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Chapter Two
Abigail Jayne, or Abbey as her friends called her, looked out the window of the honeymoon suite of the Fairchild Hotel, courtesy of Luke Stryker. The room faced the Oak Brook Mall but she wasn’t paying much attention. Her attention was on other things. Too many other things. Like having to face Luke after ten years, for starters. Shit. What a nightmare this day would be.
Abbey sighed, tightened the belt of her fluffy white hotel robe, also courtesy of Luke, and turned to see her sister Cassie, seated in one of the suite’s luxurious, stuffed, beige chairs as her hair was being styled in an elegant up ’do by the Bennett sisters Vanessa and Angela, or Angel as everyone called her.
Beautiful blondes like Cassie, Vanessa and Angel effortlessly worked on her sister’s hair. Their friends, Madison Roth, a stylish brunette, and Roxanna Gibbons, a sexy redhead with the most stunning green eyes Abbey had ever seen, would do her and Jake’s sister Leah’s hair and makeup.
Abbey managed a smile. Angel was a member of the Kiss Army, proudly wearing a Kiss t-shirt as she worked on Cassie’s hair. She had asked if it was all right to play some Kiss songs while the got ready. Abbey had thought it would be weird, but it turned out weird was actually fun. Kiss playing in the background was just the distraction she needed.
Roxanna and Madison each set up a chair next to the long dining room table, along with their makeup and hair supplies, and motioned to her and Leah. Leah and Abbey both took their seats.
“Thank you guys for getting us ready today, we really appreciate it,” Cassie said as Angel and Vanessa finished up with her hair and started on her makeup.
“Yes, thank you so much. I’m not much of a makeup girl,” Abbey admitted.
“It’s our pleasure.” Angel answered for the four stylists. “You and Cassie have been hair clients of mine for what—seven years now?”
“Wow, it has been that long.” Abbey couldn’t believe it. The years just rolled on, whether or not she wanted them to. Whether she was happy or sad. In love or heartbroken.
Don’t think about Luke. He betrayed you. He’s moved on and so should you. Get over him already.
“Speaking of being clients for so long, what about that salon you wanted to open? I have no problem going to Essential Beauty for appointments, but I thought the four of you were looking to branch out on your own,” Cassie said and took a long sip of orange juice.
That was odd. The rest of the group had been sipping on mimosas and snacking on delectable pastries, but Cassie had stuck with straight orange juice. And come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Cassie drink any alcohol during rehearsal dinner and the combined bachelor slash bachelorette party Thursday night. Not that Cassie was a big drinker, but she and Luke indulged in their favorite—Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Abbey chalked it up to wedding jitters. Lord knew she was jittery, although for different reasons. Luke wasn’t the only thing she needed distraction from.
Vanessa, Roxanna, and Madison turned to Angel. Angel took a brush to Cassie’s eyebrow. “Actually, I’ll be finishing up my MBA soon and I’ve got our business plan completed. So after graduation I think we’ll be ready to make something happen. Right, guys?” Angel turned back to Vanessa, Roxanna, and Madison for confirmation.
“We’re ready when you are,” Madison said, and Roxanna nodded her head in agreement, with Vanessa not nearly as enthusiastic, but nodding as well.
“You’re still going with that beautiful name, Ullustra Salon and Day Spa?” Abbey asked.
“Yes, that’s the one. I just love it! And I can’t wait. This salon has been a dream of mine, well, of ours, for a long time,” Angel said as she and Vanessa started on Cassie’s makeup.
Abbey turned to Roxanna, lifting her chin and closing her eyes. “I’m ready. I decided I’m going to wear my hair down.”And that had nothing to do with Luke liking her hair down. No, she preferred her hair down. Screw Luke and what he preferred. He was probably bringing his girlfriend, Hollywood It girl and chestnut-haired bombshell Brenna Sinclair. He wouldn’t notice if Abbey’s hair were on fire so her hair and makeup for the day were for her and no one else. That was what she told herself, anyway.
“Brenna Sinclair’s not attending, Abbey,” Cassie said. Had she said Brenna’s name out loud? Damn.
Roxanna stopped working on her makeup for a second. “The Brenna Sinclair? She’s dating Luke Stryker from the Cobras, isn’t she?”
No, no, no. Abbey didn’t want to get into this right now, or ever. Brenna not attending Cassie’s wedding meant nothing. She was probably on location somewhere across the world and couldn’t be bothered with some commoner’s wedding. Luke was undoubtedly with her Thursday night instead of taking his best man responsibilities seriously and attending the rehearsal, dinner, and Cassie and Jake’s bachelor slash bachelorette party.
“Yes, but Abbey had him first, and he’s the best man,” Cassie teased.
Abbey needed to put a stop to this conversation. “First of all, I didn’t have him. We dated when we were younger. I was eighteen, and he was twenty when he won his first World Series championship. How did he want to celebrate? By cheating on me with some bleached-out blonde, fake-boobed bimbo, that’s how. Secondly, he’s been dating Brenna Sinclair for the last three years. We ended things ten years ago. He’s moved on. I’ve moved on. End of story and no big deal.” There, that should shut everyone up. Except now she felt sick to her stomach. When would she get over him? Wasn’t ten years enough time?
Leah and the four stylists remained quiet, but Cassie wouldn’t let it go. “I call bullshit.I know Luke. He’d never cheat on you. He adored you, Abbs. He still does.”
Abbey’s hands clenched in her lap, her anger boiling over. “Well, you didn’t walk in on him and that skank naked and drunk in their hotel room, I did. So, so … bullshit back at you!” Her ears rung. She was lightheaded and panting.
Roxanna kneeled down and took Abbey’s hands in hers, unclenching them. “Slow breaths Abbey, it’s all right.”
Cassie came rushing over and Roxanna moved aside, allowing Cassie to take her place. Cassie rubbed Abbey’s arms, trying to calm her down. Abbey took deep breaths, slowly regaining her composure. She was ruining everything. This was Cassie’s special day and she was having a meltdown. She felt a tear run down her cheek. She was hopeless.
“I’m so sorry, Abbs. If you say he cheated on you, that’s that. If you say it’s over, it’s over. I won’t bring it up again.”
Abbey looked up at her sister, so beautiful and composed. She was actually glowing. Jake would be floored when Cassie made her way down the aisle to him later that afternoon. “I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to overreact, but I don’t need to relive that horrible day, all right? I thought Luke and I had what you and Jake do, but I was wrong.”
Abbey continued before Cassie could respond. “And that’s okay. We were young, his major league career was just getting started. It was wishful thinking on my part to believe we had a future together. He went on to become an MLB superstar and I didn’t do too shabby myself, right? A BS in Computer Science and an MBA. A ten-year stint at Office Supply Galaxy. I’m pretty awesome, I’d say.”
