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I shrugged, hiccupping. “Probably not, but at least only you saw me do that.”
His look of pity told me otherwise. Dammit.
“What happened?”
“When you collapsed into, ummm, your sadness, you took the curtain down with you so a few people might have seen.” As in everyone in the bar, as in someone had already sold a picture of that to a tabloid, and wouldn’t my almost mother-in-law love having that made into a poster or maybe a dartboard.
“Could this day get any worse?”
“Never tempt Fate, but I suspect you’ve used up your supply of bad luck for the moment. Now, let’s get that veil off you.”
After he’d tried and failed to get it free of the multiple pins and clips and product holding it in place, he used the shears to cut it off at shoulder length then let it fall to the floor. Studying what remained, he went back to work and eventually had the tiara worked free. “I think it was just too heavy before.”
I wanted to hug him, but after wallowing on the floor, my pristine six-figure dress was stained and filthy. “I wish I had something to change into.”
“That part is easy.” He opened a cabinet and dug around, finally emerging with a T-shirt and a pair of leggings, both embossed with the name of the establishment. “We sell gear. I think these will fit.” Handing them to me, he glanced around and said, “I’m going to make sure Roger is doing okay out there. You just come out when you’re ready. Do you want a trash bag or something to put your dress and veil parts in?”
“Yes, but only so they can be disposed of.”
“Are you sure? I know the veil is trashed, but the dress can probably be cleaned. It looks expensive.”
“No, it’s worth nothing.” I managed to work my way out of the gown it had taken three bridesmaids and the dressmaker to get me into, but then they hadn’t been trying to rip off the satin-covered buttons or shred the bodice in the process as I was. If Claude’s mama wanted to return it, she’d have to go to the county landfill to find it. Not that she’d be able to anyway. Every stitch was custom, and I’d had many hours-long fittings in the process. That family could have saved themselves a buttload of money if they’d managed to get him to dump me sooner.
The high-heeled sandals were a bit out of place with the leggings and T-shirt, but I didn’t have any others to wear. Everything I owned was in the mini mansion where I did not live. I exited the storeroom and found a bathroom marked staff only where I did what I could with my hair, taking out all the pins and clips and finger combing it flat. Then I scrubbed my face clean of all the layers of makeup. The esthetician had given me a jar of special remover, but of course I didn’t have that with me. All I had was the wrist bag that had my wallet and phone in it—both of which I’d managed to lose in the past half hour or so. I didn’t have house keys with me because there was always someone on duty at what should have been my new home, to answer the door. Security—rich people needed that. And I also did not have car keys because I had donated my ten-year-old “unsuitable” car to a worthy charity his family supported. “I’ll get you a new one as soon as we get back from the honeymoon,” he’d said.
The bastard.
Returning to the bar took a lot more guts than I thought I had, but either people had lost interest in the drunken bride, or they didn’t recognize me in my new outfit and without the hairstyle and makeup. Also, I was cold sober now, somehow. And glad I hadn’t drunk that last shot.
“Wow,” the bartender who’d helped me, who I only now recognized wore a name tag said. Eugene, his name was. “You clean up good.”
The other guy, Roger, came to stand beside him. “Why did you have all that crap on your face before? You look twenty years younger.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for everything. Listen, I lost my purse and phone in all the crazy. Can I pay you tomorrow for the drinks and clothes and everything after I get a new ID and go to the bank?”
He reached down and came up with my purse and my phone. “A patron handed them to Roger, and everything is on the house.”
“No. I can’t let you do that.”
“See how packed the house is?” He waved around and I looked. It did seem busier than before.
“Uh-huh.”
“You are the social media sensation of the night, I’m sorry to report, and everyone wanted to see you. We’ve never made so much money.”
“Ugh. But they don’t seem to notice me now?”
“Nope. They’re onto some cat that can say mama now. I think. Your moment of fame is over. I also don’t think they recognize you from when you were in your role of the discarded bride.”
I winced but picked up my things. “I have to find somewhere to stay tonight. Any recommendations?”
They gave me the address of a decent motel nearby and I thanked and hugged them both. As I started for the door, Eugene called after me, “I downloaded an app for you. Forget whats-his-name and start fresh.”
A dating app.
I didn’t think so.
But when I was all alone in that motel room, my fingers bruised from sending texts to Claude that he couldn’t be bothered to reply to, I switched gears and opened the app.
