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Thirteen
Nikki kicked off her high heels and stared at the message on her phone for the hundredth time:
I called a limo to take you back to your place. The driver will be in the lobby to greet you at five. Sorry I had to leave...
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Here she was, sitting in a fancy, over-the-top hired car heading home from the ball without the handsome prince. It was a miracle her dress hadn’t turned into rags and the car into a pumpkin. In the whole history of bad wedding dates, today had to rank right up there in the top five.
This was the end. Jake was who he was. She was never going to change him. Perhaps she should be glad Jake even remembered he had a date. Damn Vernon Lowell to hell and back. How could he do this to his sons, his ex-wife, the citizens of Falling Brook? Nikki’s heart ached for the man she loved. But at the same time, she was angry and hurt. How could Jake treat her this way? Whatever she thought she had with him was over.
In fifteen years, Jake hadn’t managed to deal with his father’s betrayal. This stunt would rip open the wound for sure. She wanted to talk to Jake, but she was afraid that if she called, he wouldn’t answer. And that would hurt even more.
It was better not to know. It was better to call time of death on this relationship.
She huddled into her coat and listened to her stomach growl. The original plan with Jake had been to go out to dinner after the wedding. As it was, Nikki was destined to eat peanut butter and jelly with Emma.
Finally, the ride ended.
Roberta lifted an eyebrow when her daughter walked into the house. “Was that a limo, Nicole Marie Reardon?”
“Yes, Mom.” Nikki squatted and hugged her daughter. “Hi, baby. I missed you. But I brought you some bubbles from the wedding reception. And some M&M’s.” The candy was imprinted with the bride’s name and the groom’s. Yellow for Sophie. Navy for Josh.
“How was it?” Roberta asked.
“The ceremony was lovely,” Nikki said.
“I hear the reception took an exciting turn.”
Nikki shot her mom a startled glance. “You know?”
Roberta nodded. “It’s all over the internet.”
“Oh, lordy. Did you find out any details?”
“No. The story I read said they think he must have paid off one of the guards. The feds are investigating.”
“Great. Just great.”
“How did Jake react?”
“Not well, Mom. He and Oliver went haring off to try to find Vernon.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me, too. That was the final straw for me. I can’t wait forever for Jake to get his life together. I can handle the future on my own. I don’t need a man who spooks like a skittish horse. I wanted him to share my world, but that’s not going to happen.”
Emma looked up, clearly not interested in the conversation. “I’m hungry. Can we eat now? And is Mr. Man coming over?”
Sunday evening, Nikki sat on the end of her bed and checked her texts...again. Nothing but yawning silence from Jake. Why was she surprised? Though she had hoped against hope that he might lean on her in the midst of his crisis, Jake was on his own...again.
If they’d had any chance at being a couple, it was gone. His silence said louder than words that he didn’t need her.
It hurt, far worse than she could have imagined.
In the hours since law-enforcement officials had apprehended Vernon at the Canadian border—midday today—the judge had issued a statement. On Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m., anyone who had been wronged by Vernon Lowell and his partner, Nikki’s father, would be given the opportunity to address the defendant directly. To state their grievances. To bear witness to the misery and pain Vernon and Everett had caused.
The only caveat was that in order for anyone to speak, he or she must first notify the judge via email and receive a confirmation.
Nikki was torn. She called her mother and posed the question. Roberta refused flat out. “I have no interest in going,” she said firmly. “Anyone in that room will probably still assume I knew what my husband was doing. They’ll hate me for what happened. My being there will solve nothing.”
