Page 71 of Forbidden Vows

“Cleo,” I say.

“Yes?”

The sound of her phone suddenly breaks the tense moment—it’s her personal one. Now that we’ve called a truce with the Morettis, I’ve returned it to her. She pulls it from her pocket, glancing down at the screen.

“It’s a text. From my principal!” Eagerness fills her voice. Her eyes quickly scan his words.

“What does it say?”

“Oh my.” She finally looks up at me, and she’s positively beaming, grinning from ear to ear. “Dreams come true.He’s letting me go up to first grade! I’m staying with my kiddos.”

My throat closes as I try to choke out words of congratulations. “That’s—that’s great.”

“Isn’t it?” She flings herself into my arms, hugging me tight in her excitement.

I wrap my arms around her. “That’s great news. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks!” She breaks our embrace too soon.

This news has brought her so much joy. Who am I to stand in the way of her dream job and her inevitable marriage to Nathan, the accountant, and Bernice, the cute yet slightly neurotic Maltese?

Her safe bet. Her predictable future. Her white picket fence.

I’m just a kid from the Bronx who never quite made it out, and the only thing I can offer her other than myself is jewels she has no desire for.

That girl doesn’t need a crown to make her queen.

And she clearly doesn’t need me for her king, either.

It’s midnight, and my time is up. This is the part where I’m supposed to turn into a pumpkin.

Void of all emotion.

Chapter Twenty-One

Cleopatra

I’m on the dance floor, Lydia to my right, and another friend from college to my left. We’re doing the dorkiest of all the wedding dances, the Electric Slide. But it's so fun, and we giggle as we mess up the steps and then attempt to watch and copy the more coordinated dancer.

Lydia whispers to me. “You need to catch my bouquet tonight.”

“I’m too short.” I laugh the sweet romcom idea away. “Even in these heels. I’ll get trampled by your bridesmaids.”

Lydia claps in time with the dance, then tugs on my elbow. “There he is. Your hottie date.”

I glance over to where she points. The moment I see him, my heart lunges to my throat. Blaze stands by the bar, leaning back on an elbow with casual indifference. Tonight, he wears a navy suit. He’s stunning.

Naturally, every one of Lydia’s single friends is eyeing him.

It’s really hard to see him standing there and know that he’s not mine.

I’ve been having trouble finding him since the reception began. “Hey, stranger! I’ve been looking for you.”

“Hey, Cleo.” He leans down, kissing my cheek, enveloping me in his scent. “I’m glad you found me. I need to tell you something.”

His tone is so serious that my gaze snaps up to his face. “What?”

“I’m leaving tonight.”

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