But you failed to plan, so now you’ve planned to fail.
Of all the times for my memory to cough up Liam Dupree confidently misquoting Ben Franklin, this was the absolute worst.
Regardless, Liam is right. And by failing to plan, you’re now going to butcher Griffin’s heart. Bravo.It would’ve been better if he’d never met you.
Shame burned my throat. Because it was true.
Another text came through. This was one from Fallon, saved as Fall-guy in my contacts.
Fallon
Where are you? Cecil’s freaking out. Says you won’t respond to his texts. He’s threatening to replace you as the Sunburst if you don’t show up for your meeting.
Do it, I thought.I’d welcome it.But Cecil had threatened this before. No way would he let me go that easily. And he might go after Griffin to get back at me.
I glanced over at my husband again, sleeping soundly. My whole body went weak at how handsome he was. Even with his hair smashed to the side of his head and double the drool from a moment before, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever known.
I couldn’t let Cecil come after him. My chest caved at what that meant. I had to protect Griffin. At all costs. Even at the expense of my own happiness.
My phone vibrated again.
Fallon
Now Cecil’s threatening our jobs if we don’t tell him where you are. Are you alive? Your read receipts are on, but this silence isn’t like you. I’m starting to think Dupree Ted Bundy’d you after all.
My lungs heaved. If I texted her back, she’d either tell Cecil or try to cover for me again—and either way, it would cost her. I couldn’t let her, Briar, or Riley lose their jobs because of me.
But Griffin…
I’d promised him forever. And I meant it. Every word.
He was my dream. Didn’t I deserve to live that with him? Didn’thedeserve it?
I moved closer and rested my head on his shoulder.
Like a knife to the chest, I saw the future we’d planned in the middle of the night, bodies happily exhausted, staring into each other’s eyes. His arms cradled the babies we would’ve had—all redheads, of course. His strong fingers tickled me in the kitchen of the home we’d built—a barndominium in the wilds of Montana. His lungs, breathing in and out, whooped at Weston’s Little League football games. His legs tangled around mine as we lay under a sky of stars. His lips kissed me every time he came safely home from fighting a fire.
But the glow of my phone, lighting up again and again from Cecil’s texts—Cecil’sthreats—wouldn’t leave me be.
I knew what Cecil could do to a person’s life. I’d watched him do it before, for far lesser crimes than this.
I couldn’t give Cecil a reason to even know Griffin existed.
So I made a decision right then.
What happened in Vegas would stay in Vegas.
Heck, it wouldn’t leave this hotel room.
I peeled myself away from my husband. Silent sobs stolemy air as I eased out of bed. I dressed, leaving my ‘wedding gown’ on the chair where Griffin had draped it—and my ring on the table in the corner. Hopefully, he could at least get some of his money back.
I padded to the door, only pausing to text Fallon.
Juliette
Dupree didn’t Ted Bundy me. We hung out last night, but neither of us is really in a place for a relationship—also, no chemistry—so sadly, it didn’t go anywhere. My alarm didn’t go off is all. Tell Cecil I’m on my way.
Betraying my own heart, I hit send.
