Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Adrian sighs, a pained sound that hurts my heart.
“Come on,” I wheedle after a beat. “What do you have to lose? Maybe he’ll have some good advice. At the very least, he can be a shoulder to lean on while you figure out a way forward with Gigi.”
He swallows and the way his throat works reminds me of Gideon. He has his father’s build and Gideon’s wild, but perfect wavy hair. But it’s his mother’s dark eyes that lock on mine as he whispers, “But what if he still doesn’t like me? What if he spends two days with me and bolts again? I couldn’t handle it, Syd. Maybe I should be tough enough to let things like that roll off my back, but…I’m not.”
“Oh, Adrian,” I say, my chest aching as I wrap an arm around his shoulders. “That isn’t going to happen. He loves you. So much. I could see it in his eyes. I know it’s scary to put yourself out there, but if you reach out to your dad, he’s not going to let you down. I promise.”
He arches a brow. “Wow. He really got to you, didn’t he?”
You have no idea, I think. Aloud, I say, “He made a good impression. Yes. But I think I’m a pretty good judge of character.”
“Yeah, you are. That’s why you broke up with me,” he says, his lips twitching a little at the edges.
I smile. “We’re obviously better as friends. But you trust me, right? That’s why you came to me with this, instead of someone else?”
Sobering, he nods. “I do. Even though you lied your face off about being the richest girl in Nepo Babyville.”
“You saw the society page.” He nods, and I wrinkle my nose. “I’m not a nepo baby. You’ve seen how hard I work. My father pushes me harder than any of his other employees.”
He grunts. “You still lied.”
“I did, and I shouldn’t have,” I admit. “I just didn’t want you to hate me for something I couldn’t control.”
“I could never hate you,” he says with an affection that makes me feel warm and worried at the same time.
Surely, Adrian doesn’t still have those kinds of feelings for me. He can’t. If he does, the path forward just got even harder for Gideon and me.
“You’re one of the good ones,” he continues in that same soft voice, making my empty stomach start to burn. “I wish I’d had my shit together when we dated.”
“It’s better this way,” I say. “Friendships don’t have expiration dates. Most college relationships do.”
He laughs, easing my fears. “No doubt. And you being perfect all the time would have driven me crazy, eventually. No offense, but no one should be this perfect, Syd. It’s annoying.”
I arch a wry brow. “Thanks.”
He laughs again. “You’re welcome. And…you’re probably right. Again. I should at least try reaching out to Gideon. He’s in town for a few more days and wanted to talk anyway, so…”
I nod, excited and nervous at the same time. “I think that sounds smart. I’m sure he’ll have better advice for you than I will. I have no idea how I’d handle being a mom right now. Becoming a parent is a huge deal.”
His expression sobers. “Fuck, I know. I’ve been reeling since Gigi texted last night. It just gets scarier and scarier.”
“She texted the news that you two were having a baby?” I ask incredulously. “She didn’t tell you in person? Or at least call?”
He shoots me a sideways glance. “No one calls anyone anymore, woman.”
“I call people,” I say, thinking how much I wish I had Gideon’s number, so I could call him as soon as Adrian leaves and give him a heads-up about what’s going on with his son. “I call people all the time.”
He pats my arm with exaggerated care. “Yes, you do. And it’s a testimony to how sweet you are that we haven’t all ghosted you for it. See, you do have flaws. No one’s perfect, after all. Thanks for the reminder.” He rises from the stool, rolling his shoulders back.
“You’re welcome,” I say dryly. “But you should call your dad. Or better yet, meet up. This isn’t a texting matter.”
“Yes, Mom, I know,” he says, the words like cold water tossed in my face.
If Gideon and I end up living happily ever after, I could be Adrian’s stepmother someday. It’s not something I’ve thought about until this exact moment.
This sobering, chilling, borderline horrific moment…
I’m still reeling when Adrian pulls me in for a friendly hug. “I’ll hit you up later. Tell Ben the cleaner is coming this afternoon instead of tomorrow for me, will you? He’s in there with Noelle, but they’ll probably be asleep for a while. They got hopped up on chocolate-covered espresso beans and shut down the dance floor at three a.m.”