Chapter 3

“Ibet you like three cocks pleasuring your tight pussy every morning?”

Whoa. What the hell is this filth? Lana said this book is romantic suspense, but the first page is three guys taking turns with this one woman. She called it a ‘why choose’ romance, and according to her, a must read.

I close the page for a moment, inhale the salty sea air, then release a breath as my shoulders relax into the padded cushions.

The afternoon sun bounces off the patio as I sit on the old wicker chair, staring into the serene blue sky.

I could get used to this.

A house by the beach, bars and restaurants within walking distance, and more importantly—freedom. Every thing I imagined it would be.

“Hey, Gabriella!”

Lana is standing in her front yard with her rabbit, Bubbles. At first, the concept of owning a pet rabbit by the beach seemed normal until I realized Bubbles stayed inside the house like a cat or dog. Though, the more time I spend with Bubbles, the more I fall in love with him. Sure, he has his quirks, and it takes a while for him to warm up to you. If I’m being honest, his red eyes looked like he was out to kill, but the poor fella was rescued from some inhumane breeding facility and treated poorly.

The cute, fluffy thing follows Lana as she moves closer to the white picket fence. Placing my book onto the small wicker table, I quickly join her, taking my coffee with me.

“Hey, Lana. Taking Bubbles out for his afternoon walk?”

“Nah.” She grins, leaning down to pat him. “I just need a break. Ace finally fell asleep, and Sebastian is… let’s just say, I’m not entirely happy with him right now.”

“What’s he done now?” I can’t help but snicker—the two of them have their quirks. One minute, they’re in a heated argument over something trivial, and the next, they’re practically all over each other like college kids at a frat party. “I’ve got all the time in the world if you need to vent.”

“He just…” Lana shakes her head in annoyance until she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “You know what? Never mind. His heart is in the right place. I’m just cranky from lack of sleep and a kid with the energy of a bucking bull.”

“I’m sorry. If you ever need help, I’m here. I can’t say I’ve taken care of kids, being the youngest in my family, but it can’t be that hard.”

Lana snorts, covering her mouth instantly. “I don’t think you see the bags under my eyes, my unwashed hair, plus my stained shirt from the juice he spilled on me earlier.”

“Sorry,” I say again, admiring her auburn hair even though it does look slightly unkempt. “Offer still stands, anytime.”

“Thank you. Sometimes it’s nice to know that help is just a neighbor away.” Her face quickly shifts expressions, a ray of excitement shimmering in her blue eyes as she bites down on her lip suppressing her smile. “Enough about me, an update on Prince Charming, please?”

I arrived in Manhattan Beach just over two weeks ago. I’d read about this place in a book, instantly falling in love with the thought of living beside the ocean in California. It’s everything I could have dreamed of from a beach community. A long, beautiful, and clean sandy beach filled with sunbathers, surfers, and every water sport you can think of, beach volleyball being the most popular. I have spent almost every day on the sand, sitting and people-watching. Who would have thought volleyball could be such a competitive sport?

The cottage I’m renting is slightly rundown, yet clean and rustic. It’s painted sky blue with white windowpanes dressed with navy and white drapes. The owners, a couple from Arizona, decorated it in a beach theme. Wicker everything. It’s a far cry from my parents’ mansion back home, but exactly what I need for the summer.

In the time I’ve been here, Lana and I have had many chats over the fence, and occasionally, if time permits, we have brunch at the café two blocks over. She knows I moved here temporarily with my fathers permission.

It sounds ridiculously stupid coming from an almost twenty-five-year-old woman.

But it is the truth, plus more.

“Prince Charming,” I repeat, lost in my own thoughts.

Back home, my parents referred to Nicholas as the son they never had. Kind of a slap-in-the-face toward my brothers-in-law, James and Ryan.

Nicholas knew my father felt this way too, played all his cards right, and did everything my father asked of him.

Prince Charming, a cocky nickname he gave himself upon hijacking my phone the day before I left, is his so-called alter ego. We were seeing each other, or as my parents preferred the term ‘courted,’ for the last six months. It’s not serious. At least, I didn’t think it was considering most of the time he was traveling on some political trail.

But I was stupid to think my fathers silence meant me seeing Nicholas was giving his approval for just dating. He was keeping quiet to then drop the news of the arranged marriage.

Nicolas comes from a very wealthy family, plays golf like a pro, and has shares in his father’s business. Despite us only seeing eachother for a few months, we have known each other since middle school, though never romantically linked.

He’s always been extremely handsome and refined with dark brown hair, borderline black, perfectly combed to the side, and never a hair out of place. He’s not a playboy like his brothers. Nicholas is more interested in work than women, even though they throw themselves at him, desperate to be the next Mrs. King.

My father took it upon himself to arrange our marriage, and despite my feelings for Nicholas, finding out that Nicholas’ over-the-top proposal had my father written all over it. It was done at the dinner in front of both our families.

I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t say no.

I smiled and pretended to be in shock, needing time to process the news while I went away on this fake charity business my mother was quick to announce to everyone. Her eyes warned me not to mess this up.

I was already the black sheep of the family.

The only daughter who’s willing to question his decisions.

The real question is what will life look like being Gabriella Carmichael, ex-Carmichael heiress, and a homeless bum on the streets since I have nothing to my name?

Oh, I take it back. I have a college degree majoring in Business. My college degree meant nothing if I couldn’t use it to get an actual job.

My mother was quick to point out my social life, once I became the new Mrs. King, would be my only focus, and a career would simply be unnecessary.

Decisions, all of which were thrown at me and which were never mine to make. The path had supposedly been paved, and whether I liked it or not, I would be walking down it with Nicholas King as my husband.

My phone vibrates inside my white linen shorts pocket. Pulling it out, I quickly glance at the screen to see the name Prince Charming in a text message.

“Speak of the devil,” I mutter.

Lana waits in anticipation. She admitted over brunch one day that, as of late, life had all been about Sebastian and Ace, so girl talk was refreshing. She lived vicariously through my complicated love life.

Prince Charming

Did you get the gift I sent?

I sigh, raising the phone so Lana can read it. She purses her lips, pulling her hair out of its ponytail only to tie it back up into a messy bun.

“What are you going to respond with?”

Lana was out front yesterday when the cute UPS driver arrived with a very large package. I signed for it, made small talk with him, then opened the box. It was a stuffed pet pig. Since I was a small child, I’ve had this fascination with pigs. My mother said it was extremely unladylike to have a fascination with such a filthy animal. I remember pointing out to her that if she thought it was so filthy, why did she eat ham on her fancy sandwiches? I was banished to my room and punished by not being allowed to eat at the dinner table. The joke was on them—I hated dining with my parents anyway, and the maid brought extra ice cream to my room.

“I don’t know. The whole point of a break and me moving out here for the summer is to find myself. How can I find myself when Prince Charming is sending me a dozen texts a day, not to mention gifts?”

“Do you know what you need?” Lana questions, tapping her index finger against her lips. “You need to completely forget that the world back home exists. Do something wild tonight, something you’ve never done before. Once you get a taste of this so-called new life, chances are you probably won’t look back.”

Lana doesn’t understand my life back home. It’s nothing like this with fancy dinner party after dinner party, charity balls, and political trails. The list of wealthy social events goes on.

But I have, in the two weeks of staying here, gotten somewhat of a taste of this new life. I’ve spent most of my time on the beach reading, practicing yoga, and lonesome dinners attempting to cook. Harder than you think, considering I grew up in a privileged household, and our cook, Pierre, prepared every meal. I’ve mastered eggs—a small accomplishment making me prouder than I thought possible. “You’re right. I’m not tied down. Well, technically, Nicholas and I are on a break.”

“How very Ross and Rachel of you.” Lana giggles.

“You know what I mean.” I place my phone back into my pocket with newfound confidence “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Is it to borrow Bubbles to attract guys? I tell you, it’s not the first time I’ve been asked, and honestly, he doesn’t like the pressure of being a pawn in someone’s dating game.”

“No.” I laugh. “Everything I own is very… um… conservative. If I’m going to experience life, I need an outfit that screams ‘look at me, I’m in California.’ ”

“Oh,” Lana mouths. “I have just the dress.”

I follow Lana into her house quietly, careful not to wake Ace. Sebastian is sprawled on the couch wearing a beaten-up tank with this arm underneath his head, immersed in some soccer match while Lana motions for me to follow her to the bedroom.

Inside her wardrobe, she pulls each garment aside before removing a black dress from the back.

It’s simple, sits mid-thigh with thin straps over the shoulder. Better than anything I have sitting inside my wardrobe. I’m not fond of shopping. In fact, I despise it. Everything I own is my mother’s doing.

“I wore this dress on a night out with Sebastian in Vegas. Kind of the beginning of us but also the end.”

It didn’t make sense, and my confused expression must have relayed that.

Lana laughs. “I know, complicated. Anyway, it’s yours for tonight.”

I kindly accept the dress, placing it against me as I stare in the mirror.

Lana was right. Tonight, I need to let my hair down and enjoy life. This is what I came here for, and no one else controls what I do here but me.

If I’m going to do this—live life to the fullest—I need to do it to the best of my ability.

Perhaps I just need a little bit of help from a bottle of champagne.

My date for tonight.

Dom Pérignon.