Page 4 of Trash the Dress

His dad has the decency to seem appalled as his face blanches, and I feel hot tears burn my eyes. I turn and see the woman in the black dress smirking. She knows what she’s done…the damage she’s caused in her pursuit of an almost married man.

I glance at my parents and Mama’s eyes are red-rimmed and shimmering with unshed tears. Dad is angry and ready to rescue his little girl from these heartless people.Heartless.Is this what it feels like? I glance further down the aisle and see Zander Bailey big as life, ready to capture my happy memories. Instead, he’s witnessing my nightmare, humiliation, and heartbreak.

He drops his gaze to the floor as if suddenly understanding I don’t need everyone seeing my heart being ripped out of my chest on what should be one of the happiest days of my life. Everything I thought I knew is a joke. I should’ve listened to Anna and the silent warning bells in my head.

I center my focus back on Eric. “Scarlett, please. Forgive me. It only happened in the last few months. I would never cheat on my wife. Please, I love you.”

I manage to pull my hands free of his and stare at my engagement ring. I slide it off and hand it to him. “Scarlett! Don’t. Please don’t leave me. We can get through this,” he pleads.

I turn to walk away, and he grabs my hand to stop me. I glance at his hand on mine, and before I can tell him to let me go, Anna chimes in. “Don’t touch her with your filthy hands, Eric. Don’t you get it? You lost her. Don’t embarrass yourself more than you already have. I was only nice to you because of her. But now I can tell you exactly what I think of you.”

“Enough. The wedding is off. We’re done. I’ll be in touch to get my stuff from our house. I don’t want you there when I am,” I tell him. Then, I walk toward Mama and unclasp the necklace she gifted me mere moments earlier and place it in her hand. “I’m not ready to wear this. Maybe I won’t ever be,” I tell her as I walk by.

Dad steps in my path. Concern etched in the crease of his brow. “I’ll be fine. Please take care of this mess for me. I can’t face anyone right now.” He nods his understanding and kisses my cheek before letting me pass.

I reach the back of the church and find the woman who confessed her sins still standing there, a cruel smile on her lips. She leans in and whispers, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep him satisfied since you didn’t. Just like I have the last few months.”

Rage outweighs my usually kind nature, and I slap her right across her snarky face. “I hope you enjoy taking care of the man who just stood up there still wanting to marry me even though you outed him andthensaid in front of all these people you were nothing but a piece of ass to him.” I gesture to the room filled with wedding guests.

She clutches her cheek and stares at me with wide eyes, like she finally comprehends the mistake she’s made. I lean in closer, and she pulls back. “You deserve each other.”

I let the front doors slam in my wake.

CHAPTER TWO

Scarlett

Iinhale the fresh summer air and turn my face to the sky as my tears spill down my cheeks. “Lord, forgive me for my outburst in Your church. But thank You so much for saving me from marrying someone I had no business committing my heart and soul to. Amen.”

The church sits on Sunshine Lake. It’s always been such a peaceful place and I refuse to let Eric and this other woman ruin it for me. I start to walk down the pea-gravel path to the covered bridge leading to the lake’s edge and realize it’s time to ditch the heels. I slip out of them and hang them over my finger.

When I finally reach the sand, I start to hear people leave the church in the distance and I know my parents and Anna are handling everything for me. I’m also grateful they know me well enough to know I need to be alone for a while after the nasty shock I was given.

I find a rock large enough to sit on and I climb up. I stare out over the calm water and know I need this for my heart right now…the peace and quiet of the outdoors. Solace. As fancy as Imight seem with my job as an interior designer and living in the city, I’ve always felt more at home with nature. Being near water especially seems to calm the chaos in my head.

I’ve been perched on my rock for about thirty minutes and the sun is turning orange. It won’t be long until sunset now.

A voice cuts through the silence. “I can still make this a magical day.”

I turn and see Zander Bailey in all his handsome glory standing on the shore with his camera in hand. I huff out a laugh that now sounds cynical like his did when I last saw him in his bar. “This is the heartless feeling you were talking about, huh?”

He moves a little closer. “If it’s any consolation, I wanted to be wrong about how bad love can hurt you. I wanted your day to be special.”

“So, make me feel less pathetic and tell me your story,” I say without looking at him.

I hear him move closer. “If it makes you feel less alone, okay. My girlfriend didn’t even show up to our wedding. Her best friend walked down the aisle to tell me she ran off with my best man.”

“Wow. That’s harsh. I think it may be worse than what just happened to me. What’s her name?”

“Does her name matter?” he asks.

“Yep.” I pop the p. “I want to hate the sound of her name for doing something so awful.”

He chuckles and this time it sounds surprisingly genuine. “Vivian.”

I nod. “Okay. I hate that name now.”

He gets solemn again and adds, “I hate him for hurting you.”

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