Chapter 1
I caught the bridal bouquet–just like I’d hoped.
All eyes at the wedding turned to Mason Thornwell. But he didn’t step forward.
Not until someone nudged him onto the stage
I looked at him with all the hope in the world, waiting for him to say those four words: I’ll marry you.
But with everyone watching, with people cheering us on, all he said was, “Sorry.”
Then he turned and left.
And I was left standing up there alone, forcing an awkward smile.
That was it. That was the last straw.
Mason, I’m letting you go.
The wedding went on like nothing had happened. That little drama didn’t ruin the party.
I sat back down, raising a glass to Nina from the bottom of my heart.
She’d finally moved on from her ex after seven years of breakups and makeups, finally walking away when he cheated for the third
time.
She got lucky. Met her now–husband on a blind date Sparks flew, and they got married practically overnight.
Me? I was the only one in our circle who still hadn’t settled downL
So today, everyone “just happened” to make sure I caught the bouquet.
Sabrina, I’m so sorry,” Nina said as she came over with our old classmates. “I didn’t know Mason had something going on. I shouldn’t have pushed him up there like that.”
The others all jumped in to defend him, afraid I’d lose it
I shook my head and downed my drink
The buzz hit instantly. A wave of haziness and heat.
Back then, everyone thought we’d tie the knot right after college
I even wore a wedding dress for my graduation photos.
Every year when
when graduation season rolled around, people would still bring up me and Mason
I still remembered him pulling me–dressed in that white gown–to the dean’s office and saying, “She’s the most precious gift of my
life.”
But that “gift” never got officially accepted.
It’s been seven years since we graduated.
And we still weren’t married.
“It’s over on my end.”
I texted Mason.
Η
“Something came up at work. Chloe said a client showed up last minute.‘
“You can take a cab home.”
Chapter 1
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“Okay.”
We both knew he wouldn’t come pick me up.
Still, we went through the motions like we always did. Like it mattered.
There was nothing left to say anymore.
I scrolled through our recent messages. The one that showed up the most was “not coming home tonight” and “with Chloe“.
Business trip with Chloe Client meeting with Chloe. Airport run with Chloe.
To Mason’s credit, he never lied to me about any of it.
But he never understood–what bothered me wasn’t the updates, or whether he came to get me or not.
It was the fact that in every ten sentences, he could mention Chloe seven times.
And that? That I couldn’t pretend not to care about.
We’d fought about it. God knows how many times.
So many, I could recite his lines word for word.
“It’s just work.”
“She’s my assistant. It’s all professional.”
“You knew back then–without her, the company wouldn’t have made it.”
“You’re overthinking. Don’t be so petty.”
I hailed a taxi home. The driver glanced at me stumbling out of the hotel in my heels, smelling like liquor, and said,
“You’ve been drinking, miss. Need me to call someone to come get you when we arrive?”
I shook my head and rolled the window down.
The city lights flew past in a blur.
And suddenly, I wondered–was it because I went too public too soon? Wore the wedding dress too early?
Is that why I still wasn’t married?
But then again…even if I did marry him…
Would it just be like this? Always like this?
Watching the crowds out the window, Lasked myself for the first time-
Did I still even want to marry Mason?
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