Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 120631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 603(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 603(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
She normally wasn’t this jittery. Typically, she showed up like a wrecking ball and took charge.
Blowing out a breath, she held her stare in the mirror, forbidding herself to spiral after making it this far.
“Everything worked out, and you’re not going to freak out over a few extra guests. Who cares what they say? You can pull this off without him.” With a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders. “This is why you’re better off depending only on yourself.”
She rooted through her cosmetic bag and dug out a brush. Within five minutes, her makeup was freshened, and a mask of composure was in place.
As she tossed her lipstick back into the bag, she paused. Where had she left her phone? Jocelyn tried to remember where she plugged it in.
Quickly changing into her dress, she swapped out her sneakers for heels. Inspecting her reflection one last time, she gave a nod of approval. “Jocelyn Collins, your tits may be sweating, but you are a badass.”
Then out the door she went.
The crowd had doubled, and the slow din of conversation she’d escaped minutes ago had climbed to a soft roar. The dining room swelled with the warm, chattering hum of friends, here to support Wren and Greyson’s family. This was why she loved her town. No matter what, they were always there when it mattered.
Unlike some people.
Jocelyn waded through what turned into a town affair, greeting guests, directing people to tables, all while laughing precisely on cue. Sometime just before the guests of honor were set to arrive, her disappointment shifted again to anger.
How could he miss this?
Every few minutes, the same realization that he wasn’t here brought the same slap of disappointment. Then came the paranoia.
Any one of these women could have been Lady Lovewatch. A sense that others were quietly judging her sent a bowling ball rolling in her stomach. The gossip columnist dwelled somewhere in this very room. She could feel it. Camouflaged behind a friendly mask, taking notes, passing judgment, preparing to wield her pen like a sword come Monday.
She should start bracing now for the headlines.
Left High and Dry at the Shower…
Love On The Rocks…
The One That Got Away…
Something’s Fishy In Hideaway Bay…
From Page to Pier, Plot Twist For The Romance Author!
She had to stop obsessing.
Wren was going to be there any minute, and Jocelyn could not make this about herself. It was Wren and Greyson’s special day. And while Soren might be okay with missing it, she wanted to be fully present for her friends.
She peeked out the window and stepped back, colliding with something solid. For a moment, she mistook Logan’s broad build for Soren’s and a quiver of hope sent a tremor of relief up her spine. But the second she realized it was only his brother, disappointment struck again.
“See anything?”
“Not yet.”
Logan studied her for a moment. “Everything looks perfect, Jocelyn. You did a great job.”
She hated how much she needed to hear that. “Thank you. I couldn’t have pulled it off without your help.”
“You could have. I’ve seen what you’re capable of.”
His compliment was exactly the kind of validation she needed in that moment. Rising on her toes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You’re a good brother, Logan. And a great friend.”
“Anytime.”
They peeked out the window again, looking for any sign of Greyson’s truck or Wren’s jeep.
“They’re coming!” someone hissed from the window, and Jocelyn turned, smacking her head into Logan’s jaw.
“Ouch!”
“Crap. Sorry!”
White light burst behind her eyes, momentarily blinding her as chaos suddenly turned everyone into idiots.
“It’s okay. Shh! Everyone quiet!” She blinked as her vision returned and watched Greyson’s truck slide into a parking spot a few doors down. “Everyone duck down! Here they come!”
The crowd surged into formation, bodies compressing toward the entrance. Seventy grinning faces coiled tight, holding their breath around the coming shout.
Jocelyn’s heart raced. Wren and Greyson believed they were meeting a massage therapist from The Haven for a modest employee birthday lunch. Neither one suspected a roomful of friends.
Jocelyn pushed closer to the door. The kitchen clatter dropped to a simmering hush as the staff watched from the back. Her stomach dropped when she reached for her phone, remembering too late that it wasn’t on her.
“My phone… I need pictures. I don’t have—”
“I’ve got it.” Logan already had his phone lifted, the camera open, his thumb poised over the shutter. “You play hostess. I’ll be sure to catch everything.”
The crowd pulsed with anticipation as seconds stretched on bated breath. Her heart hammered wildly behind her ribs.
He should be here—
The door swung open with a flash of sunlight, and everyone yelled, “SURPRISE!”
Wren’s hands flew to her mouth, and Greyson staggered a full step back, quickly recovering to steady his pregnant wife.
Jocelyn laughed, her relief so extreme she was unexpectedly ambushed by tears. By the stunned looks on their faces, they were definitely surprised.