Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Besides, we broke off the doctor-patient relationship immediately after that first session. Ryder and I knew it was the right thing to do, and took corrective action asap. Hopefully, that mitigated the damage.
But still, my stomach’s roiling and I feel slightly nauseous about the entire situation with the beautiful brunette. Bethany’s coming over tonight to talk, and frankly, I’m not sure how it’s going to go. On the one hand, I want to drop to my knees and apologize. But on the other, what the hell? How did we end up here? God, it’s so fucking awful.
There’s a melodious chime, and Ryder strides to the front door. It swings open to reveal our gorgeous girl in all her glory, and Bethany’s never looked more attractive. She’s wearing a purple dress that comes her knees, the flowery material skimming her curves while highlighting those generous assets. Her brown hair streams down her back and those caramel eyes gaze at us hesitantly.
“May I come in?” she asks.
I nod, and gesture to the beige leather sofa.
“Please. Make yourself comfortable.”
She teeters over to the couch before sitting and crossing those creamy thighs. My mouth waters just looking at her, but I force my body to behave. I can’t be sporting a boner when ostensibly, we’re supposed to be talking about serious stuff.
“Hi,” she begins quietly. “I came by to say-,”
Ryder cuts her off.
“It’s okay, baby. None of this is your fault. It’s ours.”
I stare at him. What? I haven’t talked much with Ryder in the last couple days because I’ve been so depressed and morose over this entire shitshow. So what is he intimating at?
“No, it is my fault,” Bethie says softly, shaking her head as tears come to her eyes. “I was an idiot for trusting Wanda. I really thought she was my friend, but it turns out she’s been jealous of me for years now. For the silliest things too,” she says, swiping at her eyes.
I move over to her side, stroking her back.
“Hush, baby. It can’t be that bad.”
She sniffles and looks up at me with brimming eyes.
“No it is. I thought she was my best friend, but it turns out she’s been green with envy this whole time for ridiculous reasons. Because I have a baby, and she doesn’t. Because I’ve had boyfriends in the past, and she hasn’t really. Because men actually show up for dates with me, when they tend to ghost her.”
I crinkle my brow.
“Is your friend some kind of crazy witch or something? Why don’t people like her?”
Bethany nods a little.
“I think crazy would be putting it lightly,” she says with a hitch in her voice. “I think a better way to put is that Wanda’s bitter and really misguided. She hasn’t had an easy time dating in New York for ages now, and it’s warped her world view. She thought that I was stealing all the men in New York.”
Both Ryder and I stare at the beautiful girl.
“What? But how? This city has sixteen million people in it, and fully half of those people are men.”
Bethany wipes her eyes again and smiles a little ruefully.
“I know, right? But Wanda’s delusional, and I really mean that because she’s just off in La-La Land at this point. It’s not like I had a bunch of good dates when I was doing the on-line dating thing. In fact, the opposite: I had a bunch of bad dates. Horrible, awful, wish I could forget them bad dates. But you see, Wanda never even got that far because most guys never even replied to her emails.”
I shake my head.
“Wow. That’s really something.”
Bethie looks tearful again.
“I know, but it’s not just that. Wanda’s so clueless that she never looked inside. She never thought, hey, it could be me. Instead, she just throws everything out there. She’s caustic and difficult to get along with, to the point that men would cancel on her before even meeting her in person. You wouldn’t like her if you met her.”
I growl. I already hate this woman’s guts. There’s no reason to meet her.
But then Ryder steps in again, his tone smooth.
“There’s more to it than that, sweetheart. We have met Wanda, and in fact, she set you up.”
That makes Bethie and I turn to my business partner.
“What?” she gasps, eyes wide. “You’ve met her before?”
I’m just as shocked.
“When? How? I’d remember a bitch like that.”
Ryder merely shakes his head.
“Do you remember how almost a year ago, this crazy redheaded woman came by to interview us for some article on plastic surgery? It was for a women’s magazine, but I can’t even remember which one.”
Damn, how could I forget? That bitch was insane.
“You mean the one who waited for us with no panties on in the conference room? The one who tried to seduce us, and then threw a fit when we politely said no, and mentioned that we’d rather just keep things professional?”