Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
I’d never seen my own parents’ wedding photos. Mom made a bonfire out of them long before I could think to ask. It was hard to imagine documented evidence of Mom and Dad standing side by side and actually looking happy.
Forty years was a long time. Longer than I’d been alive. And there Henning and Deborah were on the dance floor, grinning and gazing into each other’s eyes. Of course Lars wanted that. The pictures and the parties and the presents and the anniversaries year after year. The happy family they’d made together. And if there were times when things weren’t exactly smooth—that was life. But they stuck together. They loved each other enough to do that and their children witnessed it all.
When I came out of the bathroom, Aaron was waiting for me. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. When I tried to walk right past him, he stepped into my path. “Hey, Susie. I think it’s time we talked.”
Eighteen
“You win,” said Aaron, checking out my cleavage with a leer. To think I once took that behavior as a compliment. Never again. Not from him. “Didn’t think you’d take it this far, but I’ve got to say, it’s kind of impressive.”
I gave him a look loaded with wtf.
When I continued to hold my tongue, he said, “Aren’t you going to say something?”
“Well.” I chose my words with care. “At first, I didn’t speak because I didn’t have a clue what you were talking about. But then I realized, I also don’t care what you’re talking about. Nothing you have to say interests me. Just get out of my way. Now.”
“Susie,” he said with a harsh laugh. “Enough already. I’m telling you, you’ve won.”
“What have I won exactly?”
“Me.”
“You?” I asked, incredulous. “I don’t want you.”
He flicked back his hair with a smirk. “Of course you do. It’s why you’ve been fucking around with Lars. Putting the divorce certificate in your wall and everything. That really could have backfired. But kudos to you for using it to reel him in.”
“I...what?”
“You’ve been chasing my best friend to make me jealous,” he said, as if it was obvious. How had I ever thought this asshat man-child was a sensible choice for a life partner? He was the worst. “It worked. I think we should get back together. I mean, I don’t want Lars getting hurt so that needs to stop. The way he’s been simping over you is ridiculous. But it’s not like we didn’t used to have fun. What I’m saying is, I’m willing to give you another try.”
“Wow.” My eyes were wide the heck open. “That’s so incredibly giving of you. I must have been born under a lucky star.”
So much smirking. It was a wonder his lips didn’t fall off from overuse.
“You actually believe all that shit you just spouted, don’t you?”
He frowned. “It’s the truth.”
“You honestly believe I would do that to Lars? Lie and manipulate him? Treat him like his feelings mean nothing?” I said. “But you also believe that I have so little self-respect that I would actually give your narcissistic, immature, shallow, useless, tedious ass another chance?”
His face twisted into a sneer. “For fuck’s sake. How long are you going to deny it? Come on. You can’t seriously expect me to believe in a divorce certificate sent back from the future. Only you would come up with something so wild.”
“I don’t care what you believe.”
“Look, Susie, I forgive you, okay?”
“You are... I don’t... No. Just no.”
“Don’t be fucking stupid,” Aaron said, and grabbed my face to kiss me.
It only took me a moment to react. But that was long enough to have his gross wet lips make contact with mine. I was definitely going to have to wash my mouth out with soap when all of this was over. Bathing with bleach wasn’t out of the question. I tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge. Instead, his hold on me tightened to the point of being painful, and his tongue tried to worm its way into my mouth. Which was stomach turning on a whole new level. Both the violence and sense of entitlement made me nauseous. Bile rose in the back of my throat. It was time to get serious. Thank goodness I hadn’t worn a dress with a tight skirt. With my hands gripping his shoulders tight, I kneed him in the groin. The man crumpled. There was no other word for it. A mangled groan escaped him as he hit the ground.
“Never touch a woman without her permission.”
Aaron curled up into a ball, all the better to protect himself. Like I’d kick him when he was down. I’d already made my point.
“You utter asshole.”
He just lay there. But I was on the move. Back out through the party and to our table. I would not be the one to make a scene at Deborah and Henning’s party. There would be no pinning this mess on me. Not this time.