Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
My parents—my father especially—aren’t the biggest fans of the Levine twins. They disapprove of Mandy’s body art and the various jobs she works to put herself through school. She doesn’t have well-to-do parents to send her to college like I did. Her father split when she and Ashton were young, and her mother worked two jobs to make ends meet.
I have mad admiration for Mandy. She’s almost done with her business degree, and what my parents don’t realize is that she has plans to open her own tattoo parlor. Her future is wide open in front of her, unimpeded by parental expectations since she didn’t have parents who put her through college.
She didn’t break their hearts by deciding not to go to law school.
“Sadie, can I see you in my office for a moment?”
“Sure,” I tell my dad. “I’ll be right there after I put these away.” I hold up the files I was working on, and he gives me a brisk nod. As I make my way through the office, I wonder if this impromptu summons has anything to do with Jake.
News broke this morning that Jake Jennings—or JJ, as my father calls him—is getting his precious promotion.
I return to Dad’s office and find him and the other partners, along with Jake, seated in leather high back chairs. The space has a masculine atmosphere, with tall mahogany bookcases lining one side of the room and an executive desk situated on the other. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of the city.
One glance at the ornate clock on the wall tells me the lunch hour is almost upon us, and though everyone at Sawyer and Bennett—from the partners to the lowly assistant staff—have a habit of taking working lunches, today is obviously not one of those days.
The men are holding amber-filled tumblers. Even the lone female partner is seated, legs crossed at the ankle as she clutches a glass between her manicured fingers. She probably needs the booze to survive the testosterone in the room. Jake rises to hand me a drink. I gaze down into the liquid and wrinkle my nose.
“Now, sweetheart,” my father says in his deep, booming voice, “I know bourbon isn’t your drink, but we’ve got cause for celebration. I figured you’d want to be here to congratulate JJ on becoming the latest junior partner at Sawyer and Bennett.”
Jake aims a wide smile at me, his teeth perfect and whiter than the paint on the damn walls. He drapes an arm around my shoulders and raises his glass. “To new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings.” The toast echoes through the room amongst clinking glasses. I tap my tumbler against Jake’s before moving out of his reach. To make my father happy, I take a small sip, then I wait a couple of minutes until they’re deep in conversation before setting the glass onto a table.
“We’re putting on a celebratory dinner this Friday night. JJ has worked hard for this, so I hope you’ll all attend.” He trains his brown eyes on me, and I don’t miss the flash of reproach in them. “That goes for you as well, Sadie. JJ should have your support.”
With narrowed eyes, I glance at Jake, who is suddenly avoiding my gaze. Shit. I promised him I wouldn’t air our dirty laundry in front of my father, but he obviously didn’t feel the need to do the same. I can only imagine how he spun the story in his favor.
“Of course,” I agree, hoping no one notices the slight tremble in my voice.
One by one, everyone in the room rises to leave, shaking Jake’s hand on the way out. Once it’s just my father, Jake, and me, the tension in the room is so thick you could slice it with a knife.
“You’ve done good, son,” my dad tells Jake, slapping him on the back. It’s not often that I let my father’s disapproval get to me, but seeing the pride in his expression for Jake burrows under the scars of my youth.
My father will never forgive me for not going to law school.
“Thank you, sir,” Jake says, his wide grin still plastered across his face.
“Sadie, don’t be rude. Congratulate JJ. Now’s not the time to allow hiccups in your relationship to impede on such an important accomplishment.”
Jake pushes his hands into his pockets. He’s still unable to return my stare.
“Congratulations,” I say, my voice monotone. “I know this is what you’ve always wanted.”
“Thank you. It is.” He tilts his chin up then, and a rock of dread falls to the bottom of my gut. The smile is gone from his face—in its place is a formidable line of determination.
He hasn’t given up on us yet.
“I need to speak with my father in private.”
“Of course, Sadie.” As Jake passes by, he leans down and brushes his lips across my cheek. “We’ll talk later.”