Page 59 of When Our Stars Aligned

“I’m totally fine, just overslept a bit.” I grab my goggles from the top of the dresser. I guess I’ll forgo my morning coffee and head down to the pool.

“Wait!” Jax gently pulls on my arm. I spin around to face him. “Is this about yesterday?”

“It’s nothing! Like I said, I’m fine.” I turn to walk away.

“If there’s one thing I know, no woman is ever fine when she says she’s fine.”

I turn back to scowl at him and begin to walk away again.

“Why did Jess say you didn’t think anyone would want you?” he blurts out.

I freeze. I knew he’d bring up that day in the hallway eventually. I just wish it weren’t right now.

“I have relationship issues, okay?” I say with an attitude.

“You think you have relationship issues?” He lets out a dark laugh. He places his hands on top of my shoulders and leans into my ear. “I’m sure whatever your story is, I can top it.”

“Oh, I’m sure you can’t.”

“Try me.”

“I’m a runaway bride.”

“I was married and divorced at eighteen.”

I suck in a breath. I was not expecting that. “You win.”

“Not a competition.” He looks me up and down. “Runaway bride, huh? Didn’t peg you for that.”

“I didn’t peg myself for it either, but I couldn’t go through with it.” I wrap my arms around my middle. “Technically, I’m not a runaway bride because I didn’t leave him at the altar. That’s just what everyone called me after Trent and I broke up.”

“You know I’m going to need more of an explanation than that.”

“So, you were married and divorced at eighteen?”

“Don’t deflect. You first,” he says sternly. “I will tell you my storyafteryou tell me yours.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Jax spins me around and walks me towards the living room. “Sit!” He points to the couch.

“Wow! You’re really bossy all of a sudden.” I cross my arms in defiance but quickly comply; I really want to hear his story.

Jax sits down across from me and waits for me to start.

“This might take a while.” I fumble with my hands.

“How about you just start at the very beginning.”

“So, you know I was born and raised in Virginia and then I moved to Georgia for college. I landed a teaching job there after I graduated, and life was going well. Then three years ago, I met Trent, the most eligible bachelor in Beaute.” I roll my eyes and use air quotes at that last bit.

Jax doesn’t say anything but nods at me to continue.

“I’m not overexaggerating when I say he was Beaute’s most eligible bachelor. You know how inBeauty and the Beastthe villagers swoon all over Gaston? Well, Trent was Beaute’s Gaston, even down to the narcissistic personality, but I didn’t see that in the very beginning. People literally would stop me and tell me how lucky I was to be with such an amazing man.

“It was exciting in the beginning and Trentwasloving the first year. He proposed to me on our one-year anniversary and of course I said yes. Everything was great…until his true colors started to show.”

I should’ve been walking on cloud nine during those first few days and weeks of being newly engaged. After all, everything in my life plan was going so smoothly. Then, one day, I woke up with a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was like the whole universe felt off. I think deep down I knew I couldn’t go through with the engagement. I think that’s also when I started to see Trent for who he really was.

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