but agrees not to tell Leila about what just happened.
She doesn’t need to be apprised of every little thing in my life. Isn’t that why we’re spending tonight apart? Besides, the kiss was so short there’s no way a camera could’ve caught it. I’m in the clear here, and I don’t need to upset Leila when it’s not necessary.
“I think Candy is up to something, man,” Mason says, nodding toward where she’s standing with one of the camera guys.
“She’s always up to something. I’m sure she’s just asking him to get some good pictures of her for the tabloids. You know she loves her publicity.”
“What if that publicity includes you?”