Page 81 of Mr. Big Mistake
Then, I reached for the elevator button. Ready to leave his place for good and put that entire shitshow behind me.
22
Brenden
One Week Later
I’ll see you in a week for the annulment hearing.
My eyes grazed over that line multiple times. I wiped at my phone screen for the thousandth time, wondering if, by wiping at it, I might reveal another part to the text message Kelly sent me a week ago. I’d read it so many times I could repeat it to myself. And I did, multiple times.
Like, in the shower, when I wanted her there with me.
Or, in bed, at night as I stared at the ceiling.
Or, getting ready for some sort of business function where I wanted her at my side.
“If you wanted to have a good time with LaShonda at the casino tonight, you shouldn't have treated me as if we were in a relationship,” I murmured.
You’re an idiot, Brenden.
I leaned back against my chair as I turned my phone off. I slid it back into my pocket and looked up, staring at the empty judge’s bench. Then, I slowly looked over and saw Kelly sitting there, her hands folded in her lap. She wore the most amazing dress: a high-necked, sleeveless black dress with petite pearls around her neck and sensible, close-toed black heels. With her hair piled high, her neck seemed longer. More of an expanse for me to kiss if she’d let me close enough to touch her.
I knew she wouldn't, though.
Even though I wanted to tell her how much I loved her.
“All rise.”
I stood mindlessly as Judge Asshole made his way to his bench. I stared at the wall as I folded my hands in front of me, ready to get that shit over with. I knew there was no talking to Kelly, no matter how much I wanted to. I wanted to explain myself. I wanted to explain what she really saw in the casino. I wanted to explain to her the real reason why I never left, even though LaShonda came onto me. Because it wasn’t as bad as everyone thought.
But, I had a reputation.
So, of course, it looked worse than it already was.
“You may be seated.”
I sat back down in my chair, ready to take whatever punishment was dealt. I mean, I’d already lost the woman I fell head over heels for. I couldn't be relieved of much else. Zane wasn’t talking to me because he didn’t want to start arguing about it with his very-pregnant fiancé. Every time I called Clint, all he did was chuckle and tell me how I always had a way of ‘fucking up life.’ While I resolved myself to leaving Kelly alone so things could blow over, that didn’t stop me from sending her exactly twenty-three text messages and leaving twelve voice messages over seven freaking days.
You’re an idiot and a mess, and she deserves better.
I hated how right my brain was sometimes.
“Do either of you have this last week’s summary to turn in?” the judge asked.
“I do,” Kelly said.
“Approach.”
I watched as Kelly walked up to the bench and handed the judge a note. He peered down beyond his small eyeglasses, with his lips downturned into a frown. He harrumphed to himself before looking at me, and I could only imagine what that note said.
“You know, she’s the only one who turned these in this month,” the judge said.
I shrugged. “You dictated that only one of us had to file.”
“So, you made her file all four weeks? You didn’t split the workload or anything?”
I blinked. “I understand that I’m a selfish man. It’s why she wants out.”
