Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
He went straight to my mom and gave her a big hug as he asked, “Are you really okay, Mandy? Romy said you were, but I wanted to see you for myself.” He was such a suck-up.
“I’m perfectly fine, sweetie,” she said, as she patted his back. “Don’t worry about me.”
I was struck by the extremely immature thought that my mother liked my ex better than me. Well, why wouldn’t she? He was every parent’s dream son-in-law, a rich, handsome doctor.
When he finally let go of my mother, he turned his attention to Jack and flashed his perfect smile as he said, “Hi, there. I’m Doctor Stanford Gaines, but my friends call me Ford. And you are?” I’d been right to call him a fucking stuck up prick, dropping his title like that for literally no reason.
Jack’s response was priceless. He still oozed charm, but there were daggers in his eyes as he squared his shoulders, shook Ford’s hand, and said, “Hi, Stanford. I’m Jack. Just Jack.” I cleared my throat to cover a laugh. It was such a subtle way of calling out Ford for title-dropping, while letting him know they weren’t friends and weren’t about to be.
My nosy ex started to ask, “And are you and Reno—”
“We’re lovers,” Jack informed him, raising his chin defiantly, as if he was daring Ford to question it. He was barely five-foot-nine to Ford’s six-one, but he held himself like a king indulging a peasant with the pleasure of his company. God, I loved his bravado. If he found anything even remotely intimidating about Ford, he sure as hell wasn’t showing it.
“Anyway,” I cut in, “as you can see, my mom is fine. Now I’m sure you have important doctor business to get to, like a round of golf or a three-martini lunch at the club.” I turned to Jack and added, “Ford’s a plastic surgeon, so it’s not like he needs to get back to work saving lives or anything.”
Only then did Ford even acknowledge I was in the room. His ice-blue eyes narrowed just a little as he turned his gaze to me and said, “Hello, Reno. You’re looking well.”
“I know.” If he thought I was going to pay him a compliment in return, he was dead wrong.
My mom cut in with, “Why don’t you join us for lunch, Ford? Reno went to Martino’s, and it looks like he bought enough for ten people. I know how much you love their potato salad.”
Oh, fuck no. I tried to keep my expression neutral because I didn’t want to piss off my mother, but if he agreed to stay I’d have to leave. I just couldn’t do this right now.
Before my ex could reply, Jack circled the table and cuddled up to me, and I put a protective arm around his shoulders. He was probably just doing that for show, but then again this all had to be incredibly uncomfortable for him, so maybe he really did want a little reassurance.
The muscles in Ford’s square jaw tightened, but only for a moment. Then he smiled at my mom and said, “Thanks for the offer, Mandy, but I need to get going. I’m meeting a client at the clinic in half an hour. Poor dear lost both of her breasts to cancer, so I’m helping her regain some of her confidence through the use of implants.”
Oh, nice try, Ford. Way to make it sound like his job was all about doing god’s work. I asked, “Did you have to special order a believable size? I know most of your clients go for the double-Ds at a minimum, or as I like to call them, the trophy wife special.”
“Be kind, Adriano.” That was from my mom, who shot me a warning look.
Ford said, “Anyway, I’m off. Mandy darling, call me if you need anything at all. Reno, good to see you. And Jack, it was a pleasure meeting you.” Then he turned to Romy, who’d been watching all of this with a frown, and asked, “Will you walk me out, kiddo?”
When the two of them left the kitchen, I sat down and exhaled slowly, and Jack sat beside me. “Sorry,” I whispered, so Ford wouldn’t overhear us from the other room. “I had no idea we’d be running into my ex today, and I know that was awkward.”
“It was fucking hilarious,” Jack whispered in reply, while my mom took a pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. “What a complete tool. ‘I’m Doctor Stanford Whatever.’ And then it turns out he’s a plastic surgeon! I mean, I guess I get what you saw in him since he’s conventionally handsome, but I don’t think I’ve ever instantly disliked a person quite that much.” I loved the way he sprinkled the word “conventionally” in there. No way was he going to pay my ex an out-and-out compliment.