1
Anna
“… three, two, one, Happy New Year!” I clapped along with the crowd even though my heart should be broken.
“Will you marry me?”
“Huh?” I spun around to find my soon-to-be very ex-boyfriend down on one knee with a huge-ass diamond ring pointed right at me like a weapon.
“What the hell, Charlie!” I hissed. I had caught him pre-bang with the sexy blonde caterer in his butler’s pantry only moments before, and I knew for a fact he’d seen me standing there. We’d locked eyes for frick’s sake, and there was no denying what they had been up to. His hands were up her skirt and her thong-clad booty was exposed for any passerby to see. I was only still here right now to avoid making a New Year’s Eve scene at the Montgomery’s annual party.
We’d only been dating for two months. The words “I love you”had never been spoken by either one of us. This was weird.
My eyes darted around the crowded living room where smiling faces watched, waiting for my answer. His mother beamed with glee from her perch on the corner of his fancy sofa.
I should have made a scene in the pantry.
Argh!Here it comes. “No, you know I can’t marry you.”
He chuckled and it was then I knew there was no chance of Dr. Charles Montgomery Jr. taking “no” for an answer. “Of course you can, darling.” He reached for my hand. I drew it back, spun on my heel and darted through the crowd.
“Crowds make Anna nervous,” I heard his mother say as an explanation.
“Anna—” Footsteps pounded over the parquet floor behind me as I made my way through Charlie’s expansive home toward the front door.
“You will regret this, Anna Claire Winslow. No one leaves a Montgomery in Stars Crossing. You think you can do better than my son in this town? Not after I’m through with you, you won’t, missy!”
“Mother, stop it. Let me handle this—"
Damn it!The heel of my boot caught on a throw rug as I bolted through his entryway. A glance over my shoulder showed the rug had pulled over a console table, leaving a trail of probably expensive crystal candle holders and other assorted knick knacks in my wake.
I bent and untangled the rug from my heel with a huff.
“Charlie!” Mrs. Montgomery shrieked. Gosh, I couldn’t stand that woman. The feeling that I just dodged a huge bullet tempered my anger for a brief moment as I hustled away from them. “Where is your father?”
“He’s on his way. He hit a dog or an animal or something with his truck—”
“Well, he’s not going to stand for this. Do something, Charlie. Stop her!”
“Mother, hush! Anna! Baby, please!” Sure, he was handsome and tall and a great kisser, too. But just like every other man in my life, starting with my father, he turned out to be nothing but a disappointment.
Heartbreak in an expensive suit. Betrayal in bespoke.Bastard.
I turned back once I’d reached the door to give him the finger. Because no way would I be giving him my hand in marriage. No one cheats on Anna Claire Winslow. Freakin’ no one. I was used to being alone, and ninety-six percent of the time I liked it that way. “We’re through, Charlie! I have my grandmother’s shotgun hanging over the front door and I am not afraid to use it if you follow me home.”
He stopped with his hands extended placatingly while a slow sideways grin crossed his face. “You aren’t thinking clearly is all, darling. I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll get this all straightened out.”
My eyes drifted over the crowd forming behind his mother before narrowing on his seemingly apologetic face. Even if I believed he was sorry, I would never forgive him. “Like hell we will!”
No more men.
No more dating.
Meet cutes were for suckers.
From now on I would swear fidelity and everlasting loyalty to my vibrators—nothing human would be touching me in my happy place. Nope, no way, never again.
“At least let me drive you home. It’s cold tonight, honey, and it’s about to snow. You’re no good at driving in bad weather, you know that.”
