Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Helen is all smiles now. She has gotten her way. “Do you have any questions, Ashley?” She really has pulled off a big coup.
How did I just agree to be the bride in a sham wedding that’s going to be almost as big as the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan? “No,” I say, sneaking a look at Finn.
He is watching me with a look of amusement.
I look away quickly. “I think it’s all clear. Or at least it will be when I get a chance to wrap my head around it all.”
“Oh, you’ll do fine,” she reassures me. “Now, I have to run. Ashley dear, promise me you’ll at least try to enjoy all of this.”
I smile and nod, although I think Helen and I have very different ideas of fun if she thinks this is something I would enjoy.
She puts the folder back away, collects the leather bag and her red crocodile skin Birkin, then she stands up.
Finn stands with her and I quickly follow suit.
She air-kisses my cheek, does the same to Finn, orders him to call her later, then she’s gone, leaving behind nothing but a faint cloud of her expensive perfume.
I am starting to understand Finn a little more now, growing up with her as a mother. It’s clear she loves him and wants him to be happy, but from the little I’ve seen, it appears she’s one of those parents who showers their children with money and material things rather than hugs and kisses. I can understand why Finn thinks so highly of his grandpa, who it seemed, didn’t let him get away with any shit. The man must be the one who showed him that money means nothing unless you’ve earned it yourself through hard work.
I try to remember why I’m mad at Finn. Oh yes, he said my body was unattractive. And he hates my hair. And he thinks I have no dress sense… I would do well to remember that.
“Wow!” I breathe out a heavy breath of relief. “That was intense to say the least.”
Finn grins. “If you thought that was bad, you don’t want to see her when someone pisses her off. Believe it or not, she actually seemed to like you.”
He has a nice smile. It makes his blue eyes sparkle and look warmer. It’s a shame he’s such an asshole behind the smile. I remind myself that we are not really friends. We’re just natural enemies who have been thrown together by his grandfather for reasons unknown.
“Ooooh… remind me not be around when she’s pissed off.” I laugh nervously. “What made you think she liked me? The part where she presumed I would try to rip you off, the part where she assumed my family couldn’t afford such a wedding, or the part where she warned me off showing your family up by bringing one of my skeletons out of the closet?”
Finn’s eyes positively twinkle. “All of the above.”
“I have to give her a credit though. She clearly knows people. After all, I have just been arrested and I could be again. And my family couldn’t afford this wedding. In fact, hardly anyone I know could afford this wedding. Finn, don’t you think this is an awful lot of money to throw away on something that’s not even real?”
“It is, but it’s her money and it makes her happy. I’m just glad she’s finally come around to the idea that I’m going to do this.”
“But think of all the good she could do with that money instead. I could put her in touch with several charities that would take her hand out for even a tenth of what this wedding would cost, and surely even in her exalted circles something like that would be well received.”
Finn’s lips twist. “Yeah, I know exactly what she would say to that idea. It’s not that she wouldn’t want to give any money to charity. She actually makes a lot of donations. It’s just that no matter how much she donated, she’d still do the wedding this way. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can say something to her. Would you like me to?”
I can’t help but laugh at that suggestion. “Are you joking? Seriously Finn, I would rather cut off my own arm than piss her off.”
Finn laughs too.
It’s nice to see him laugh. We have spent so much time bickering and trying to outdo each other in the insult stakes that I realize it’s only about the third time I’ve heard him laugh. He should do it more often. It is great to see he has a good sense of humor beneath the prickly sarcasm.
“Bullshit,” Finn scoffs. “You were willing to kick down an office door and confront a guy who doesn’t even care if his own daughter got hurt this morning.”