Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 97369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Sometimes you have to be eighteen and reckless.
“I’ve fucked your husband … more than once. I know what he feels like inside me. And he knows what I taste like. And you can’t wish that away, no matter how much of a total entitled princess bitch you try to be today. So remember … I had him first. And since we’ll be one big family … don’t fucking turn your back or blink because there will never come a day that his dick doesn’t get hard when I walk into a room.” I bare my teeth and tap on one of them. “And uh … you have lipstick on your teeth. You’re welcome.”
Jolene doesn’t blink. I’m not sure she’s breathing. Not even the artificial color in her cheeks can hide the blood draining from her face. In the next breath, I exit the lounge.
“Oh, there you are. Is Jolene in there?” her maid of honor asks.
I smile. “She is, but I’d give her a bit. She has a bad case of wedding jitters in the form of lethal diarrhea.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Oh. Okay.”
Brushing past her, I grin, and this time it’s genuine. I found my voice with Jolene for the first time. Was it bad timing? Maybe. But it won’t change anything, and I know it. This wedding is a merger, not a love story. She will still marry him. He will be in her bed tonight and every night. I may never eat a burnt grilled cheese with him again. We may never race in the pond, ride Ranger at sunset, or pick figs together.
She’s pissed off, but for the wrong reasons. But one day, she’ll really see Milo and love him because it’s impossible not to love Milo Odell. When that day comes, she will think of me and live the rest of her life never knowing if he loves her back—always wondering if he loves me more. And that will plague her for eternity.
“There you are.” Pauline rushes to Jolene while the rest of the women do last-minute primping. “Are you okay?”
Jolene is a statue. An impeccable actress. She’ll make a fantastic, cut-throat attorney. “Let’s do this.” She slides her gaze to me. “I’m done with you, Indiana. You can leave now. I’ll take it from here. I’ll take everything from here.”
Handing her the bouquet, I look her up and down just to fuck with her one last time before she marries my Milo. “Break a leg.” I wink the same way she winked at me.
That’s for the dress.
The green makeup.
The ass-wiping.
The bangs.
Every degrading comment.
Every condescending look.
Every reminder that I’m not real family.
And Milo. That’s for taking the only thing in life that matters to me.
Literally … break a fucking leg, bitch.
I turn the corner toward the grand sanctuary constructed with two-story arched ceilings and entire walls of stained glass. “Oof! Shit … shoot.” I cover my mouth, eyes wide at Milo.
He fixes his white tie, wearing the hell out of that black, three-piece suit. I don’t see my Milo. No jeans. No chaps. No hat. And he smells like weird cologne instead of leather, coffee, and cinnamon. A slow smile works its way up his face.
“Sorry. I … uh … should’ve watched where I was going.”
He doesn’t say a damn word. He just … smiles at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Maybe he’s high. If I were him, I’d have to be high to marry Jolene, to promise to love, honor, and cherish her.
I open my mouth to say more stupid words, but Fletcher, Ty, and two guys I’ve never seen before walk up behind him.
One of the unfamiliar guys rests his hand on Milo’s shoulder. “It’s time, man.”
Milo ignores him for several more seconds while taking his sweet time to inspect me. My gaudy green dress, old lady shoes, clownish makeup, and … my bangs. It’s not until he really zeros in on my hair that his smile falters.
I pull back my shoulders and smile. “Jolene wanted me to have bangs for your wedding.”
Milo’s brow tightens a fraction, and I know he has something to say, but it’s too late. We have an audience, and he has to get to the front of the sanctuary before his bride makes her grand entrance.
I stare at his mouth. The next person to kiss his lips will be Jolene. And it breaks. My. Fucking. Heart.
“There you are.” Judah, my pre-law date, saunters toward me. “I was going to go ahead and be seated, but since you’re here, we can be seated together.”
“Let’s go, son,” Fletcher says to Milo.
Milo gives Judah an unreadable look before returning his attention to me. No smile. No life. The mischievous sparkle in his eyes has been extinguished. Fletcher, Ty, and the two other men lead the way, and Milo follows, his hand lightly brushing mine.