Page 25 of Josh Dalton

She bends slightly at the hips and leans forward. “You finally land a whale, and you’re cutting me out. I don’t think so.”

I don’t understand what she’s talking about. I never wanted a man for his money. That’s her. I just want someone to love me for who I am. Josh does that.

“Mother, shut up! You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She smirks. “It’s always been our plan. Don’t play all innocent with me now.”

She has completely lost it. Isn’t making any kind of sense.

She stares at something behind me. I spin around and see Josh with a murderous look on his face. I walk toward him, thinking he’s mad at my mother again. But he’s not. He’s mad at me.

“Josh,” I say, but he whirls around and leaves the bathroom.

I crumple to the floor, tears rolling down my face. He believed her. How could he?

My friends surround me, trying to give me comfort. Nothing is going to help. My heart is broken, and I don’t know if it can ever be fixed.

“You bitch!” Zoey shrieks.

“She had it coming,” my mother sneers and waggles a finger. “You’re not better than me.”

She hates me. I never realized it until now.

I get up from the cold, hard floor and watch my mother walk out. I notice Josh’s brothers are here. They’ve seen everything. Oh, God! I push my way out of the bathroom, my friends right behind me.

“We’re taking the limo,” Zoey says and leads me outside and to a waiting car.

I’m crying now and can’t seem to stop. We all crawl into the back, and someone hands me something. I almost choke on the first swallow. It burns, but I take another. And after the third swallow, it goes down easier. I’m going to get so drunk that I don’t know which way is up. I’ve never had someone truly hate me before, until tonight. Why wouldn’t he let me explain? I was wrong to think he was different.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

JOSH

I’m sitting at the bar when Kim and her friends march out the door. Good riddance. At least she won’t be making a fool out of me again.

I thought she was different, but she’s like all the rest, just wanting me for my money. I throw back the rest of my scotch. Need to go home and get shitfaced.

When I stand, Dillon grabs my arm. Brent is standing next to him.

“You’re an idiot,” Dillon says. “Here I always thought you were pretty smart. Guess I was wrong.

He’s so right. Letting a woman get the best of me should never have happened. I wrench my arm out of his grasp and stomp away. I don’t want to hear anything more from anybody.

“Josh, we should talk,” Brent says.

“I don’t want to. I’m out of here.”

Everyone gets out of my way as I make my way to the exit. This started out being such a great night, then an instant later, nightmare. I found a girl I was ready to propose to, and she turns out to be like all the rest. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I make it home and ignore all the calls. Eventually turn off my phone. I don’t want to talk to anybody, especially Kim. I wonder if she’s left any messages saying how sorry she is. Should block her number. Maybe not.

I head straight to the wet bar, grab a bottle, and drink until I don’t feel anything. Wake up the next morning on the couch with the light streaming into the room and someone banging on the door. “Ohhh,” I grunt and rub my temples. I’m getting too old for this shit.

The hammering on the door won’t stop, so I crawl off the couch and weave my way to the door. Open it and see Ryder. At least he’s alone.

“What do you want?”

I turn and head to the kitchen. I need coffee.

---