Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“Double chocolate.” I rush into the closet after leaving my dress tossed across the arm of the chair. What if my mom only packed a few, and he eats them before I get one? Panic rises, knowing that if he takes one bite, he won’t be able to help himself from eating the rest. Grabbing a fandom T-shirt from his closet, I start down the hall, pulling it over my head. “Save me one, okay?”
I run so fast that when I try to slow down on the approach to the island, my socks slide me into home base. Slamming my hands down on the counter, I say, “How many are there?”
“Six.” His eyes widen. “They’re big.”
“As all cookies should be.” Taking the one on top, I bite first and talk later. But that first bite . . . I slump against the wall and moan. “Mmm.” As soon as I swallow, I say, “So good.” Warner’s not eating. He’s still staring at them like they aren’t the most magical, delectable cookies that ever existed. “Have one. You’re going to love it.”
“The other day, you said you’d only eaten a cookie. Double chocolate, to be exact.” I cram more cookie into my mouth, worried and knowing where he’s going with this. “From a bakery.” He has the courtesy of giving me a brief reprieve before his eyes land on me. “Was it from your mom?”
Now, why did he have to go and ask me flat out like that? Despite all the lying I’ve had to do with him to this point, I still don’t feel good about it. And now I’m supposed to go hard and lie to his face when he’s asking point-blank. By how slowly I’m chewing, he must think I lost my ability to speak. I go into the kitchen and pull a glass from the cabinet before I finally swallow it down, along with the will to keep all these secrets from him. I don’t have it in me anymore. I pull open the stainless-steel door of the refrigerator to block him from seeing how guilty I am of bad deeds, and reply, “Yes. I went home that day.”
When I shut the door, he’s right there. “Good lord, Warner.” I grab at my shirt over my pounding heart. “If you’re trying to scare the crap out of me, you succeeded.” He’s still staring at me like I wasn’t already startled. “What?” I ask, staring back at him. He closes the door before I can get the pitcher. “Hey, I was getting water.”
“It can wait.”
Rubbing along my throat as if that will throw him off the path he’s on, I say, “I don’t know, my throat is really dry. Coarse like sandpaper—”
“Do you live with your parents?”
Gulps. “I live with you.” The lies begin again . . .
“When you’re not living with me, do you live with your family?” There’s no detouring this guy. But I’ve never been known to give up that easily.
“You’re my family.” I should be more impressed with the skills I’ve been honing at his expense. But I’m not.
“Delaney.” His voice is firm, a demand made without uttering one word other than my name.
I raise my chin, offended by this line of questioning. “Yes.” Real offended or fake offense? Hmm. I’m not sure. I’m teetering on the line.
He touches my cheek before tucking some strands of hair behind my ear. “You moved back home when we separated.” Bringing me against his chest, he hugs me to him. I’m lost. Am I busted, or am I still undercover? “I’m sorry I wasn’t a better husband to you.”
I’m not sure what is happening, but I wrap my arms around him and whisper, “The past doesn’t matter. Only the present, and you’ve already changed so much.” Why does the truth sound like a lie? Oh geez.
But this doesn’t feel good. It never did. Everything has changed now that he’s met my family. And been inside me. Without warning my family I was coming, I showed up with this man holding my hand, and they welcomed Warner into the fold with no questions asked. That’s who they are as people. That’s the family feel Bayetti’s strives to give to everyone who dines there. And it was captured just for him.
I’ll never ask him for money again, but will he change his mind and cancel the contract after experiencing the restaurant and meeting my family? Maybe, if I’m judging anything by this hug. “Warner?”
When he steps back, his eyes search mine, and a smile appears. Sliding his finger down my nose, he says, “Let’s get that water for you.” I step back out of his way. Something feels off about this situation. He fills my glass from the pitcher and then continues on his merry way out of the kitchen like nothing happened. This time, he steals a cookie from the box and heads down the hall toward the bedroom.