Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“Trying to pick one to read?” he asked.
“Have you read them all?”
He shrugged. “Not this shelf.”
He pointed at one measly shelf with about a dozen books on it.
“Wow. Tell me where to start.”
“Easy. The Eye of the World. Jordan is a genius.” He procured the book off the top shelf and handed it to me. “I have another copy at the office. You can have that one.”
I held it up. “Lots of amazing women in this series?”
Something lit up inside him when I started asking about books. And I liked it.
“Actually, yes. Women are way more powerful than almost all the men in that series. They’re the ones with the magic.”
“I like the sound of it already.”
“You would. You’ll probably love Moiraine.”
“And why is that?”
He chuckled. “She doesn’t take anyone’s shit.”
I tucked the book into my purse. “You’re right. I probably will like her.”
We headed back out to the car, and I pointedly ignored him in favor of the first couple chapters.
“So, what’s happening now?” he asked like a kid desperate for attention.
I threw a hair tie into the book as a bookmark. “I just started.”
“Tell me when all the good stuff happens.”
“You’re obsessed.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my favorite series,” he said with a shrug. “The other option is, you could tell me about your family. You know too much about mine. It might be nice to know a bit about yours.”
I sighed and set the book aside. This was going to be fun. “Well, my parents divorced when I was ten. My dad was a serial cheater. He would disappear for weeks at a time and just leave me to fend for myself with my mom. Mom was…” I swallowed. How the hell did I explain my mom? I never talked about her. “We’re estranged for a reason. I haven’t talked to her in five years.”
“I’m sorry.”
I waved a hand at him. “Yeah. She was never a great mom to begin with. But when I started dating Josh, she wanted the money. I had to cut her out of my life to protect myself.”
“Fuck, English.” He sighed heavily. “Where does Taylor come into all of this?”
“My dad remarried a year after the divorce. He took me with him and his new wife—my stepmom, Ashley. She got pregnant a year later. Hence Taylor.”
“He’s still with your stepmom? Even though he cheated a lot?”
“They’re still together. I think he cleaned up when he met Ashley. He could be a good husband for another woman but not my mom. And a good father for another daughter but not for me.”
Court frowned. “His loss.”
I laughed with a vulnerable pain in my voice. “Yeah. He poisoned Taylor against me for a long time because I was… wild in high school and college. He’s trying to mend it all now, I guess. I just can’t get over how he treated me when I needed him the most. And how he wants me to treat him now that I’m old enough to know better.”
“Families are fucking complicated.”
I managed a small smile. “Tell me about it.”
Court didn’t press me for more information. He just slung his arm around me and held me close the rest of the way south to the river.
The car service dropped us off in front of the pier where the Oktoberfest festivities were well underway. A woman in traditional dirndl dress checked our IDs at the front and slapped wristbands on us before letting us inside. I didn’t want to ask how Taylor had gotten inside. I’d had a fake ID at sixteen, but it was hard to envision Taylor like that.
“Anna!” Taylor yelled dramatically as soon as she saw me.
Or maybe not. Maybe she was just like every teenager fresh out of high school.
“Hey, Taylor.”
“And you brought your hot boyfriend!” she crowed.
I laughed but didn’t contradict her. Court and I hadn’t put a label on our relationship. It was easier that way. But it would be nice for an afternoon to think of him as my boyfriend.
“Taylor, this is Court. Court, my sister, Taylor.”
He held out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
She giggled and shook his hand. “You too.”
“I’m going to go get us beers,” he said with a smile. “Do you need a refill?”
“Yes,” Taylor gasped. “I am out.”
I shook my head, but what could I say? I’d been much, much worse than this at her age. And I’d turned out just fine.
“Come meet Bea!” Taylor insisted. “She’s the best.”
I laughed and followed her. I’d heard a lot about Bea since school started. She sounded like the ultimate cool girl. Beautiful but laid-back. She liked football and video games. She wore only the coolest clothes that Taylor coveted. She was smart and funny. And if I didn’t know better, I would say my sister was in love with her.
And as I watched her heart eyes as she finally found the infamous Bea, I realized maybe she was.