Page 267 of Vegas Heat

That was dumb, but it felt good anyway.

The petty side of me hopes it was one of my father’s expensive bottles.

My eyes burn with tears at the complete and utter mess the bottle made—not because I made a mess or broke a bottle, but because it’s so damn representative of the mess I’ve made of my life.

I let myself fall for someone I never should have. It was stupid. It was a mistake.

I should have trusted my gut when it told me I wasn’t good enough. Instead, I trusted my heart.

My stupid, stupid heart.

I let the tears fall with loud sobs as I stare at the mess I made, and eventually my responsibility forces me into action. I grab a towel to clean up the liquid, and I pick up the larger pieces of glass before sweeping the shards into a dustpan. I even run the vacuum to make sure I got all the pieces, and I mop the floor when I’m done for good measure.

Loud sobs escape me as I work, as I contemplate my next move.

I need to finish the semester. I’m one class shy of graduating.

I need to finish my internship no matter how painful it’ll be to see Cooper at the stadium.

I need to stay here in Vegas for now no matter how hard it’ll be to live in the same town as my father. I can’t help but wonder if he will continue to find ways to control my life.

What’s worse? An overbearingly overprotective father or a narcissistic mother?

I don’t want to go back to Colorado, but maybe I should. Or maybe I should start looking for a marketing job somewhereelse—away from my mother, away from my father, away from Cooper.

The tears fall harder as I contemplate that.

Just the thought of leaving makes my stomach twist violently.

Do I even want the social media position? Will Joanie continue to work at the stadium?

Only time will tell, I guess.

The floor is spotlessly clean in too short a time. I take a shower. I change my clothes. I sit on the couch, and it takes me all of five seconds to realize I don’t want to be alone right now.

I want to text Kaylee, but I’m not ready to tell her what happened tonight.

Instead, I text Justin.

Me:Are you around?

He replies right away.

Justin:At the bar with the other interns. Come join us!

Me:Not really in the drinking mood tonight.

Justin:What’s wrong?

I debate how to answer that. What’s wrong? Only everything. I’m pregnant and the daddy just broke up with me, and my own father is probably a big part of the cause of all of it.

I can’t exactly text that.

Instead, I go for the simplest answer.

Me:My dad found out.

Justin:Oh shit. How’d he take it?

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