Wash

I stared at him.

“Hey,” he said in a soft voice, trying to change the subject, “how’s Tiger?”

Tiger was a white and orange striped cat we’d adopted when she was only a kitten, a stray who had followed us home. We both loved her, and she’d become a part of the family.

“Is she even still alive?” he asked.

“She’s fine and, unlike you, she sleeps by me every night.” With that, I turned to leave. I half-expected him to follow me, but he didn’t. Without another word to him or the attorney, I slammed the door, making sure Jake knew he could screw off and leave me alone—for good.

Chapter 3

The next night, my best friend Nadia dragged me out of the house for dinner. She took me to one of my favorite restaurants, Devin’s.

“I’m worried about you,” she said. “You’ve been a hermit in your apartment ever since your mom passed away.”

“I know it’s been three months, but it’s hard to face the outside world. Interviewing designers and models seems so…shallow and pointless. I can’t just pretend nothing’s wrong, and…” Not sure what else to say, my voice drifted off.

“I just wanted to get you out,” Nadia said, “especially with the whole Jake thing. You can’t stay all cooped up, just reflecting back on what that ass did to you. It isn’t healthy.”

My cell rang, and I glanced down. “Speak of the devil.” The last time he’d called me was the day he’d walked out of my life forever. Now, he was just after my mother’s money.

“He’s not gonna give up, Ash,” she said. “Why don’t you let me answer it? I’d like to thank him for that trip to Mexico.”

I laughed, even though it wasn’t funny. My mother had spent $20,000 to reserve a honeymoon suite at the most expensive tropical resort she could find. Since it was nonrefundable, I decided to take Nadia. During that trip, she forced me to leave the room and tried to hook me up with a couple of hunky Latinos, but I was so miserable I just sulked the entire time, seething as I looked around the frilly, romantically furnished room that was supposed to be for lovers.

With a huff, I turned off my phone. “He even stopped by the apartment, but I didn’t answer the door. When I saw him through the curtains, my stomach dropped.”

Her expression grew serious. “If he keeps stalking you, you need to call the police. He has no right.”

“I want to get over this. I do, but—”

“Girlfriend, he’s a jerk. You’re better off without a man like that in your life. I mean, I was there that horrible day when he didn’t show up. We’d spent so long planning the perfect wedding. I’ll never forget how happy you were at the bridal shop when we found the dress, with all that light sparkling off the sequins and beads.”

“Remember how rude the owner was?” I laughed. “I thought brides were supposed to be the –zillas!”

“Yeah, she owned that little bridal shop of horrors.”

I about spat out my wine.

“She got mad because you tried on so many dresses.”

“No, I think she got mad because I didn’t like the designer one she picked. It looked good on the mannequin, but not on me. But you put her in her place.”

“Well, that’s what friends are for,” she said, shrugging. “You’re my best friend, you were getting married, and if you needed all the time in the world and to try on 100 more gowns, she could deal with it.”

“She just knew how rich my mom was and wanted me to buy the most expensive thing in there. I hate being treated that way.”

“Yeah, well, it worked out to go to that bridal shop an hour away, where nobody knew who you were.”

“Yep! And I bought the same cheap gown I wanted in the first place.” I reached into my purse and pulled out a picture of me in my wedding gown.

Nadia reached for it and stared. “So beautiful. It’s a shame you burned it.”

“That dress was chosen especially for him. I didn’t want the memories.”

“Then why are you carrying this picture around?”

“I haven’t been. I dug it up last night after seeing Jake.”