Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
I shouldn’t be surprised.
Reality rarely succeeds expectations, and my reality is as slimy as a slug.
CHAPTER 6
JESS
I race into the hotel suite Heidi, her bridesmaids, and I spent the night at, dump the dress the dress shop stupidly couriered to my apartment instead of the hotel, then storm into the master suite. “You little wench. How could you invite him today?”
Heidi’s eyes widen so much, her makeup artist almost gouges her right eye with an eyelash curler before murmuring softly, “I didn’t have a choice. Sam—”
“How could you not have a choice? You only met him last week.” In all honesty, I’m not overly angry at her inability to leave any man out, even the ones she should. I’m frustrated I didn’t ping Caleb as a cheating manwhore.
Perhaps that’s why he smashed the mirror?
Maybe he couldn’t stand the sight of his adulterous face?
Heidi politely requests the makeup artist to step back before asking, “Last week?”
I nod. “Yes… last week. Your bachelorette party might have felt like a lifetime ago, but it was seven measly days ago.” Measly because I spent a good six days thinking about Caleb and why he left while the remaining time was reserved for sleeping.
“You’re talking about Caleb?” Heidi breathes out in confusion. When I stitch my brows together and nod, she looks unwell. “Ohhh.”
Now my curiosity is more piqued than my anger. “Why? Who did you think I was talking about?”
“Ahh…”
When she gestures for the makeup artist to get back to business, I impolitely step between them then bend my knees to bring our faces to within a couple of inches of each other. “What did you do?” The panic flaring in her eyes answers me on her behalf. “You invited Warren?” When guilt flares through her eyes, I take a staggering step back. “Why would you invite him?”
Warren is the douche I mentioned last week. The boyfriend who thought it was cute to tell me what I should or shouldn’t wear before angrily pushing my head into the vanity mirror of a hotel not far from my childhood home when I didn’t conform to his way of thinking.
“Samuel and Warren know each other from church, and when your dad mentioned he was officiating our service today, Warren jested to Samuel that his invitation must have gotten lost.”
I understand her dilemma. Samuel can’t say no to anyone, but it doesn’t stop panic from trickling into my veins. “He should have told him he wasn’t invited.”
“We tried, Jess. I swear to you we did, but you know Warren. He—”
“Thinks he’s more important than anyone else.”
When I flop onto the bed in front of the high-back chair Heidi has spent the last hour in, she slips off it and joins me on the mattress. “If it makes you feel any better, I sat him at the band’s table and ordered him the fish. You know how much he hates fish.”
Her reply makes me giggle. “He doesn’t hate fish. He’s allergic to it.”
“I know, hence the order.” Her dainty laugh rumbles through my chest. “I’ll force-feed him if I have to.”
Her reply makes it obvious the decision to invite him wasn’t her choice. It most likely wasn’t even Samuel’s. My dad has a soft spot for Warren because I never told him about his controlling ways. I made out we separated after six years because we were living in separate states, and I didn’t want a long-distance relationship.
My father bought my excuse because he’d never believe one of his beloved daughters would lie to him. He’s an even bigger sucker than Samuel.
After a big exhale, I say, “If he approaches me, I can’t be held accountable for what I may do.”
Heidi holds out her pinkie in offering. “Sounds like a deal to me.” We seal our agreement with a pinkie promise before she gets back to the reason my nape is as sweaty as my armpits. “Now that we’ve sorted that out, shall we go back to the beginning of your meltdown so I can work out how Caleb-who-shall-never-be-spoken-of-again entered your thoughts for the trillionth time today.”
My sigh ruffles the wavy blonde strands framing her gorgeous face. “He was a passenger in my rideshare.”
Heidi’s words click out of her mouth like the cluck of a chicken. “That’s what you get for being cheap.”
I give her a stink eye before continuing, “He wasn’t alone.” Her mouth gapes, but not a word fires from her lips, leaving me to fill in the gaps. “I couldn’t see her face, but I didn’t need to see her to know she’s gorgeous. The Uber driver didn’t take his eyes off the rearview mirror.” Before Heidi can butt in with the uplifting praise she forever hits me with, I squash my index finger to her lips. “He didn’t even acknowledge my entrance because he couldn’t take his eyes off her.”