Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 31414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 157(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 157(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
“Yes," the nerd called Jack—aka the world's densest person alive—confirmed with a nod. "Jilly was the cheerleader captain. I was studying economics. We’ve maintained our professional and personal relationship since graduation.”
Krista decided it was time to insert herself into the conversation. "Hi!" She not-so-casually squeezed herself between the two. "Am I interrupting?" Seeing that Jack the Idiot was actually about to say yes, she hurriedly added, “I’m Krista Irvine. I play Detective Morrison in the film.”
"Jack Morrison. Banking consultant.”
“Oh, what a coincidence," Krista gushed. "Same last name. Are you from around here originally?”
“No.”
The single word hung in the air. Most people would have elaborated, asked about her background, or at least shown some basic social courtesy. Jack simply waited.
“Jack was just telling me about his... friend,” Guy said, and there was something dangerous in his voice that made Krista’s pulse quicken.
“Do you want to know more about Jilly?"
"Only because she's a friend of Poppy's."
Jack nodded understandingly. "Poppy is married to a billionaire. It's reasonable to suspect her friends of being potential gold-diggers."
Krista choked at how smoothly the accusation was delivered, but Jack the Idiot didn't even notice. How stupid could one get?
"But my Jilly's different."
Guy's teeth gnashed at how the other man casually claimed possession towards Jillian.
"She's competent and smart. People even call her the Nancy Drew of Wall Street. I like her a lot.”
"And does she feel the same way about you?
Krista was starting to have a bad feeling about this. Why was Guy acting...oh, shit. Was Guy de la Rocq interested in this...this Jilly, whoever she was?
“Of course.”
“She sounds like quite a catch,” Guy said.
"Does she?" Krista felt desperate to redirect the conversation away from her faceless rival. "Don't you think someone who's called the Nancy Reagan of Jump Street—"
Guy started to cough, Jack the Idiot looked at her like she'd grown a pair of antennae from the back of her head, and shit!
Why were they looking at her like she had said something stupid?
Shit, shit, shit!
Any ordinary hot-blooded male would be more than satisfied with Krista being pretty, but no, these two wanted more. These two were so selfish and mean, and...and so, so unfair for wanting Krista to be clever, too. Like, how self-centered could you get?
Jack slowly shook his head. "I'm glad my Jilly's not like you."
"Is she?" Guy asked. "Yours?"
"Of course." Jack looked at him in surprise. "It doesn't matter if we don't see or talk to each other a lot. Jilly and I are endgame."
Chapter Six
Jilly: I did something dumb.
Jack: Clarify.
Jilly: I kissed someone.
Jack: I'm not jealous.
"YOU DID WHAT?" Star and Poppy gasped at the same time.
Jilly felt absolutely defensive, and so she hastily tried to defend herself with statistics. "I blocked his number," she repeated stonily, adjusting her grandmother-style glasses while her jade eyes darted between her two friends, who were both staring at her like she'd just announced she was planning to join a convent.
The converted barnhouse that served as Wynd and Star's home was the kind of place that whispered understated luxury in every carefully chosen detail, but right now it felt more like an interrogation chamber, the way Jilly's two friends were looking at her with identical expressions of horrified disbelief.
"B-But...he's your crush," Poppy finally stammered out.
"No, he's not."
Star rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Need I remind you of that secret little fan club you founded—"
"Because I admire his work—"
"And abs."
"And abs—" Wait. What did she just end up repeating?
Star burst into laughter, and Jilly glared at the other woman. Grrr! Star used to be her colleague at Luntian Financial Forensics International, and even then, the other woman loved teasing her about her being a fangirl of Guy. Star had always refused to believe she didn't have a crush on Guy, but ever since falling in love with one of Texas' most intimidating billionaires, it had gotten even worse, with Star now also taking the side of their hopeless romantic friend.
This time, she had both Poppy and Star insisting it was love at first sight between Guy and her...but it was not.
Truly!
Poppy was still shaking her head, sending her soft curls bouncing. "I just don't get it. I really thought it was God making things happen. I mean, what are the chances?"
Jilly saw Star actually frown as if she was about to seriously compute the probability of a fangirl being friends with someone who was friends with the celebrity they admired.
Seriously?
Jilly glared at her former-officemate-turned-unsupportive-friend. "Don't you even dare."
Poppy, meanwhile, was still unable to get over the waste of what seemed like a divinely appointed match. "I've always been too shy to ask for favors from Valerian. But I somehow found it so easy to do so that night. Don't you think that means something?"
"I appreciate everything you did to make that night happen," Jilly was keen to emphasize. "I really do. But..." She lifted her chin. "Numbers don't lie. I've never even been kissed in forty years of existence, and the first time he walked inside my house, I let him..."