Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Is this the woman he’s supposed to be fake dating for Billy?
Oh God, I’m going to be sick.
“Are you okay?” Molly asks, and I tug my eyes off Dayton and the woman he’s with.
“Yeah, sorry. Are you guys ready, or did you want another drink?”
“I think we’re all ready,” Georgia says, and I’m instantly relieved.
“All right, is this all on one check or separate?” Lee asks.
“I’ve got it,” Georgia tells him, passing over a card from her wallet before any of us have a chance to reply.
“I could have covered my portion.” Molly sighs.
I don’t add that I could do the same. I know it’s pointless. Georgia likes paying—it makes her feel good, and I gave up arguing with her about it a long time ago.
“Victor likes paying.”
“Does he?” Amelia asks.
“He likes whatever I like, so yes,” she answers, and I smile.
After more than a few failed relationships, Georgia found Victor, who is twice her age. If I didn’t know for a fact that her trust fund could more than afford her current lifestyle, I’d question if she was with him for his money. But she doesn’t need him. She’s with him because he worships the ground she walks on and is mature enough to give her space to do the things she enjoys without making her feel guilty for having a life outside of him.
It took a good two years for Victor’s kids to realize the same and accept her into their family, but her parents still haven’t come around. They are set on the idea of her getting married one day and giving them grandbabies—two things she doesn’t want.
I’m just happy that she found someone who adores her.
“Is he home this weekend?” I ask her as Lee comes back with the check.
“No, he’s in Paris. I’m flying out to meet him Tuesday.” She signs the receipt, then motions for Amelia to slide out of the booth so she can, too, while I wait for Molly to get out on my side. Once I’m on my feet, it takes all my willpower not to look toward the bar and check if Dayton is still there as we walk through the restaurant. “If you didn’t have PJ, I’d ask you to come with me.”
“You could ask me to come with you,” Molly says, and Georgia turns to her.
“I would, but I know you’d say no because you have to work. Just like I know Amelia would say no because Laurence would lose his mind if she told him that she was going on vacation without him.”
“He wouldn’t lose his mind; he’d just pout about it for months afterwards,” she says, and I laugh while Georgia replies.
“Same thing.”
“Franny.”
Oh God.
My eyes slide closed, and I debate, pretending like I didn’t hear my name being called and pushing through the door that is just a few steps away. If I were by myself, I might, but not when I can feel Molly, Georgia, and Amelia all looking at me.
Slowly, like I’m swimming against a heavy current, I turn to face Dayton and find him alone, the woman he was sitting with, nowhere in sight.
“Oh, hey, what are you doing here?” I force a smile, and he frowns.
“I was having a drink with a friend.”
That should offer me relief, but it doesn’t. There are a million types of friends, and she could be the kind with benefits. Also, I shouldn’t even care that he’s out with a woman, even one with benefits. We’re having a baby together, not starting a life together. I’m so screwed.
“Are you going to introduce us to your friend?” Of course, it’s Georgia who asks because she is the nosiest of everyone.
“Sorry, yes. Molly, Amelia, Georgia, this is Dayton. Dayton, these are my best friends.”
“Nice to meet you,” he says, his gaze coming back to me quickly. “Are you on your way home?”
Why does he keep looking at me like that?
“She is,” Molly tells him, then adds, “You two live in the same building, right?”
“Molly,” I whisper-hiss, and she shrugs.
“What? If he’s going home, he could save me the gas.”
“You don’t pay for your gas.”
“Okay, then he could help save the environment.” She smiles. “We all have to do our part, right?”
“You don’t have to give me a ride home.” I look up at him. “I’m sure you have better things to do.”
“Nope, and your friend’s right. We all need to do our part to save the environment.” He grins.
“Well, I guess we’ll leave you here then.” Georgia steps forward to give me a quick hug with a quiet order to call her when I’m alone. Amelia doesn’t tell me to call her, but she does ask if I want to get lunch Monday, so I know that’s when she plans on grilling me about Dayton.
And Molly just says, “Have fun,” with a little laugh that makes me roll my eyes. When we step outside, the girls walk down the block toward the parking lot, while Dayton and I head in the opposite direction.