“I can’t believe he’s taking us to a show,” Mandy said, that dreamy tone back in her voice. “Is he rich?”
“I have no idea. Should that matter?”
“Nope.” Jaz popped her head into the bathroom doorway. “It’s just that he rented out that whole ranch for us and he’s taking us to a show. His rental truck was nice. Did he have a nice hotel room? Like a suite? I think he’s loaded. You got married to a hottie and a rich hottie at that.”
“Can I have some of whatever you drank that night? Please point me in the direction of that poker room so I can make some magic happen for myself,” Mandy sighed.
“I don’t know if he’s rich. I don’t care. It’s not like I’m going to stay married,” June grumbled.
“You’re not?” Jaz’s mouth dropped open.
“Yeah, why not?” Mandy backed up Jaz. “He’s sexy, like god-like sexy, off the charts hot. He’s obviously packing, he has money, he’s nice, he’s charming, he’s… god, he’d make the most beautiful babies.”
June held her breath so she couldn’t smell the panties literally melting off her friends. They were going to be useless piles of goo by the end of the night and it was clear they weren’t on her side. Worse, everything they said was true. Brock was slowly winning her over and it had been less than twenty-four hours since they got married.
“Would it really hurt to give him a chance?” Jaz asked innocently. “He’s sexy, but he’s also nice. All the guys you date are assholes. Even from the start. They’re all wrong for you. It’s like you’re attracted to men who are completely inappropriate so you don’t have to actually care.”
June froze. Mandy’s eyes went wide. Jaz slapped a hand over her mouth. As if her humiliation wasn’t enough for the day, hell as if her past wasn’t enough humiliation for a lifetime, Jaz had to go and hit the nail right on the head.
Is that what I do? Is that what I’ve done? Look for someone who is wrong? Who is only going to hurt me so I don’t really have to get invested?
June whirled and her friends backed up. She slammed the door and locked it. She leaned on the solid frame for a minute, trying to catch her breath.
When Chris cheated on her, she saw it coming. She was basically pulling out of the relationship anyway, since she’d been done with it for so long. When it happened with Shane, they weren’t even living together. When Rob left her for a dude, that was humiliating, but as for hurt? God, she couldn’t bring herself to actually, truly say she was heartbroken.
The truth was, she liked dating. She liked being in a relationship since it meant having someone there in some capacity. Someone who was supposed to care. Did she use those guys as a sort of security blanket since she wasn’t really ready to settle down? Guys that she knew probably wouldn’t work out?
It was a simple equation. Chemistry leads to feelings which leads to caring which may or may not turn into love, but either way, it opens a person to a world of hurt. No chemistry meant no deep feelings, meant no hurt.
Put that way, it made her sound like a horrible person. Especially since she didn’t even realize that’s what she was doing.
Hot pinpricks burned at the bridge of her nose and stung the corners of her eyes. She blinked hard, refusing to give in to tears. She had less than an hour to get her hair and makeup done and be presentable for some fancy-ass show that she didn’t even want to go to. With her husband. She was tired of the mess and she just seemed to be digging herself deeper.
She hated that when she thought of Brock, her chest tightened and things happened with her body, all over the place, including in her panties. She hated that he was so attractive, but also that he was nice. He was funny and witty. He seemed like he’d be a good guy, like someone who had a friend’s back through the worst of shit, even if no one else was on their side. He seemed like the kind of person who could handle being unpopular as long as he was doing the right thing.
Oh god, I am so screwed.
A knock sounded at the other side of the door. “June? We’re sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out,” Jaz said.
“Yeah, you don’t have to tell us about the shower. It’s our punishment. I’ll have a dress set out for you.”
“Please don’t be mad at us. We love you.”
June gripped the vanity’s counter top and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was wild and unruly, having dried with the little curls and kinks that it had if she didn’t blow dry or straighten it. Her lips were pink and full. They looked like they’d just been thoroughly kissed. She had a slight pink blush riding on her cheekbones. It was her eyes that were the worst part. Wide and dangerous and smoldering with hidden secrets. Or hidden pleasure. No wonder her friends knew she hadn’t showered alone. She looked like a woman who had just been well pleasured even if it was hours ago.