Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Later that evening, glowing with satiation, we take a simple dinner poolside. Both brothers are quieter than usual, but I brush it off and sip a glass of wine and devour my fancy summer salad.
“We may be gone for most of the day tomorrow,” Gabriel says. “We may even have to stay in the city if business drags on longer than expected.”
“That’s okay.” I smile easily at the younger Costas brother, wondering what could be bugging him so much. “I’ve gotten pretty good at entertaining myself.”
“Sorry it’s short notice,” Tom offers, his expression shuttered.
“No, I get it.” I grin again, hoping that my face conveys that I’m not upset. “You guys have a lot of important things to handle. You can’t always control the timing, even if you are the boss.”
Tom smiles at me, then goes back to poking his steak absentmindedly. Gabriel stares off across the pool, ignoring his dinner completely.
After our strange, taciturn dinner, all three of us decide to go to bed early. As we do most nights, Tom and Gabriel follow me to my room and fall down next to me on the bed. And with one ridiculously attractive man on either side, I curl my arms around them, content, happy, and brimming with adoration.
14
Michelle
The next morning, I stretch out luxuriously across my king-sized bed. I pat beside me, reaching for either Tom or Gabriel but feel neither one next to me. Lazily, I open my eyes against the early morning brightness and glance at my phone to check the time.
Seven in the morning. It’s so early, I groan. Geez, I’ve gotten lazy. I smile as I think back to my life before, when I had to get to work by seven in the morning.
Alright lazy bones, make some moves.
Sighing, I climb out of bed and grab a robe. Donning the thin garb, I slowly make my way downstairs to the breakfast room to eat with Tom and Gabriel.
That’s weird, I note as I enter the empty room. Where are they? I poke my head into the kitchen where the chef, Nora, is preparing breakfast.
“Good morning!” I call out cheerfully.
“Oh hello, Miss Sutton,” the gentle older woman answers. “I was just finishing up a fruit salad, and I have a quiche warming in the oven.”
I smile at the cook. “That sounds amazing.”
She returns my smile. Over the last few months, Nora and I have bonded over her love of cooking and my love of eating.
“Coffee, Miss?” One of the butlers hands me a steaming mug.
“Thanks,” I say and accept it gratefully. The rich aroma immediately perks me up.
“Are Tom and Gabriel home?” I ask casually as the butler pours some creamer into my coffee.
“They had to head into the city first thing this morning, Miss,” he answers.
I frown at this information.
“Oh, I see,” is all I say and I sip on my coffee. That’s right. They had mentioned that they would need to go into Manhattan today. I try to brush it out of my mind. Sometimes, the brothers’ personal attention is needed and no tele-conference will do.
“Would you like your breakfast upstairs, on the patio, or in the sun room as usual?” the chef asks me, interrupting my thoughts. “I only ask because you might not want to sit at that giant breakfast room table all alone.”
For some reason, the words hit me strangely. All alone?
“Do you mind if I eat it in here?” I gesture to the elegant counter. “Sometimes I get a little lonely when the guys are gone all day.” I smile wryly, wondering why I feel so out of sorts this morning. Probably because they didn’t say goodbye, like they normally do.
Nora merely inclines her head to indicate that I’m welcome in the kitchen, and the same butler sets up a spot for me at the kitchen island.
As the older chef plates up my breakfast, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed that neither of the brothers thought to wake me up before they left. Usually, they press kisses to my cheek and I smile drowsily, even if I’m not completely awake.
“What time did Tom and Gabriel leave?” I ask the butler as he sets my plate in front of me.
“At six o’clock, ma’am.”
“Oh, that is early.”
I know it’s nothing, but they were so strange yesterday. I try to brush off my worry, knowing that once they’re home tonight, I can ask them why they had to head to Manhattan again. There is definitely something weird about this trip, given that text message yesterday. I dig into my breakfast, eager for my own day ahead and to quash the feeling that something is off.
About an hour and two large helpings of quiche later, I’m sitting on a low stool in my walk-in closet, surrounded by a mess of clothes.
For some silly reason, I’ve decided that today would be the perfect day to reorganize my entire wardrobe. But now, looking at the piles of delicate lingerie and designer outfits, I wish I hadn’t followed through with the plan.