Page 9 of Prince of Tides
“No, I promise. It’s still on schedule. Believe me. Trust Fund Barbie has absolutely no idea, still. She’s love-blind, I think. Hasn’t even mentioned a prenup.”
There was a soft, ugly chuckle. I didn’t go for the door handle. Instead, I stayed still, as quiet as I could, listening.
“The wedding will be soon. She’s already off birth control, thinking we’re going to have a baby. As if I would tie myself down permanently. Maybe if I could get more money for it, sure, but I don’t want to push it.”
I stared at the door through a hazy blur, unable to believe what I was hearing. That couldn’t possibly be the man I’d spent the past few years coming to love and starting a life with, could it? Trying to reconcile the scorn and nasty edge to his words with the man who had doted on me and spent literalyearsbeing an amazing person was hard to do. Impossible, even.
“Another year, I think, at most, for the wedding. Call it three more years, and then everyone will be happy. We’ll have the money, and I’ll be a free man. It’ll be worth it, then.”
I couldn’t believe it. My father had been right all along. Ericwasusing me for money. It didn’t make any sense. His familyhadmoney. Lots of it. More than enough to live on without Eric having to work a day in his life if he chose. Why was he wasting so many years with me, trying to get more from me?
Backing away from the door as quietly as possible, I fled down the hallway. I didn’t want to stick around to hear more. My life had already been shredded enough in the past few minutes. There was only so much I could take.
Initially, I ended up back in my room, but I swiftly turned away before going inside. Eric would be coming back there, and I wasn’t ready to face him. Not yet. I needed a shoulder to cry on, to try and come to terms with the fact that my engagement, my relationship, everything I had known for years, was not just over but had been ashamthe entire time.
God, I felt sostupid!
So I went to the only place I could. My sister’s room.
“Mel,” I called through the door as I knocked on it. “Open up.”
Chapter Six
Laurie
“Laur? What’s u—what’s wrong?” Melanie asked, gasping as she pulled open her door and saw me.
I flung myself into Mel’s arms, tears leaving wet spots on her lavender blouse almost immediately. I tried to apologize through the sobs as she closed the door behind us and guided me to the futon set against a wall.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” she said, trying to soothe me. “Laur, it’s okay. What is it? Tell me what’s wrong?”
But I couldn’t. Words were failing me as emotions took over. I didn’twantto talk about it. If I talked about it, I would be forced to reveal not only the horrible betrayal by Eric but also that everyone else had been right about him and that I was wrong. I didn’t want to be judged by my own family while my heart was still in the process of falling to pieces.
Melanie handed me tissues, but I quickly went through them. Crying to my younger sister didn’t quite feel like the most “older sibling” thing to do, but I didn’t have any other choices. My friends were in the city, forty minutes or more away. I was innostate to drive just then.
“Come on, sis,” Mel said, stroking my shoulder. “What’s going on? You’ve got me worried.”
I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to get myself under control. I was so dumb! How could I have been oblivious to it when everyone else could see it?
“Miss Laurie, just because you’re love-blind doesn’t give you the right to be rude.”
Winston’s words echoed in my mind, bubbling up unbidden to answer my question. I’d been blinded by love to the reality that was my fiancé.
I snarl-sobbed, pulling away from my sister for a moment.
“Fuck you,” I hissed, yanking off the ring and hurling it across the room.
“Uh, Laur? Was that your engagement ring?” Melanie asked.
I nodded.
“What in the hell happened?” she said, stunned.
“What do you think?” I moaned, trying to blink back tears. I didn’t want to cry anymore. It hurt too much. I didn’t want to be hurt by him. I was, but I didn’t want to. That asshole didn’t deserve it.
“Did he cheat on you?” Mel hissed, her anger rising exponentially, stiffening her body.
“No.” I paused. “Maybe, I don’t know.”
