Page 11 of Recklessly, Wildly Yours

“Did you know he was cheating on you all that time?”

“No. I only discovered that last night.”

“Why’d you wait until today to leave him? I mean, six months is a long time to be having doubts.”

“Rocking the boat isn’t something I do. I tried to make it work rather than ending the engagement and upsetting a lot of people. But when I found out about his cheating, it didn’t hurt in the right way and that was when I knew I couldn’t go through with the wedding.”

“What do you mean it didn’t hurt in the right way?”

“It should have made me feel so much more than just having been taken advantage of.” I stop talking, trying to untangle my thoughts so I can explain this to him. “I should have felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and I couldn’t breathe. I should have wanted to scream at him and throw things at him. And I should have felt torn over leaving him. I felt none of those things.”

His eyes search mine. “What did you feel?”

I struggle to answer him. To admit something I feel ashamed about. “Relief.”

He gives me the space to sit with that before saying, “I can see you’re wrestling with this and I get that, but I appreciate a person who invites chaos into their life. I don’t think you’re an awful person. Just a human who’s trying to make sense of feelings you’re yet to understand.”

I frown. “Why do you like someone inviting chaos into their life?”

“If you want change, it’s the only thing to do.”

Ethan is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. “I’ve never thought of it like that.”

“Do you want change?”

“God yes.”

“Then carry on.”

He’s given me a lot to think about. For now, though, I’m thinking about Tucker. “I should probably call my fiancé.” Ex-fiancé.

“Why?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

“The asshole cheated on you, Maddie. In my book, you don’t owe him a damn thing.”

He may be right but I was raised a good girl who followed rules and always used my manners. And I’m still that girl, so doing the “right” thing is still important to me. However, today may be the day I begin altering my definition of certain things, beginning with what the right thing is.

I drink the rest of my champagne and follow Ethan’s gaze to the dancefloor that’s filling up.

When I spot his brother, Bradford, I say, “Your brother is a senator.”

Ethan looks at me. “You caught that, huh?”

I did. I also noticed the handful of professional football and hockey players here. If there was ever a wedding to be crashed where privacy would be pretty much guaranteed, I found it. My fear of the paparazzi catching wind of my whereabouts was put to rest when I realized the company I was in.

“I did.”

“So, it turns out that hellish traffic today was all your fault.”

“You caught that, huh?” He’s right. Thanks to a social media leak, people knew Tucker and I were marrying in New York today. We did everything we could to keep the venue a secret, but I know our fans were out in force trying to find us.

His lips twitch. “At the time, no, but Sasha has enlightened me.” The bridesmaid who recognized me.

I exhale a breath. I’ve enjoyed not talking about myself today but I knew that couldn’t last forever. “I told you it wasn’t the mafia.”

Now, he full on smiles. Then, he turns serious and pulls his cell phone from his pocket. “You should call your family and let them know you’re okay.”

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