Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 147545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
“Well, you also said your dad was her full-time job, so I wasn’t sure.”
“I meant emotional labor, not an abundance of housework. We hire people for that.”
I roll my eyes. “Fucking patricians.”
He smirks.
“Was the sundress a joke, too?” I ask.
“The sundress was not a joke. It’ll make you look nicer.”
“That’s… Why do I like you?”
His smirk returns. “I know you’re nice, but we need to convince them. We should use visual aids if they’ll help our cause. For the past year, you’ve been a thorn in their side. Let’s show them the petals.”
Dramatically, I break free of his grip and inch away, flopping down on my back with a sigh. “I despise this with every fiber of my being.”
“It’ll be worth it, I promise.”
I look over at him. “Can I go shopping to buy this costume? I doubt I have anything suitable for wooing your parents.”
“Of course. Buy whatever you want. I added you as an authorized user on my credit card. Yours isn’t here yet, but you can take mine. I’ll leave it on the counter before I slip out in the morning.”
“Can I bring Shaley?”
“Of course. Buy her something, too.”
“Shopping in New York was fun. This is less fun, but… maybe more bearable with a friend.”
He kisses my shoulder, sliding his arms back around me. “And your boyfriend will immensely appreciate it.”
I smile. “Boyfriend.”
He smirks, leaning in to tenderly kiss my lips. “Girlfriend.”
“I don’t like anything else you’ve said tonight, but I do like that.”
He chuckles, and I let him pull me close. He knows all my weaknesses, and he exploits one now, lavishing his kisses on my pouty lips, peppering them across my bare shoulder.
Maybe meeting his parents won’t be so bad, I tell myself, but I don’t believe it.
After all, I’m not as convincing a liar as Tor is.
___
The following day, I text Shaley and ask her to go to hell with me.
“Oh. I don’t think I want to go there. Can we go somewhere else?” she texts back.
I crack a smile. “Fine, how about helping me decide what to wear for my visit?”
“I would recommend something light. Bring a neck fan if possible.”
“Tor wants me to go shopping with his credit card. I need an outfit to wear to officially meet his family,” I explain. “I thought you might be up for helping me spend some of his money.”
“Ooh, I am up for that,” she texts back. “I have to work at four, though.”
“And I have to go to hell around six, so we’ll be back in plenty of time.”
I pick her up in Tor’s Lexus and buy us smoothies for the car ride. Tor’s sister recommended a boutique where I might find what he wants me to wear, so I pop the address in my GPS and let it guide me.
“So, what are we looking for, exactly?” Shaley asks, tossing her empty smoothie cup before we head inside.
“I think if it looks like I’m going yachting or spending the day on a beach in the Hamptons, we’re probably on the right track.”
“Luxurious,” she says. “Beachy.”
“Feminine,” I add. “Big glasses, maybe a sun hat. I don’t know, I’m creating a character here.”
Shaley smiles. “Shouldn’t you just be yourself?”
“No, I’ve done that already. Was not a hit,” I say, running my hand along a blue-and-white-striped maxi dress that would definitely suit a background character on White Lotus. “Do you like this one?”
“I do,” she says, pulling out the skirt to look at it. “It definitely needs a sun hat.”
“And big sunglasses. See, we’re on the right track. We’ve got this.”
“I would actually wear a lot of these,” she says, looking around. “These dresses are so cute.”
“Pick one out,” I tell her. “Tor said to get something for yourself.”
She brightens. “Really?”
I nod. “Go to town. He doesn’t look at price tags, so I’m pretty sure you can get whatever you want.”
While Shaley browses, I pick up a blue dress that’s kinda cute. Maybe I should get this too, in case I end up going to their Fourth of July thing. Then again, this white one’s adorable…
I do a little browsing of my own, grabbing a few things to try on. I’ll probably text Tor pictures for a final verdict when I’m in the dressing room, but I also pick up a pretty pink-and-white dress with flutter sleeves that I’m not going to show him. I know he’ll like it, so I grab that for a future date night—assuming this week of parental meetings doesn’t break us up.
“I found it,” Shaley says, holding up a floral minidress of her own. “Unfortunately, I also found this pink flamingo purse, and it matches perfectly…”
“Nothing unfortunate about that,” I tell her. “Looks like a cute outfit. You need pink sunglasses to really finish the look.”
“I’ll try it on to make sure it looks as cute on me as it does on the hanger,” she says wryly, glancing at the three dresses I’ve already pulled. “I see you’ve found a few things.”