Page 5 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

At least my money bought comfort, if not love or more genuine people into my life. I’d learned to live with very few close friends and confidants.

My phone buzzed, notifying me of an incoming call. I flipped it over in my hand and silenced it as the name,Wicked Witch, flashed across my screen. I’d changed it from Mother long ago after I realized she had little use for me. I pursed my lips as anger flared and raced through my body. The She Devil likely wanted to harass me, and demand I marry Jareth, a man she chose for me that I couldn’t even stand to be in the same room with.

I sipped my Scotch and stretched my legs. It was five o’clock somewhere, I told myself. Lifting the cool glass from my lips, I gave a mocking salute to my nearby bodyguard, Gage. No matter how often I tried to irritate him, he ignored my attempts. It wasn’t his fault that I was annoyed by his presence. I knew Alden couldn’t work around the clock to protect me, but in an irrational part of my heart, I wished he would.

Gage nodded curtly.

He was not amused by me or my antics. And I was pretty sure he didn’t believe he was paid well enough to deal with me. He was former military, and a longtime buddy of Alden’s.

I finished my drink, gave it to the attendant assigned to me, and requested another. Then I dug into my handbag to grab the paperback I’d thrown in on my way out the door. Keeping my sunglasses firmly in place, I flipped open the book to the last page I’d read, adjusted my large straw hat, and held up my phone to take a selfie.

My latest sponsorship with a plus-size clothing line, Tesoro Mio Couture, was expecting pics on my social media channels and blog about their latest swimwear line. Today I was dressed in a bright red, one piece with wide shoulders, a plunging neckline, and an adorable sash. Tilting my head, I made sure to take enough photos from various angles to show my followers how this suit could flatter any figure.

After posting, I reluctantly went back to the book. Lily, my best friend Jax’s girlfriend, had recommended it to me. I used to devour all types of romances like this one, but over the last few years, their appeal had dwindled. The hero in this book,Surprise Baby for Mr. Fischer, promised the heroine everything her true heart desired.

What a bunch of bullshit.

I stopped believing in all that happily-ever-after crap nine years ago, when Alden broke my heart. It was for the best, really, that I found out as early as I did that love didn’t conquer all. It was a fantasy, something I constructed in my mind as a young, naïve twenty-one-year-old, thinking she’d found her soulmate, her true heart's desire, and an all-encompassing love.

He might have broken my heart, but in the end, it made me stronger.

“Jessamine, it’s so good to see you here.” One of my frenemies, Colette, said in a manufactured cheery voice. Her tall, lithe frame was poised as though she hoped someone, somewhere was taking a photo of us.

Shit.I’d been so lost in my thoughts, I’d completely missed her and her minion Blanche’s stealthy approach. “You sure about that, Colette?”

“Jessamine, you’re too funny.” A peal of laughter left Colette’s bright red lips as she playfully swatted at me. “This place issoboring without you.”

“She’s not wrong,” Blanche said with a conspiratorial wink directed at Colette, taking a seat at the end of my lounger. She sipped her bright pink fruity drink before continuing. “I mean, the drama that erupts wherever you go is certainly entertaining.”

I gritted my teeth and forced a smile to my face. “I live to entertain.” My sarcasm was completely lost on them.

I tossed back the rest of my Scotch to avoid biting my tongue bloody. I so badly wanted to tell them to go fuck themselves, but I doubted my sponsors would like to see something about that on social media. They adored my sassy wit, sure, but not my acerbic responses to assholes that I didn’t have time for.

“Jess, we both want you to know we are here for you if you need a shoulder to cry on.” Colette patted my leg, which I immediately moved away from her.

“Why would I need that?”

Colette leaned in, whispering loudly, “We weresosorry to hear that Jaxon Beast broke off your little secret engagement.”

“You shouldn’t have to deal with such a scandal like that alone.” Blanche gave me a sympathetic smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

‘Here for me’, my ass. They were here for the gossip. Fucking bitches.

I didn’t trust either of them as far as I could throw them. We rarely hung out since we graduated from boarding school twelve years ago, and I only tolerated them because we moved in the same social circles, not because we were friends.

My patience really was not cut out for this gossiping bullshit. It was probably why Jax and I had been best friends since we were toddlers. The grumpy asshole told it like it was, and I adored him for it.

“No need, ladies. I’m not sure where you heard that from, but Jax and I are friends.”

Blanche pursed her lips, tossing her bleach blonde hair behind her shoulder. “Hmm... that’s odd. Your parents had lunch with mine the other day. I swear they mentioned you had a short-lived engagement that was broken off when Jaxon cheated on you. I mean, what kind of guydoesthat?”

“Not someone I’d align myself with,” I replied in a bored tone. But inside me, anger swirled in my stomach.

My parents were fucking assholes trying to spin the narrative on what really happened. Not that Jax would care what people thought about him, but I did. And I sure as hell would not let people tarnish the relationship he had with Lily by insinuating he had cheated on me. It had been my idea to have a temporary fake engagement with Jax. He only went along with it to help me keep my parents off my back, but it wasn’t public knowledge and never should’ve been. “I don’t know what youthinkyou heard my parents say, but Jax and I were never engaged.”

Thankfully, a waitress approached with a full tray of drinks. After passing them out she smiled at us. “These are courtesy of the gentleman by the bar.”

“Oh, how lovely. Please tell him thank you,” Colette gushed, and turned to make sure her “good” side faced the bar.

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