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“Maybe so. I think you’re a beautiful woman, Jane, but the thing is, I’m not in love with you. I’m not into the idea of marrying you—”
“Believe me, the feeling is very mutual.”
“But that’s life, I guess,” Jasper laments.
“No, it’s not my life,” I retort, a sharp snap to my tone.
Jasper moves closer and I stiffen, just as I’m about to take a step away, a photographer steps in front of us and says, “Smile for the Denver Post!” Jasper wraps an arm around my waist and whispers, “Smile, dear.”
On the outside, I paste on a smile, one I’ve used countless times that’s as fake as my college roommates’ breasts. On the inside, I start plotting how I’m not only going to fix this mess my mother got me into but figure out why we were in this predicament in the first place.
“Wow, what a sleazeball,” April says, taking a bit of the cracker/cheese/meat sandwich she just made off of the charcuterie board. We needed a girls’ night and we’re currently waiting for Viviana to show up, but in the meantime, I was filling April in on everything that was going on in my life.
Mainly, why the hell my mother wanted me to marry Jasper Pierce.
“I know, right? I mean, he told me he’s got a girlfriend. And yet he’s willing to just throw that away for what?”
“That’s the thing, isn’t it? Forwhat?”April taps her chin with a finger. I’ve been racking my brain for an answer to why this would matter, why this would work and for what reason. I can’t find an answer.
“I don’t know. They say it will make people ‘trust’ us more. But don’t our stats and our figures that are public knowledge do that for us?”
“Right.” April rests against the couch and a knock sounds at the door. I hop up and make my way to the door, Viviana looks frazzled on the other side of it.
“Oh my god, thank you so much for inviting me. I need a break so bad.” She comes in and plops about three bags down onto the floor.
“You moving in?” I ask teasingly and give her a hug; she hugs me back and laughs.
“Hell.” Her eyes move over the place and she cocks her head to the side. “With these kinds of digs, I just might.”
“Nah,” April pipes up, popping an olive into her mouth. “She’s already got a roommate.”
I go over to the drinks I have set out and Viviana nods at the white wine I hold up in question, I grab a glass and pour it for her. I may be the only one who doesn’t like wine, but my friends still want a glass to relax and I’m nothing if not a great hostess.
“I may have heard something about this. Is this roommate’s name Warren Blake by chance?”
I don’t bother to hide the pleased grin that crosses my face. “Maybe so.”
They both “ooh” at me and I roll my eyes before taking a seat on the couch by Viv, across from April. “Oh, sheesh, how old are we?”
“No, I honestly think it’s so great,” Viv says. “He’s needed someone like you.”
“Definitely.” April nods along. “He’s a sensitive soul and I can see the difference in him, the happiness that he’s got is basically like a glow forming around him.”
“A glow of happiness?” I ask, feeling a giddiness that I probably shouldn’t. It feels good to know that Warren’s feelings are apparent to his friends because most of the time I feel like I’m wearing a neon sign on my forehead that says,JANE LOVES WARREN.
“Yup, he’s basically the sun,” April continues in her goofy way. It’s why we love her so much.
“So, what did I miss? Fill me in,” Viviana says and attacks the charcuterie board. We tell her all about my little dilemma with my mother and Jasper to which she says, “You need to confront your mom. Tell her you’re not putting up with this anymore. You’re a grown woman.”
I bite my lip in contemplation. Easier said than done. Although if I was listening to my gut, it was telling me the exact same thing my friends were.
But, as I said, standing up to my mother was easier said than done.
“So, how’s that boyfriend of yours?” I change the subject, directing the question to Viv.
“Ugh, I don’t know. Why are men so dang complicated?”
“No idea,” April muses back, taking another bite of cheese and crackers.
