A blazing heat licks across my cheek. I rub the ache, eyeing her wildly. "That is for breaking her heart!" She crosses her arms. "What's left of it anyway."I nod in knowing, and walk out. Getting in my truck I head toward the old carnival. I haven't been back since the day I found out that baby wasn't mine.Twenty minutes later I pull onto the dirt road, the trees more overgrown since the last time I was here. There's spider webs and birds everywhere as I slowly travel down it. I pray she is here. I need to see her to explain how I messed up.I spot Quinn's silver car and my heart skips a beat in relief. I found her.I put the truck in park before I come to a complete stop and get out. Looking across the rides I find her sitting in a scrambler bucket looking out at the lake. She's wearing the dress I got her and she looks fucking beautiful. I stop, taking the image in and programming it to memory. The vines are laced up the poles in a vast of greenery. The bucket she's s
Looking through my thick lashes I can't help but think how perfect everything is. The sun is shining through the stained glass window of the old church casting a warmth on my face. My bridesmaids look stunning in their lavender pencil straight dresses, and my wedding gown is flawless to match. My hands sweaty and strangling the bouquet nervously, I look at my husband-to-be. He doesn't look as happy as me, in fact he looks miserable. I notice he's sweating, a pensive look across his face as his head is bowed. He rubs his forehead with a trembling hand, not making eye contact. Maybe he took a Viagra for later tonight. He took one of those a month or so back and had a similar reaction. He had a boner for forty-three hours and had to ice himself to the point of nearly having frostbite on his cock. My eyes fall to his crotch, finding it flat. "Groom, do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health
One year later.***RaeSomeone nudges my arm, waking me up. Moaning I roll over, popcorn and confetti sticking to my skin as the room comes into focus. The glitter on my chest is itching me, and my mouth taste like ass."Where am I?" I croak."You got to go, check out is in an hour," a tall Mexican man says, looming over me as I blink myself awake. Holding my pounding head, I push myself up and pull my dress down that has hiked up in my sleep. It feels like a sledgehammer is going to town in my skull. What did I do last night? The motel suite comes into view and everything slowly strings to memory. Quinn and I were invited to a party and we rocked that shit. I think.A flashback of me riding a fake pink flamingo comes to memory. A sliver of Quinn rubbing herself down in shaving cream and imprinting herself onto the front window of the suite.One eye open, I look toward the light filtering through the window and see a smudged body print on the glass. Yep, that h
Lani laughs, and Mom's face is cold and bitter at my sense of humor."I'm serious, Rae. You better get your act together!" She slams her hand down on the table, and stomps off. I glance at Lani, and she looks at me with a look I can't read."What?" I whisper, not liking the way she's staring at me."She's kind of kind of right, though she is much harsher than I would be." Lani blinks rapidly before looking back at me. "You fell apart after Jacob and did the whole crazy rebound thing, but you're losing control of your life. You have to find some stability, sister." She pats my shoulder and stands. "I'm going to go check on Mom."Biting my cheek, I think about the last year. I remember some of it, kind of. After my failed wedding, Quinn went over to retrieve my things and I moved in with her. Most of the last year was late nights with lots of parties and booze, but no man was ever a part of the equation. Well, there was that one time, but that was it. I'm pursuing my career as
She was a wild card when she met my father from the stories I've heard. You wouldn't think it if you saw her though. She always looks her best, and always seems confident in everything she says.Sighing, I sit, rubbing at my cheek where she pointed to the lipstick. I hope it's not red, that crap is hard to get off."We were just discussing table placements and I noticed you don't have a plus one. Will that change?" Mother asks, lifting a brow at me. Her tone of voice asking me more than if I'm having a date. I eye her as I take a large sip of my water, acting as if I can't reply because I'm so parched."Mom," Macy hush whispers. As if my being single is a condition I can't help."I figured not. So, I have someone for you to meet, Max." Mom hits me with a clinical look and water spits from my nose. Coughing, I wipe my face with a napkin."No!" I leave no room for argument with my tone. "That last girl you set me up with was missing an eye, and was a grave keeper. She went o
"I'm fine, really," I insist, not wanting to be a bother. Pulling from his grip, a void of cold air rushes along my back where his hand was a moment before.I sway on my feet, before grabbing his bicep. Oh wow, that's hard. I squeeze unintentionally, and his lips pull into a sexy smirk. He wraps an arm around my waist, and my thighs clench together on their own accord. The reaction puzzling. I haven't been attracted to a man in a long time. I thought Jacob broke my heart so badly I went lesbian. "Rae!" I freeze, not sure if the hit to the head was causing me to hear voices. "Rae!"I turn, finding my mother rushing toward me. "I wanted to give you that information on that guy in case you wanted to set up a date," she tells me as she walks toward me.I close my eyes, praying this is all a dream. I was hit in the head and knocked out."Well who is this?" I can hear the smile in her voice, so I open my eyes. She stops, smoothing her dress down. Her eyes fall to his hand around m
He steps out from behind the counter with a wet red towel in his hand. He reaches forward to press it to my head but hesitates. A dark look crossing his face, before he finally just hands it to me."Thanks." I take it, and gently press it to my head. My head throbs and stings from the wetness."So aside from calling strangers your significant other, how have you been?" he asks coolly. I look away, a blush spreading across my face like the sun on a summer day. I don't know what came over me to tell my mother that hideous lie. "Yeah, about that." I bite my inner cheek a little apprehensively. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure where that came from." I glance back at him with an apologetic smile. He rests his hands on the counter, which draws my attention. They're sexy and look powerful. They have cuts and calluses on them. I can't help but wonder what they would feel like skimming up my body, they portray control and dominance. I can't help but drag my eyes up his arms. They look bigger, m
He laughs, leaning over the counter, his hands steepled under his chin. "That's the best part. I'll be the dreamy boyfriend that gets your mother off your back." He waggles his brows, proud of himself for coming up with this elaborate scheme. "By the time I dump you, your mother will be so caught up on the good child moving forward, and you'll be so distraught and a buzz kill she'll ignore you," he states bitterly. I flip him off, but he's right about Lani being the good kid out of us two.I bite my inner lip, thinking it over. Max is practically a stranger but dead on about my mother and my sister. My mom won't know what to do about me being dumped, and will focus on Lani getting married rather than me. I could really use a break from her hassling me, and who knows, maybe if I'm not going on torturous blind dates the idea of dating might not sound so bad and I will find someone worth getting serious with.I glance at Max, who is looking at me expectantly with those stormy blue eye