Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 113330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
My spirit sinks. For what purpose would Brandon keep a phone tucked away in his toiletry bag for a friend? Also, Brandon’s never arranged anything romantic for me, big or small, throughout our many years together, so it’s hard to imagine him planning a honeymoon surprise for me in Hawaii. But even if Brandon did do something totally out of character like that, I can’t fathom it’d be anything elaborate enough to require a secret phone to safely arrange it.
Even when proposing to me, Brandon only spontaneously blurted the idea one random Tuesday night following our weekly dinner with his parents. During the meal, Brandon’s imposing father had asked his son, “So, Brandon, what’s next for you two, after all these years? Marriage, I hope?” And the next thing I knew, during our short drive home, Brandon was saying he thought the timing was finally right for us to get engaged and start planning a wedding. “We’ll go ring shopping together this weekend,” Brandon suggested, at which point I gleefully shrieked, “Yes!” And that was that. We got the ring that very weekend, exactly as Brandon had suggested, and we’ve been happily engaged ever since. Or so I’ve thought till a moment ago, when Delilah handed me this mysterious phone. Now, I can’t deny I’m rapidly questioning everything.
“Maybe he’s holding the phone for someone else?” I venture weakly, hoping the theory sounds more plausible when spoken aloud. But when I look at the faces of my three best friends, it’s plain to see they’re having worst-case-scenario thoughts about this phone, the same as I am.
“We need to get into that phone,” Kaylee says, her eyes fixed intently on mine. She’s my most vivacious, passionate friend. And right now, the fire in her eyes is unmistakable.
My stomach churns with my exhale. “It’s password protected.”
Kaylee’s fierce eyes harden. “What’s the passcode for his main phone?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, my voice turning squeaky.
All three of my best friends scoff and exchange concerned looks.
Harper, my maid of honor for tomorrow and my bestie since childhood, mutters, “Gee, that’s not a red flag or anything, Iris.”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions here,” Brandon’s sister interjects. But it’s clear from my friends’ facial expressions that horse has already left the barn.
“Does Brandon have your passcode?” Harper asks.
I nod. “But mine is easy—my birthday. And I don’t have any confidential client information on my phone, the way Brandon does.” That’s the reason Brandon has always kept his phone confidential—because of some insurance regulation that requires all agents to . . .
Oh my God.
Am I the most gullible person alive? I’ve never thought of myself that way before this moment, but suddenly, it seems entirely possible.
Tatiana, the more reserved of my two college besties, wags her finger at the phone in my hands. “Try his birthday.”
I input her suggestion, but no dice.
Harper and Kaylee both offer additional ideas, but again, nothing works.
I’m panting now. Officially freaking out. “I’ve only got two more guesses before it locks me out, ladies,” I say, my voice tight. “And I’m out of ideas.” I look at Brandon’s sister, Delilah, since she’s the only one who hasn’t offered a suggestion yet. She grew up in the same household with my future husband, after all, so she’s got to have at least one new idea. “Delilah?” I choke out. “Got any ideas for the passcode?”
Delilah swallows hard. “I think you should call my big brother and ask him about the phone.” When everyone pushes back, she shouts, “You’re marrying him tomorrow, Iris! Don’t you think you should trust him enough to give him the benefit of the doubt, instead of sneaking around behind his back?”
As Delilah says those last words, I feel a lot of things in a torrent. Deflated. Appalled. Offended. But not the least bit surprised. Delilah’s always idolized her charming, charismatic big brother, the same way everyone does—only more so, since Brandon is her blood and has always been her family’s golden child. What’s that old saying? Blood is thicker than water. Apparently, Delilah Gladstone is going to prove that maxim today in spades.
Kaylee grits out, “Delilah, the only person sneaking around here is Brandon.”
“I agree,” Harper offers quickly. “No offense, Delilah, but you’re giving Iris some terrible advice.”
Nodding furiously, Tatiana pipes in to say, “If that phone really is work related, then fantastic; Iris will find that out when she gets into it. But if not, then why give Brandon the chance to gaslight her about it before—”
“Gaslight her?” Delilah booms, shocking me with both her volume and intensity. “My brother would never do that, any more than he would do whatever you all think he’s doing with that damned phone.”
The poor girl looks like she’s having an existential crisis, and I can’t blame her. Before this moment, I never would have believed, not in a million years, that Brandon would be capable of owning a secret phone—one he tucked away in the toiletry bag he’s taking on our honeymoon. And yet, over the past several minutes, as my brain has furiously connected dots that were there all along, I’m suddenly feeling extremely suspicious my soon-to-be-husband might be capable of doing a lot of things I never would have believed. Is Brandon even hosting a poker night tonight, like he told me? Surely, my father and brother would have told me if not. Right? My head is spinning with possibilities—all of them terrible.