Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
I flop on the couch. Mom sits beside me and thrusts a million real estate brochures in my hands.
“No pressure, huh?” I hold the stack up for her to see. “You just randomly found … six, seven, eight of these just laying around Muggers this morning?”
Mom grins. “Some of them were at Muggers when I went by for a coffee this morning, yes.”
“And the other six?”
She laughs. “Just take them and have a look and stop being snotty.”
I laugh too. “You’ll be happy to know that I drove around today and looked at some places that I might be interested in.”
“Did you tour any?”
“No. I don’t have an agent or anything like that, but I wanted to see what was available. The market has changed so much since I’ve been gone. I was going to buy a place before we got engaged, and I swear they were tons cheaper than they are now.”
“Now you see why I have this one-bedroom.”
Because Dad left you with practically nothing, and now Gemma, the stepmother from hell, is enjoying half of his estate—the half that I didn’t inherit.
“Why don’t you let me give you some of my—”
“Don’t.” Her voice is stern. “That’s not mine. It’s yours. All I asked for in the divorce was for you to be taken care of, and you are. I don’t want anything from that man.”
Well, I don’t particularly either, but his wife shouldn’t get it all after what he put us through …
I open one of the brochures. “Why don’t you go with me next week?”
“Where to?”
“My honeymoon.”
“You’re going?”
I look up. Curiosity is etched on her wrinkled forehead.
“Yeah. I decided that I might as well go and have fun. I mean, I did pay for it,” I say.
“Which still disgusts me.”
“Eton didn’t want to go to the Bahamas. The only way I could convince him to choose it over California was if I paid for it, which was fine because I got a great deal thanks to my connections.” I tap my chin. “That really should’ve been a red flag in retrospect.”
“You think? What about the red flag that was waving in the air when he never complimented you? When is the last time Eton told you that you were beautiful? Smart? When was the last time he acknowledged how well you run your business and what all you’ve accomplished on your own?”
“Anyway,” I say, going back to the brochure. A pretty two-bedroom place within walking distance to the beach looks tempting—and a great alternative to her question. How did she notice that? “You should go with me. What do you think?”
“I think I would’ve gone to California, but there’s no way I’m flying over the water.”
“Mom.”
“I’m not.” She shakes her head vehemently. “I won’t do it and there’s no way you’ll talk me into it. I’ve had a fear of dark water since your grandpa drowned. Go and have fun but I’m keeping my butt at home.”
I sigh. After dog-earing the corner of the page, I flip it to the next section of homes.
“You know who I could ask?” I say, moving to the condo section of the brochure.
“Who? But why don’t you just take Sara or Becca? You always do a girls’ trip anyway. This would be the perfect excuse to get away.”
“They can’t. They have to work. Speaking of work, I booked a trip for a couple this morning to Bora Bora. There’s a new resort there that I didn’t know about until I started researching this trip for them. It’s amazing.” My eyes sparkle. “It makes me want to book more things in the Pacific.”
Mom rests against the pillows. “How is your business going? It wasn’t too affected by all of this, was it?”
“Oh, it’s good. I had slowed down because of the wedding, which is nice because I need a little time right now anyway.”
“Right. So who were you thinking about taking?” she asks.
I bite my lip and look at her. She reads the expression on my face and starts shaking her head. “Don’t say it, Ashley.”
“What’s wrong with Warren? We dated so long ago, and he’s single. He popped up on Social for me a couple of days ago—”
“No.”
“He looks great, and we really did get along. We just—”
“No, Ashley.”
“It was probably bad timing,” I say, amused at the displeasure on her face. I wasn’t really considering Warren, but this makes me want to continue for the entertainment value of it. “Warren was a good guy.”
And fun as hell in bed.
“You can’t be serious,” she says. “Tell me you’re joking.”
I just stare at her.
“Ashley …” She sighs, irritation thick in her tone. “You just took a huge step forward by dumping Eton, and you are absolutely not taking six steps back by getting with Warren. He still lives with his parents.”
I lift a brow. “You wanted me to move back in with you.”