Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Legend?”
“Come here, baby.”
I do as he asks and walk toward him. When I’m close enough, I take both his outstretched hands in mine. His shoulders relax, and he exhales once we’re holding hands.
“Are you all right? Having second thoughts?”
“No. No second thoughts, and I’m fine now. You?” His voice is soft and a little hesitant. Almost as if he’s afraid of what my answer might be.
“I’m dressed and ready to go.” I look down at my dress. I admit that I had Legend in mind when I bought it. I can’t wait for his reaction.
At that, he smiles. “I can’t wait to see you in your dress.” He rubs his thumbs over my knuckles before lifting both hands one at a time to press a kiss to the back.
“What’s going on, Legend?”
He sighs. “It’s been two days since I’ve seen you.”
“I know. It’s been crazy getting all the last-minute details ironed out.” I stayed at Emerson’s place last night. She was insistent that Legend and I be apart the night before. I can’t complain too much. I did the same when she married Roman over the summer.
“I missed you. I guess I just needed to make sure you’re still okay with all of this.”
“Too late to back out now.” Not that I would want to. I also don’t tell him that I missed him too. I’m already in too deep. The walls around my heart are crumbling, and I need to work harder to keep them in place.
“No, it’s not. You’re giving up so much for me, Monroe.”
“We’ve been over this. It’s a year, Legend. It’s going to be fine. We’re going to go out there, get hitched, and spend a year together. Everything is going to work out.” I pause and then ask, “You still want this, right?”
He nods. “I want to marry you.”
His answer is like an arrow to my heart. I shake off the warmth of his words. “Then you better get out of here. I’ll be the one in white in case you didn’t know.”
“I’ll be the one who can’t take his eyes off you, waiting to make you his.”
I laugh at his reply because I can’t let his sweet words penetrate my heart. Not now. Not today.
I knew Legend was a great guy. Of course I did. He’s the best, but I didn’t know the sweet side of him. The side that brings me my favorite drink to work when he has a break in his schedule. The guy who carries me to his bed at night and wraps himself around me after we fall asleep watching movies. The man who tells me he’s waiting to make me his. It all feels too real, and I’ve had to give myself a daily reminder that this is temporary. Still, I don’t want to miss this time with him. Nothing can keep me from walking down that aisle toward him.
“You better go.”
“The next time I lay eyes on you, you’ll be my wife.”
“Close enough.” I laugh.
“See you soon, gorgeous.”
“See you soon.” I press a kiss on his cheek and step back. He opens the door feeling his way and slips out.
Before I’m able to catch my breath, Emerson comes soaring back into the room. “He better have kept that blindfold on.”
“He did.” I can’t help but smile at my best friend.
“What did he want?”
I shrug. “He said he missed me.” That’s not all he said, but that’s the part that I picked out of our conversation and pinned it to my heart that’s already soft heart where Legend is concerned.
“Aw.” Emerson’s face softens. “I think he really likes you, Mo.”
“Of course he does. We’re friends.”
“No. It’s more than that. I saw him the night he proposed, and I’ve seen him every day since all of this started, and each time he seems to be…. I don’t know. More in tune with you, I guess. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“We’ve been spending a lot of time together. That’s bound to happen.” I turn away from her so she can’t see the truth: that it is more. At least it feels that way to me. However, it’s too late. My best friend knows me better than anyone.
“You’re falling for him.”
“He’s a great guy.”
“Monroe.”
I don’t look at her. I can’t. She’ll see the truth written all over my face. I am falling for him, and even though I know I should do everything in my power to stop it, I won’t. I don’t want to.
Pulling in a breath, I turn to face her. “Emerson.” I smile sweetly, and she playfully rolls her eyes.
“Talk to me.”
“Fine. Yes, I’m kinda sorta falling for him.” I expect her to tell me to lock that shit down tight, but instead, she just grins.
“What are you grinning about?”
“I approve.”
“Come on, Emerson. You know what this is as much as I do. I might be falling for the guy, but I have zero hope that things will end with us having a happily ever after like yours.”