whole bunch of girls lined up for the job .’ She couldn’t help herself. The reality of it all finally was settling in—instead of going to the florist to discuss her wedding arrangements, she was speeding away with a handsome but very unfamiliar man. It didn’t really matter that he had been her friend years ago. They had become adults, with different experiences and expectations for their new, fragile relationship.
‘I didn’t advertise .’ He was smiling again, scanning her face with cautious eyes. ‘I am sorry about your day,’ he said quietly, and she knew he really meant it. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I will be .’ She nodded jerkily, angry about the moisture gathering behind her eyelids. She would not fall apart in his car and start sobbing just because he was the first person who asked this question as if he really meant it. ‘I just didn’t expect this to happen,’ she mumbled, wiping away the stubborn tears that managed to escape down her cheeks. ‘You think you know someone and trust them, only to be totally let down. I was going to marry Brad in less than a month. Now I feel as if my whole life was nothing but a charade. Lies on top of more lies. Who knows how many other girls he had on the side? To think of it, he’s had an awful lot of business trips lately…’
‘ You’re probably right.’
A t least Jake isn’t trying to bullshit me. She was grateful for his honesty. ‘Are you sure it’s okay for me to come with you?’ she asked hesitantly, eager to change the topic. ‘What will your family say when you bring a total stranger?’
‘ First of all, they will be happy I didn’t come alone. I told you so before, but I will repeat it again.’ He drove safely but quickly, his long fingers resting on the wheel. Still, the car didn’t steer an inch from the middle of the lane. ‘They will be grateful for taking some of the pressure off AJ. I mean, at least some of the reporters will want to check us out and give him a break. And after this dramatic wedding fiasco, he should be grateful, too.’
‘ Maybe we should start the dumped-before-the-wedding club?’ She smiled darkly. ‘Seems to me like your stepbrother and I could have a lot in common.’
‘We ll, he still pulled the shorter stick, if you ask me.’ Jake shook his head. The setting sunlight picked up reddish hues in his thick brown hair. ‘He got dumped in front of all of his family and friends. It was pretty awful, Elly. I honestly don’t think he will want to repeat the move anytime soon.’
‘ Neither will I.’ She shrugged, trying to imagine what it must have felt like for this unknown guy. Probably very embarrassing . Plus if he really loved his fiancée, his heart must have been broken beyond repair.
‘You are not a total stranger , anyway.’ His words distracted her from her depressing thoughts, and she looked up to see him smile. ‘We’ve got history together, Elly. You were my favorite girl in the drama club. You know that.’
She had an uneasy feeling that he w as leaving something out of their conversation—something rather important. If she tried hard enough, she might figure it out. But she didn’t really have the time, at least not then.
‘ Well, I am grateful for the invite.’ She decided to let it go. Other, more urgent things were on her mind. ‘You saved me from a weekend of misery, Jake.’
‘My pleasure .’ He grinned, and dimples appeared in his cheeks, adding to his boyish charm. ‘You will see, it can be fun. Plus, the food will be great. I can assure you of that.’
She doubted she would be hungry. Her stomach was still tied in painful knots. Her thoughts went to Brad. For the hundredth time in the last few hours, she questioned what he was doing. Was he thinking of her, or just enjoying his newfound freedom? Or maybe he was moving his stuff from her place? Brad had always been very practical, so she wouldn’t be surprised if he took care of business first.
‘Don’t do
‘I didn’t advertise .’ He was smiling again, scanning her face with cautious eyes. ‘I am sorry about your day,’ he said quietly, and she knew he really meant it. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I will be .’ She nodded jerkily, angry about the moisture gathering behind her eyelids. She would not fall apart in his car and start sobbing just because he was the first person who asked this question as if he really meant it. ‘I just didn’t expect this to happen,’ she mumbled, wiping away the stubborn tears that managed to escape down her cheeks. ‘You think you know someone and trust them, only to be totally let down. I was going to marry Brad in less than a month. Now I feel as if my whole life was nothing but a charade. Lies on top of more lies. Who knows how many other girls he had on the side? To think of it, he’s had an awful lot of business trips lately…’
‘ You’re probably right.’
A t least Jake isn’t trying to bullshit me. She was grateful for his honesty. ‘Are you sure it’s okay for me to come with you?’ she asked hesitantly, eager to change the topic. ‘What will your family say when you bring a total stranger?’
‘ First of all, they will be happy I didn’t come alone. I told you so before, but I will repeat it again.’ He drove safely but quickly, his long fingers resting on the wheel. Still, the car didn’t steer an inch from the middle of the lane. ‘They will be grateful for taking some of the pressure off AJ. I mean, at least some of the reporters will want to check us out and give him a break. And after this dramatic wedding fiasco, he should be grateful, too.’
‘ Maybe we should start the dumped-before-the-wedding club?’ She smiled darkly. ‘Seems to me like your stepbrother and I could have a lot in common.’
‘We ll, he still pulled the shorter stick, if you ask me.’ Jake shook his head. The setting sunlight picked up reddish hues in his thick brown hair. ‘He got dumped in front of all of his family and friends. It was pretty awful, Elly. I honestly don’t think he will want to repeat the move anytime soon.’
‘ Neither will I.’ She shrugged, trying to imagine what it must have felt like for this unknown guy. Probably very embarrassing . Plus if he really loved his fiancée, his heart must have been broken beyond repair.
‘You are not a total stranger , anyway.’ His words distracted her from her depressing thoughts, and she looked up to see him smile. ‘We’ve got history together, Elly. You were my favorite girl in the drama club. You know that.’
She had an uneasy feeling that he w as leaving something out of their conversation—something rather important. If she tried hard enough, she might figure it out. But she didn’t really have the time, at least not then.
‘ Well, I am grateful for the invite.’ She decided to let it go. Other, more urgent things were on her mind. ‘You saved me from a weekend of misery, Jake.’
‘My pleasure .’ He grinned, and dimples appeared in his cheeks, adding to his boyish charm. ‘You will see, it can be fun. Plus, the food will be great. I can assure you of that.’
She doubted she would be hungry. Her stomach was still tied in painful knots. Her thoughts went to Brad. For the hundredth time in the last few hours, she questioned what he was doing. Was he thinking of her, or just enjoying his newfound freedom? Or maybe he was moving his stuff from her place? Brad had always been very practical, so she wouldn’t be surprised if he took care of business first.
‘Don’t do
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