AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’d suffered nightmares about that very thing. A recurring bad dream where she stood on the steps of the church altar, clutching her fading, wilting bouquet, begging him to come back and complete his vows with her. But every single time, Chucky would laugh and proceed down her petal strewn aisle arm in arm with Mr. Barrington’s daughter, Madeline, instead. The final crushing blow during the dream was when a tux-clad Mr. Barrington handed her the enormous bill for the wedding.
The nightmare didn’t come as often anymore, and the only thing she truly hated about the horrid dream was the part of her begging for him to come back. She shuddered and shook off the memory.
Besides, she had two new men now. Nicer men. More attractive men. Taller, sexy men. She was better off, even if their affair turned out to be short lived, but she hoped it wouldn’t be over too soon. Further, she determined that any future dreams of Seth and Garrett would always be sexy and amazing.
She turned the carved box over in her hands remembering the first time she’d seen it. Chucky had brought the box over to show her once when they were still making wedding plans for their happily never after.
Inside was a bunch of what he’d called “interesting” stamps in individual little envelopes. Chucky had been so proud of his collection he’d practically carried the scuffed raggedy-looking wooden box with him everywhere they went.
She’d tried to be interested, but it wasn’t her thing. For her, stamps were a practical item used and forgotten, not saved in tiny plastic bags.
Jessica studied the box again. Chucky must have tucked it inside her gym bag for safe-keeping and then forgot about it when he ran off with Madeline. Idiot.
She hoped he wasn’t still attached to this box and its contents, because it was hers now. She shoved it into the back of the metal safety deposit box and out of her sight. Soon to be out of her mind.
“No,” she said out loud in the empty room, practicing her coming lies if he ever called asking about it. “I haven’t seen your stamp collection box, Chucky. Where did you see it last? Oh? What’s that? In my cruddy duffle bag, housing my dirty gym clothes in the bottom of my closet? Why, I believe I threw that out when I had to move to another state after losing absolutely everything, you complete and utter bastard!” She inhaled deeply and pushed the air back out.
Yeah, that works.
Calming herself once more with a few more deep breaths, Jessica secured the lid of her safety deposit box, put it back in its place, hid the key in the zippered pocket of her purse, and exited the bank. As she got seated behind the wheel, her tummy rumbled.
She immediately took herself out for a celebratory lunch at the diner next to the motel. Seated at the countertop, she enjoyed the daily special of sliced oven-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, with sweet steamed corn as her veggie, and an extraordinary orange cranberry relish to go with the meal. Alongside her oval plate of goodness was a big yeast roll, the top slicked with butter. It was all divine.
“Is this seat taken?” A stranger had put his face way too close to hers and asked the question that made her jump in her seat. She wanted to scream, “Yes, my boyfriend will be sitting there soon.”
But she couldn’t back that up. First off, she didn’t have a boyfriend. Yet. And also, no one was joining her for lunch.
The place was busy and while there were a couple other seats, they were all next to men. She shifted away from his imposing presence and the fumes of his bad breath saying, “No. The seat’s not taken.” Unfortunately.
He sat down and promptly leaned in close, invading her personal space. She backed away, breathing through her mouth as he asked, “So tell me, what’s good here?”
She pointed to her half-finished plate. “The special is good.”
“That’s kind of carb-heavy, isn’t it?” He had the audacity to lean back in his seat and pointedly take a good long look at her rear end. Shaking his head, he leaned forward and made a tsk tsk noise as if her carbohydrate-rich food choices were inappropriate for the current size of her ass.
Jessica, incensed at this buffoon and his inappropriate attitude, wanted to move her plate down a space and ignore any further questions. But it wasn’t in her “posh” hotel manager DNA to do such a thing.
