Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Zach steps up next to me, rubbing his hand on my back soothingly. I lean into him with a smile frozen on my face. What the hell is happening right now? He looks straight into the camera. “Hey, Cookie Crew, Sky is just being bashful. Or maybe she doesn’t want to answer because we haven’t talked about it, but I’d be a fool to let this moment pass me by.”
He pauses and then puts his hands around my waist. “Sky. I know we haven’t been together long.”
I gulp. Oh my God, where is this going?
He smiles at me and gives me an encouraging nod. “But will you be my girlfriend?”
My whole body jerks. Is this a joke? What is he doing? What’s he thinking? Does he not realize how many followers I have? I laugh and try to make a joke out of it. “Zach, do you realize you just asked me to be your girlfriend in front of my two million followers?”
He nods, still smiling. The number of people that could be watching doesn’t even faze him. “Yes, what do you say? You wanna be mine?”
I’m saved by the timer going off, letting me know the cupcakes are done. I’m about to get them when Zach grabs the oven mitt off the counter. “I’ll do it.”
As he does that, I look at the comments coming in.
“Yes! Say yes!”
“If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”
“Girl, you’re loco if you don’t claim that man.”
“Wow, he wants you. I can feel the heat through the screen.”
I raise up and clear my throat. “All right, Cookie Crew, we’re getting off topic.”
I show Zach where he can put the pan, and as soon as he takes the mitt off, he faces me and puts a finger on my chin. “Well, what do you say?”
Oh my God, this again? He had the perfect out. I throw my hands up with a shrug of my shoulders. “Sure, I’ll be your girlfriend.”
I know it’s fake. I know it’s because he’s trying to catch my stalker or scare him off, but the satisfied smile that Zach gives me makes me wish it was more. He leans toward me and kisses my forehead. “Okay, sweetness, I’ll let you get back to work.”
He looks at the camera. “You heard it here, Cookie Crew. You’re my witnesses. She said yes.”
I get back to my cupcakes, going through the motions, but the whole time, I’m on edge. Not because of my stalker, who is still watching on the live, but because Zach just claimed me as his girlfriend in front of everyone. There’s no doubt about it. I’m not getting out of this without a broken heart.
CHAPTER 5
ZACH
I know I fucked up. I know I shouldn’t have gone onscreen, and I sure as hell shouldn’t have asked her to be my girlfriend.
I pick up my phone. Logan is on a plane across the country, but I expect a phone call from one or even all four of her other brothers. They’re going to be pissed, and I can’t say I blame them, but I can’t worry about that right now.
I look at the handle for bakersking and screenshot some of his comments. The more I read, the more pissed I get. He’s crazy… and he’s not going to get anywhere near Skyler.
As I keep reading, I see that he’s going off the rails.
He didn’t like it when I came onscreen.
“Skyler, who is that man?”
“Tell him no, Skyler.”
“You may not know it yet, but you’re mine.”
“You’re mine, and no one else can have you.”
The comments get pretty heated, and Skyler’s loyal fans start telling him to stop.
Did I do the right thing? I dunno. Is bakersking going to escalate? He might.
I walk into the living room and sit down to finish watching Skyler’s show from my phone.
She’s recovered from me butting in. I’m transfixed on her icing the cupcakes. Fuck she’s beautiful anyway, but doing what she loves, she’s practically glowing.
When she signs off, I prepare myself because I know what’s coming.
No sooner does she sign off from her show than she’s stomping through the house. As soon as she spots me on the couch, she puts her hands on her hips. “What the hell was that?”
I nod. “You have every right to be mad at me right now.”
She nods. “Yes, I do. What were you even thinking? This is my job. This is my livelihood.”
I stand up. “I know that. I wasn’t trying to hurt you, you have to know that. I saw the comments, and I don’t know what went through me. I wanted to—”
I stop myself before I say too much.
She starts to laugh. “What? You wanted to do what? Embarrass me? Pay me back for the stupid naïve twelve-year-old I was? Or maybe you just want to see—”
“Stop.” I move across the room to her. “Stop it.”