Page 29 of Chasing His Bride

“I asked him to lie for me,” she said.

“Why?” She shrugged.

“I don’t know. I just feel that’s what everyone expects of me. You know … Happy Bree.” Her voice quivered as she spoke, and it broke my heart.

“And you’re not?”

She shook her head and broke down, telling me she was in love with her boss—her grumpy boss.

I also had to promise I would not tell a soul.

I told no one else about the one million dollars, but I printed out a picture and hung it on my corkboard in my office. It makes me smile.

I came from nothing, but I gave something for free.

Whereas, Jack has it all and gave me nothing in reality.

But it’s the way I want it.

Nothing between us, apart from a lousy piece of paper that I’ve convinced myself, means nothing.

I’m still urging my heart to follow my brain, though it’s a painfully slow process.

I smile as I sit in my bathtub.

I’m not normally one for the indulgence. Normally a shower is fine, but today I’m soaking in the tub with candles flickering around me, trying to ward off my need to dig into the ice cream container—again.

Instead, I sip on a large glass of white wine, though I shouldn’t. I’m meeting Ava, Sophie, Jade, and Charlie for a night out at a cocktail bar. Normally, we go straight after work, but tonight we’re doing it right and getting dressed up.

Half an hour later, I’m ready for a night out.

After making more waves with my long hair, I emphasize my large brown eyes with smoky eye makeup and swipe a light pink color over my lips.

I pull on a pair of slim-fitting cream trousers and a matching spaghetti-strapped top, then I don a pair of high-heeled pump before I give myself one last look, grab my jacket and head for the cab waiting outside.

Less than ten minutes later, I hug Charlie outside the club.

“Are you okay? You seem a little down,” she asks. She’s the most observant of my friends and I appreciate her so much right now.

I nod. “Nothing a few cocktails won’t fix.”

“Or getting on top of a man,” Jade says from behind.

“Or that,” I say.

But in reality, I’m not a one-night stand kind of girl, and I'm still hurt at Jack, despite only being in his company for less than a week. How can I trust my heart with any man right now?

“It’ll be fine,” Jade says. She’s not a big believer in love. She’s definitely a love-them-and-leave-them type of girl. “Let’s go inside and get a drink.”

Is that me?

Could it be me?

Get over Jack by finding another man.

“And Leon is waiting for you to give him a chance,” she continues telling me about our colleague who has been especially noticeable since we got back from Vegas.

“Leon isn’t Amber type,” Ava butts in. “I bet I could find her a nicer man.”

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