Page 15 of Duty Became Desire

I glanced over at her, sensing a shift in the air, but something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. When I pulled up to the bakery, she quickly jumped out of the car, which wasn’t even quite in park yet. I watched her as she entered the building, a frown on my face.

I knew not going wasn’t going to be pleasant, but things happened. It wasn’t like I was trying to actively avoid going. Didn’t she understand I wanted to be out of this just as bad?

“What kind of cakes would you like to try?”

“Vanilla and a lemon, please?”

“What? No. James would never do a lemon. A chocolate swirl.”

“That’s so childish. It’s not fit for a wedding,” she told me, turning back to the woman behind the counter. “Please have something with lemon.”

“You have got to be kidding me. Really? You think that’s going to work?”

“Yes, I do. I know my best friend. I can rely on her like she can rely on me. And I’m not going to let you screw up her wedding like you screwed up ours.”

“Sorry, princess,” I tossed out, “it’s not like you did it any better you know. Pretty sure it was a run and dump of a show anyway.”

She turned around and glared at me. But no matter how angry she was, she knew I was right. It was a bad night for the both of us.

“I can’t take this with you. I will go tomorrow myself and get the papers needed.”

Chapter ten

Skylar

Do you know when you insert your foot in your mouth, and you know you shouldn’t have? That it was the dumbest thing to do but at that moment you just had to do it?

Yeah, that was me, exactly me six days ago when I told Alec I’d get the paperwork so that we could get divorced.

Thanks to work, phone calls, zoom meetings, driving out to my place twice, checking on my car, and the thousand other things that happen in a day for me, I hadn’t been to the office. I knew he wasn’t lying to me when he claimed he was busy, but I was just pissed off enough to open my mouth and well, insert my foot.

Now, my car was just about done, I was going to be heading back home, and I sure as hell didn’t want to text him with the information.

Not that he would gloat.

In fact, that’s something I realized he didn’t do a lot. At least, not on purpose. Sure, he would do it to me to get a rise out of me. And if I was being honest, looking back on the past about it, I think I enjoyed it somewhat.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, it still irked me, but I also enjoyed our banter. But you won’t ever hear me tell him that!

No sir, that is going to the grave with me.

And now, I was currently stuck in the damn Las Vegas rush hour traffic, moving a millimeter every ten minutes, and my hotel was about ten miles away.

Yes, Vegas irked me, but everyone was here, and I loved my friends.

I glanced at my phone as it dinged, figuring it would be Demi telling me about the food Alec and I picked, but I was surprised when I saw Alec’s name.

Hey wifey.

I rolled my eyes at the name, but somehow, I couldn’t stop the smile from coming.

Hi husband.

Ohhh, I wasn’t sure I’d like the sound of that, but I really do!

I refused to stop the laugh that passed my lips; glad I could amuse him.

What are you doing?

---