by A. P. Watson
“Geez.”
“Yep. He maxed those cards out and stuck me with the bill.” I laughed only to keep myself from bursting into tears. “It took a long time, but I finally managed to pay off all his debt. And years later, what do I come across while scrolling through Facebook?”
“What?”
“Pictures of him and his new bride on their wedding day. They looked happy, and he looked good too.” I added the next glass of whiskey to the distillery quickly forming in the pit of my stomach. “A mutual Facebook acquaintance commented on his pictures, so it popped up on my newsfeed. I mean, that asshole didn’t even have the decency to marry the girl he cheated on me with!”
“Damn,” Robbie mumbled, rubbing the thick, black beard covering his chin. “That is shitty.”
I held my glass out to him in a mock toast. “Welcome to my life.”
“I’ve been cheated on before. It was the worst eight months of my life.” Robbie tipped the bottle of Jack Daniels over my empty glass, replenishing the liquid I’d just drained. “This round is on the house.”
“Better pour yourself one too, Robbie. I don’t like to drink alone.”
An hour and three-fourths of that bottle of Jack later, I was drunk as hell. Somehow, I managed to provide Robbie with my phone because he called Terayn and Ryan to come and pick me up.
“I gave her some aspirin and made her drink a bottle of water just now.”
Ryan shook Robbie’s hand. “Thanks for calling us to come get her. We were both a bit worried when she didn’t come home.”
Terayn flung my arm around her neck, steadying me as my balance wavered. “What happened?”
“I panicked,” I laughed uncontrollably.
“She’s had one hell of a day.”
“Looks like it.” Ryan moved to my other side, placing his arm around the small of my back.
“Robbie, you are a gentleman and the best bartender I’ve ever known.”
Robbie grinned at my compliment, shaking his head as he dried the bar in front of him. “See you around, Wren.”
I gripped Terayn and Ryan by the shoulders, hugging them to me. “You guys are the best. Thanks for coming to get me.”
Ryan laughed as he opened the door for the three of us. “Hey, you’ve carried my ass out of a bar more times than I can count. It’s not like I don’t owe you.”
Terayn nodded in agreement. “Same here.”
chapter three
crashing right into you
I ANSWERED TERAYN’S CALL on the first ring and stretched my legs across the stone steps leading up to our townhouse. Our place used the main staircase while the apartment above us had a private entrance around back. In the near week I’d been here, I still hadn’t seen our neighbor. But according to Terayn and Ryan, he was an older man who didn’t get out much.
“Hey! You almost here?”
I popped another aspirin in my mouth, hoping this dose would finally nip my headache in the bud. Thank goodness, I didn’t have any orientation classes to attend today. After consuming over half a bottle of whiskey last night, I had the hangover to rival all hangovers. On the bright side, at least my shower this morning managed to wash away the stench of alcohol and bad decisions.
“Wren, I’m so sorry, but Gina had to leave the gallery early. She has a terrible stomach virus and I said I’d close up for her.”
“Yikes, that sounds awful.”
“She was Fifty Shades of Green.”
“That makes two of us. I hope she starts feeling better soon though! Is there anything I can do to help her?”
“Nah, I sent her home with a bottle of Pepto and some ginger ale.”
“Good thinking. If she doesn’t get better, let me know. I snagged some IV kits and a couple bags of saline from my old work. I can always dose her with some IV fluids if she gets really dehydrated.”
“Okay, I’ll let her know. Hopefully, it’ll just be a quick bug.”
“I hope so too. Well, I’ll head on over to Audege. I figure I need to do something productive today, especially after last night.”
“Consuming over half bottle of whiskey isn’t only productive, it’s also quite impressive.”
“I can always trust you with all my morally ambiguous decisions.” A twinge of guilt halted my heart for a moment. There was one secret I’d kept from her, one I’d never revealed to anyone for fear of being judged too harshly. Experience taught me that my work history wouldn’t be condoned by everyone. I wanted to tell her my secret, and I would eventually, but not today.
“That’s what I’m here for!”
“Thanks, Ter.”
“I hate that you have to go alone, especially after I said I’d go with you!”
“I’m sure I’ll find a great dress. Don’t worry about me. I’ll show it to you tonight after you get home from work.”
“Promise?”
“Of course.”
“And tomorrow we can have a girl’s day to pamper ourselves!” she squealed.
“Sounds good!”
“A customer just walked in, so I gotta let you go. Love ya!”
“Okay, bye! Love you!”
I readjusted my sunglasses, fully aware of the blistering heat raining down on me. When you existed mostly during the nighttime hours, you forgot how damn hot daylight could be. I hailed a cab, desperate to get inside someplace cool. Because I was headed to a nicer boutique, I pinned my long hair on top of my head in a respectable up-do and donned one of my nicest sundresses. A for effort, right?
Despite my efforts, I still stepped into Audege appearing every bit a fish out of water. The upscale boutique was decorated to perfection. Terayn hadn’t been kidding. This place was freaking nice. Immaculate dress forms lined white walls on either side of the store while an ornate chandelier dripping with crystals hung in the center of the room. Cocktail dresses and formal gowns of all shapes and sizes surrounded me at every turn.
“And how are you this afternoon?” I spun at the sound of a voice behind me. “My name is Diane. Is there something particular you’re searching for?”
“Oh, not really. I’m just browsing.”
“Very well. If you would like to try something on, just let me know.”
“I will, thank you.” I smiled at her politely, the gesture seeming to expend an enormous amount of energy. I wanted to high tail it out of that store right then and there, but I needed a dress. In fact, I was desperate for one. I was going on a date for the first time in eleven months (not counting the incident), and I needed to look sexy as hell.
After a couple of deep breaths, tranquility washed over me. I could do this. I could pick out a killer dress for a blind date. This store was the stuff of every fashionista’s wet dreams, and I wasn’t about to let the hefty price tags, glaring at me from each inch of this place, deter me. I shuffled around the store with purpose. Before I knew it, I had an armful of dresses to try on. I quickly spotted Diane, and she led me to a sitting area in the back of the building. A white chaise lounge sofa that looked as if it’d been plucked from the set of Downton Abbey was poised in the center of a large alcove. To the right, dressing rooms adorned with white curtains beckoned us. On the left side of the chaise sat a large mirror. She hung all my dresses with a smile, promising to return in a bit to check on me. I thanked her graciously and slid behind the curtain.
The first three dresses rated from a simple no to an oh hell no. Usually, I was a pro at shopping. I loved everything about fashion, nearly majored in it. But the day I needed my shopping skills the most, they were MIA. Things got a bit better with the fourth dress, but I wanted to look spectacular, not mediocre. Desperate for some good vibes, I pulled a slinky black number from the lineup. Black was my go-to color, and I knew it wouldn’t fail me. I slid the fabric over my thighs and pulled on the hidden zipper at my side. When I turned to face the mirror, I was pleased with the image staring back at me. Bravery surged through my veins as I poked my head out of the dressing room. Where the hell was Diane when yo
u needed her? She’d practically been watching over me like a hawk from the moment I stepped into this store, but now that I donned one of their classic little black dresses, she was nowhere in sight. I waited a few minutes to see if she would return, but she must’ve been preoccupied.
Fuck it. I strolled from the dressing room and headed straight for the three-way mirror on the far wall. The dress looked darn good, but there was no way I was going to drop $600 on a dress without a second opinion. When I reached the main part of the store, I saw Diane helping a middle-aged woman pick out a few items while her coworker was stuck behind the register ringing up customers. I was two seconds from admitting defeat when I spotted a man out of the corner of my eye. He stood beside a table of stockings and garter belts. His hair was such a deep brown, it was almost black. He was, without a doubt, the hottest man I’d ever seen in person. The smart thing to do would’ve been to tuck tail and run, but my damn mouth had other plans.
“Excuse me.” At the sound of my voice, his head snapped upward, and the most intense brown eyes met my gaze. Fuck me sideways. I was in trouble. “I’m sorry to bother you, darlin’, but all the sales clerks are tied up at the moment, and I really need someone’s opinion on this dress.”
Locks of hair tumbled over his forehead into his eyes, and he swept them back absentmindedly. Unable to help myself, I scanned his left hand. No ring, so he wasn’t married. “You want my opinion?” he asked, clearly surprised.
“I’ve got a really important date tomorrow night, and I need to look spectacular.” I nervously twisted a loose strand of my copper hair as he gave me a once-over. “Would you mind helping me?”
“An important date?”
“Yeah. First one in forever. Well, first one to count in forever, so I want to look amazing.” I cringed inwardly at my awkward confession. I needed to get the hell out of here ASAP.
For a fleeting moment, he grinned sinfully. “Sure.”
“Oh, thank you so much!”
I trailed behind him as he strolled over to the chaise and sat down. He moved with all the confidence in the world, and it made me a tad self-conscious. “Is that your favorite dress?”
“It is so far. Everything else I tried on looked horrendous.” I moved to stand in front of him and twirled in a semi-circle. “What do you think?”
“It’s really nice, don’t get me wrong, but every single girl wears a dress like that when they go out on a date. Why do they always pick a little black dress?”
“It’s classy, never goes out of style, looks great on everyone, and it matches my soul.” I’d always heard about the concept of word vomit, but in my twenty-six-years, I’d never experienced it—until now.
He tried to conceal his amusement at my response but failed miserably. “I suddenly have a newfound respect for little black dresses all over the world.”
“Glad I could convert you.” I spun in the direction of the dressing room. “Wait here, I picked out something that doesn’t make me look like the female version of Johnny Cash.” But before I could reach the dressing room, I turned on my heel. “I totally realized I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Wren.” I extended my hand for him to shake, and he stood to grab it.
“Just call me J.”
“Like the letter?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, J. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Believe me, the pleasure is mine.”
“Okay.” I smiled nervously. “I’m sorry, you probably have somewhere important to be, and I’m wasting your time.”
“I’ve got time to spare.” He folded his arms over his chest, settling into the chaise. Most of the time, being an observant person was a beneficial trait. However, at this moment, it was a curse. J’s new stance stretched the thin fabric of his T-shirt over his chest and arms, and boy did he have some arms. “What did you mean when you said your date tomorrow would be the first one to count in forever?”
“Oh, I recently moved here, but a few months before I decided to uproot myself, I went on an absolutely horrendous blind date.”
“What happened?”
“The night started out great. We had amazing dinner reservations, and the guy was actually nice. He even made a point to ask about my family. But when he found out I was a nurse, it all went downhill from there.” I chewed on my lip for a moment, wondering if I should even continue. At this point, I already had both feet in the pot, so I might as well dive in. “Our date started with a few drinks and ended with him asking me to examine a suspicious rash on his genitals.”
“You’re screwing with me, right?”
“I wish I were.”
“Fuck,” he breathed.
“My sentiments exactly.”
“What did you do?”
“Simply told him blunt force trauma to the balls was a much bigger health concern. Then, I kicked him where the sun don’t shine and got the heck out of dodge.”
“Glad he got what he deserved.”
“Let’s just hope tomorrow night goes better. If I have one more guy ask me to examine his testicles, I’m becoming a lesbian.”
“I’m sure it won’t come to that.”
“We can only hope. Well, let me change into that dress. Otherwise, I’ll just stand here and talk your head off.” I scurried away, finding sanctuary in my empty dressing room. I added the black garment to the discard pile and pinned a loose strand of hair back in place. There was only one more dress to try on. I made sure to remove my bra before sliding into the white, backless number. It fit like a glove, and the silhouette left very little to the imagination. I tip-toed out of the dressing room as a disturbing mixture of elation and sickness coursed through my body. “Well?”
For a brief second, J’s eyes lit up when I entered the room. Either that or I was dreaming, and I was pretty damn sure the latter was more accurate. “You look perfect.”
“Really?”
“Seriously, Wren, that is the dress,” he answered with a smile.
“Yay! Thank you so much for your help.” I flipped over the price tag attached to my hip, my eyes widening at the sight of so many zeroes. “Oh, sweet Jesus!”
“What’s wrong?” In an instant, J was on his feet, closing the distance between us.
“I had a mild coronary when I glanced at the price tag. It seems I’ll be working an extra shift to help pay for this sucker.”
He grinned at my response and quickly covered his mouth with his hand in an attempt to conceal it. “An extra shift?”
“At the hospital. I work in the intensive care unit.” I smoothed my hands over the white fabric covering my thighs. “So, trust me when I say I don’t pick up extra shifts lightly. I’ve seen things.”
“Things?”
I stared at him gravely. “Things.”
“I’ll take your word for it then,” he replied seriously.
“I forgot to show you the best part!” I turned around, revealing the scarce material covering my back. “Think my date will like it?”
“Oh, I’m positive he will.”
“I hope so!” I wanted to keep talking to him, but the moment passed, and an awkward silence started to take form. “Thank you again for being so accommodating. I truly can’t thank you enough.”
“It was my pleasure,” J intoned as I held my hand out to him, wanting one last handshake to express my gratitude. “Just so you know, we aren’t all assholes.”
“I guess I should thank you then for restoring some of my faith in the male sex.”
“Thank me later. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.” He winked at me and turned on his heel before I even had time to speak.
Usually, I found the act of winking repulsive, probably because most of the winks I received were from perverted old men asking me for a sponge bath at the hospital. But that wasn’t the case with J. One wink from him, and my heart rate teetered on the edge of sinus tachycardia.
“Did you have any luck?” Diane appeared in front of me, snapping me out of my daze.
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br /> “Yes, I did. I believe this one is the dress.”
“Oh, the white is lovely with your complexion. What an excellent choice.”
“Thank you. Y’all have the most beautiful dresses here.”
Diane warmly smiled at me. “After you’ve finished changing, I’ll have the dress wrapped up for you.”
“That would be wonderful. I’ll go change right now.”
Less than thirty minutes later, I emerged from Audege in infinitely better spirits. Not only did I manage to snag a killer dress, but I met a guy who didn’t make me want to join the nearest convent. Fuck Liam and his happiness. J was way better looking and showed me more consideration in half an hour than Liam did the entire time we dated. If the random encounter taught me anything, it was that there was hope for me after all.
I could hear Ryan shuffling around the townhouse when I returned from Audege.
“Honey, I’m home!”
Ryan hurried into the living room, an apron tied around his waist. “I’m freaking out!” he shouted.
“What? Why?” I set the box containing the dress and my purse on the couch, quickly making my way to the kitchen.
“I bought Terayn a ring today.”
I clapped my hands together in excitement. “Took you long enough!”
“What if she says no?”
I slapped him on the back of the head, hoping it would restore some semblance of sanity. “You’re Terayn’s soulmate. She’s going to say yes!”
“You’re positive?” he asked, uncertainty lacing his voice.
“Yes! She loves you more than anything!”
“That is true.”
“Let me see it!” Ryan pulled a minuscule box from his pocket and placed it into my palm. I opened the lid, gasping as the ring came into full view. The platinum art deco setting was dotted with small diamonds, creating a delicate halo around a single blue sapphire. The stone was the focal point of the entire piece, and it had to be at least two carats. “This is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen in my life! She’s going to love it!”
Ryan exhaled sharply. “I’m glad you think so. I wasn’t planning on buying anything today. I was going to ask you to help me find a ring, but when I saw that sapphire, I knew this was the ring.”
