Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
“Come on, Kenz…”
“You still think he’s hot, right?” she asks as if it’s self-evident. But for some reason, her question twists in my chest like I’ve been stung by something. I’m suddenly hotter and even more anxious than I was before this conversation began.
I’m not twelve anymore. This should be something I should be able to answer easily, but for some reason, I’m finding it difficult. But why?
“Allie?” McKenzie asks me again. “Hello, Allie, anybody home?”
“Sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m like blanking out. What was the question?”
McKenzie looks over my shoulder and smiles. I’m just about to turn when I feel a hand on my waist and hear a familiar voice.
“She wanted to know if you still find me attractive, Allie.” I turn quickly to see Grant standing there behind me, grinning down at me with those beautiful eyes of his. My insides melt instantly, and every bit of my body starts to burn up. I’m pretty sure I even feel my breasts plump up too.
There’s no hiding it. There’s an obvious answer that my body is saying on its own, but I’m not sure if I can say it.
Grant grins broader and lets his gorgeous green eyes meander across my body. “Well, Allie?”
5
Allie
This has to be the most awkward dinner I’ve ever sat through, which is a huge bummer considering how elaborate and incredible it is. I really wish I could just bail completely, but considering it’s McKenzie’s wedding, that would be just crazy rude, even if part of me isn’t happy with McKenzie right now.
It seems as though her whole move with inviting me out here to the wedding was to get me to patch things up with Grant. Well, maybe “patch things up” isn’t the right way to phrase it, but getting us together like some kind of secret agent matchmaker. I definitely couldn’t have seen that coming when the invite and the dress showed up at my dorm, that’s for sure.
McKenzie, on the other hand, looks like she’s having a fantastic time, sitting there at the head of the table beside her fiancé, Charlie, getting all the attention. But as I sit here and stare at my lobster tail, which I’ve only eaten half of, I’m doing everything I can to keep my eyes from drifting across the table to Grant’s seat.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but he’s sitting pretty much directly across from me and is so much better-looking than the rest of the men here. It’s crazy how much he stands out.
Basically, all the other girls here tonight have been shooting glances at him, including the women in McKenzie’s family. He’s better-looking than her fiancé by a clear mile.
“Is the lobster to your liking, miss?” I look up to see a waiter standing just behind me, regally dressed, eyeing my half-eaten plate.
“Oh, yes, it’s fine. It’s great!” I say, quickly grabbing my knife and fork. “I’m sorry. I’m going to finish it.”
The waiter smiles. “Just let me know if there’s anything I can get for you.”
“Thank you,” I say, returning the smile.
I quickly go back to finishing the lobster tail, which I’m sure cost McKenzie’s family a fortune and does taste fantastic, all the while doing my best to keep my eyes off of Grant. But it’s nearly impossible. I can just feel him staring at me from across the table.
This whole situation feels like a dream. I’d tried my best to put that encounter between us seven years ago out of my head completely. Of course, I thought about it a lot right after it happened, but when I turned thirteen, I swore to myself that there was no reason to keep mulling it over, so I’d just stopped thinking about it altogether.
But now that’s just impossible. Grant and I have been reunited after seven years and are now temporary roommates. Not only that, he apparently has the hots for me too, which is the most ironic thing in the world. At least, I think that’s irony…
There’s a raspberry soufflé for dessert, which I wolf down like a maniac, doing my best not to look like an absolute feral human as I do so. When I finish, I get up from the table and throw a polite smile in McKenzie’s direction. I’m not even sure if she sees it, but I just have to get out of here.
I feel bad for the chef who put this all together. I’m sure they worked really hard on the meal to have it barely even tasted by me, but it’s like my taste buds aren’t even functioning. All I can think of right now is Grant and what the rest of this trip is going to be like.
I rush out the back into a gorgeous garden with incredibly well landscaped hedges and take a seat on the porch. I can see why McKenzie picked this spot. It really is beautiful.