Page 103 of A Wild Card Kiss
Her jaw drops. She is the definition of aghast. “And to think I came all this way to ask you to be my maid of honor.”
I bark out a laugh, clasping my belly. Truly, that’s hilarious. So damn funny I can’t wait to tell Emerson and Olive and my dad.
“The answer is no. Let me show you out.” Now my tone isn’t flat, isn’t empty. It’s wickedly amused.
She’s more selfish than I ever imagined, and I no longer feel small. I no longer feel betrayed by her decision to romance my former fiancé.
Thank God she took him from me.
If I’d gone through with that dumb decision, I’d have saidI doto the wrong man, a man who wasn’t right for me.
And if I’d walked down the aisle, I’d never have run into Harlan again. Harlan—the man who makes my heart and body sing.
There is no convincing, no tricking, no uncertainty with Harlan.
If my mother hadn’t snagged Silvio, I wouldn’t have found all my own strength—the strength to live entirely differently from her.
I owe her nothing.
I owe myself so much more.
Thank you, universe, for showing me that.
I stride to the door, yank it open, and sweep out my arm. “I believe we’re done.”
The second she leaves, I grab my phone and take the next step—something I should have done a week ago.
Chapter 34
Katie
I don’t like to bail on appointments, but I have to. As I snag a Lyft, I call Elliot at my yoga studio.
“Hey, Ells. I need a favor. Big time.”
“Anything for you, doll,” he says brightly. “Do you need me to grab you a hot tea or a lemon cookie from Doctor Insomnia’s?”
“Both sound delish. Get them for yourself and put them on my tab. But actually, I need you to reschedule the videographer. I’m so sorry, and I’ll pay his fee for today, of course. But something came up and I have to take care of it.”
“Of course, love. Everything okay?”
I smile, unsure of the answer, but hopeful. “That’s the goal.”
Then I call Olive to tell her I’m coming to see her, but she doesn’t answer.
Oh well. I’m going in anyway.
***
I’m rarely here at our corporate office in Hayes Valley, but I still know nearly everyone, so I say hi to our employees as I walk through the cubes.
As I head for Olive’s office, nerves thrum through me.
Should I have said something to her sooner? Let her in on my plans?
The nerves take flight as I reach her door, ajar as always. Whether I picked the wrong time or not, I still need to do this.
Deep breath.
