Love Bug (The Prescotts Book 3) by Tara Wyatt (electric book reader .TXT) 📗

a juicy story that isn’t there. I don’t think you did something wrong or screwed anything up.

Theo: What were they saying?

Willa: All kinds of awful things. They hate me.

Dori: Who on earth could hate you? You’re like the nicest person ever.

Willa: Ha, well apparently they think I’m a big phony who manipulates people by pretending to be nice. They kept going on and on about how Max is way out of my league, that I’m not attractive enough or good enough for him and I must’ve somehow tricked him into dating me by using the beta test to convince him we’re a match.

Brandon: WHAT

Kayla: I’m getting on a flight right now so I can be there before day’s end to kick all of their asses. No one talks about my friend that way.

Dori: It’s all jealousy, girl. You’ve got what they wish they had and they can’t be mad at Max because they still want him, so you’re the easy, safe target.

Willa: I know. I know. But I think what I overheard hit hard because they nailed some of my biggest insecurities and…I don’t know. They’re not wrong. Max *is* out of my league.

Theo: Okay, I’m going to go ahead and stop you right there. No one—NO ONE—can make Max do something he doesn’t want to do, so there’s no way you could’ve manipulated him into something he didn’t want. It’s impossible. Believe me, I’ve spent thirty years trying to get him to do stuff and he’s like a freaking statue. If he’s with you, it’s because he wants to be with you, plain and simple. And he’s not out of your league, Willa. You guys are great together, and I happen to know that he’s absolutely crazy about you.

Lauren: It’s true. We video chatted with him a few days ago and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy. He was actually, like, smiling and relaxed. And that’s all because of you.

Brandon: Forget about the reporter and ignore those jealous bitches.

Dori: You want to meet up for lunch? Get out of the office for a bit?

Brandon: Ooh, can I come too?

Dori: Of course. Just remember your wallet this time.

Brandon: THAT WAS ONE TIME LIKE THREE WEEKS AGO

Dori: And the time before that, and the time before that…

Willa: Yeah, you know what? Lunch sounds nice.

Kayla: Fuck, I wish I was there. I mean, I love it out here, but I miss you. And I wish I could help you stomp on some heads.

Willa: I’m not going to stomp on any heads. Brandon’s right, I should just ignore them. Hearing them say that shit sucked, but I’ll get over it.

Lauren: And Theo’s right. You guys are great together. I swear, you make that man swoon. Are you guys still planning to go away for the long weekend?

Willa: Yeah, Max said he has a little place in the Hamptons, so we’re going to get out of the city for a bit.

Theo: LOL. I think he’s underselling it

Willa: What do you mean?

Theo: His “little” place is a 7,000 square foot waterfront mansion in Montauk. I can’t remember if there are 7 or 8 bedrooms. Infinity pool. Home theater. The biggest bathtub you’ve ever seen in your life.

Willa: Wow. He definitely undersold it.

Theo: Maybe he wants to surprise you. So act surprised when you pull up, just in case

Willa: LOL, okay, I will

Willa: Thanks guys, I feel better.

Kayla: Anytime, babe! Don’t let the haters get you down

Brandon: LAME. But Kayla’s right. They’re beyond jealous, and everything they said is about them, not you.

Willa: I’ll see you guys for lunch in a couple hours. Thanks again everyone.

Willa set her phone down on the desk, feeling a bit lighter after talking everything over with her friends. The reporter had just been looking for a juicy angle on what was probably not a terribly exciting story, and Mia, Krista and Cindy had been coming from a place of jealousy, without a doubt. They all clearly wanted Max and were seething that he’d finally started dating someone. It didn’t matter who Max dated, they’d feel the same way about anyone.

Okay, so they’d hit on some of her biggest insecurities—her almost total lack of boobs and butt, for example—and it had hurt more because of it. But they’d also dredged up something Willa hadn’t been fully aware of until it surfaced.

Sometimes, she felt a little lost in Max’s world. The man was worth hundreds of millions of dollars and while he certainly didn’t make a big deal of his wealth, his lifestyle and means were very, very different from hers. She fit with Max, but once in a while, she didn’t quite feel like she fit in his world. Maybe it would just take time to get used to things like SoHo penthouses and—apparently—mansions in the Hamptons. And the upcoming gala, an event she’d never in a million years be attending if she wasn’t Max’s guest. If he hadn’t paid for a ridiculously expensive designer gown for her to wear. Sure, she’d felt a little like Cinderella, trying on all of those amazing dresses, but like Cinderella, she’d been intensely aware that this wasn’t her real life. That she was merely playing dress up for a night and would be a tourist in a world that didn’t really belong to her.

She took a deep breath and shook her head, pushing it all away. All of these thoughts were only there because of the morning she’d had. So instead, she went over what she knew to be true: that she was in love with Max, and he was in love with her. That they made each other happy, made each other laugh, and wanted to spend as much time together as possible. That she’d never had so much incredible sex in her life. Being with Max felt right in a way that nothing else ever had.

She allowed herself a small smile. Kayla was right. She wasn’t going to let the jealous haters get her down.

17

Willa adjusted her