Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“You haven’t in a while.”
Guilt suffused me. “I don’t mean not to.” I made a mental note to make more time for Mum and to confide in her more. After all, if there was one person in the world I was most like, it was Mum.
Realizing we didn’t have much time before Dad, Uncle Cam, and Louis appeared, I rattled off the story about Sebastian, finishing up with yesterday’s promise to be his friend.
“Is this the guy who almost kissed you in the library?” Mum asked.
“He did?” Jan looked gleeful at the prospect, the dimples we both inherited from our father appearing. “You almost got kissed by a member of the royal family?”
“A lesser-known member of the royal family. And I don’t think that’s what was happening then, Mum. Not after talking with him.”
Mum raised an eyebrow. “Lily, whatever he says about his intentions now, his intention then was to kiss you.”
“What does he look like?” Aunty Jo asked Mum.
Mum grimaced. “It’s weird for me to comment on a student’s appearance.”
“Think of him less as a student and more as Lily’s friend who almost kissed her.”
“He’s beautiful,” Mum responded promptly, her lips pursing. “And a charmer, like her father.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Don’t compare him to Dad.”
“He had that glint of mischief in his eyes like your dad.”
Jo grinned. “I am very intrigued.”
“Here.” Jan stuck her phone in Aunty Jo’s face. “That’s him there.”
I almost fell off my stool. “Where did you get a photo?” I peered over Aunty Jo’s shoulder.
“I googled him. And after seeing him, I’d quite like to google him, if you know what I mean?” My sister winked with exaggeration, making Mum snort.
Scowling at her for a long second, I then looked back at the phone. Sebastian was googleable! There were actual shots of him at royal events. When he told me he was a lesser-known member of the royal family, I hadn’t really understood what that meant.
“Oh, Lily, Liv is right. He is beautiful. Go, you.” Aunty Jo nudged me playfully.
“No,” I grumbled, sitting back up on my stool. “Not go, me. Didn’t you hear what I said? He friend-zoned me. So, I have two questions for you. Do you think I’m being stupid forgiving him and giving him a chance? And is it silly to agree to be friends with a guy I’m very attracted to?”
Jan snorted. “Just say it. You want to google him, and no one blames you.”
“Would you stop using that as a verb for sex?”
“Fine. You want to fu—”
“Finish that sentence never, young lady.” Mum pointed a wooden spoon at my sister.
January gave her an unremorseful smile before she pretended to zip her mouth shut.
“Unlike you, I don’t do casual sex,” I said evilly.
“What?” Mum gaped at January. “Lily better be joking.”
My sister peered at me with a mixture of admiration and irritation. “It seems I’ve taught you too well, young Padawan.”
Aunty Jo smothered a laugh with her hand while I tried to swallow my own.
Jan turned calmly to Mum and said with mock seriousness, “I won’t lie to you, Mother. I’m afraid I have engaged in casual sex acts.”
“B-but … but you’re only nineteen!”
“Oh, they started when I was fifteen.”
Mum’s eyes bugged out of her head.
“Not sex sex,” January tried to reassure her. “I lost my virginity when I was sixteen. It was Michael Williams. Do you remember him?”
“Jan, I don’t think that’s helping.” Aunty Jo grimaced.
“Lily was sixteen too.”
Mum’s head whipped around to me.
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus with you. At least mine was with a steady boyfriend.”
“Who was a spectacular arsehole.”
“I’d like to rewind this moment. Or deafen myself with that carrot of yours.” Mum glowered at January.
“You did want Lily to confide in you more. I thought that meant you’d want me to too.” My sister shrugged unrepentantly.
“Look … I’m not stupid. I had my suspicions, but you could have left me with just the suspicions. I’m going to kill Michael Williams if I ever see him again.”
“You should. He was a rubbish lay.”
“Nope! No!” Mum stepped back from the stove. “New rule. Confide in me, yes, but spare me the details.”
“I think,” Aunty Jo spoke up calmly, “we should return to the topic at hand. Lily wants our advice.”
“Only if Mum isn’t too traumatized to continue?” I winced at her shell-shocked expression.
“Well, hold on a minute.” January leaned across the island. “Be honest, Mum. When did you lose your virginity? And don’t lie and say it was to Dad.”
Mum shared a look with Aunty Jo who shrugged. “Belle asked me, and I told her.”
“Fine.” Mum stirred the soup without looking at us. “I was twenty and in my sophomore year of college. I was very shy and inexperienced, and I wanted to get it over with. It was a huge mistake. Then I wasn’t with anyone until I met your dad and that isn’t a lie.”