Page 310 of Not Over You

I blink at the conversational tone, unable to draw air into my lungs. “D-d-divorce?”

“Our divorce, Ashleigh. You know, you and Ramirez actually deserve each other. You both screw around behind each other’s backs while screwing over innocent people like me and Mimi. It’s going to make a good front page story,” He laughs and stops just behind me as he whispers, “It's who I am and what I do and this time I got lucky.”

My hand snatches at Sean’s wrist and despite the pain hanging on to him inflicts on me, I lock glares with him. “When are you going to learn to check your sources, Sean?”

“Justin Ramirez is my source. It came straight from the horse's mouth. He cheated on you with Mimi. He wants you back. And guess what? He’s welcome to you.”

“If you do this,” I warn. “If you walk away from me again, without even asking me if it's true, we’re done. I will never forgive you.”

“Good. I’m done with your bullshit, Ashleigh, and I’m done with you!”

I turn and run in the opposite direction, hightailing it out of the function room and toward the elevators. I try to fight my tears but, unfortunately, I run into Julia coming out of the elevator in her wedding dress. Her father is beside her, ready to walk her down the aisle, but he looks at me and tells Julia he’ll give us a few minutes.

“Ashleigh, what’s wrong?”

How do I tell her? How do I tell Julia I can’t be a bridesmaid because I can’t bear the thought of being in the same room as Sean.

Besides, I now have to wait for Justin Ramirez and his posse of paparazzi to appear. It's not as though I can force Mimi to wait for him because I'd been foolish enough to let Sean guilt me into releasing a photograph of my new look.

“Look at you.” I smile at the bride and try to muster the same energy in her voice. “You ...look... amazing!”

Julia looks stunning. The slim line dress is incredible. The strapless ivory satin bodice cling to Julia’s hourglass figure like a second skin and burst into a fishtail of ivory satin with a touch of apricot. Julia had designed and made all of the dresses herself.

“Please tell me,” Julia begs. “I need to get my mind off the urge to run away. So talk to me.”

“Why would you want to run away?” I ask.

“I don’t. But there are two hundred people about to watch Darryl and I get married. What if I fall flat on my face or forget my vows or—”

“Breathe.” I take her hand in mine. “You've got a classic case of stage fright. You’ll be fine.”

“Oh.” Julia frowns. For a few silent seconds she just stares at our hands “Oh my God.” Then in one long exhale she blows away all her tension. “I do.”

I force a laugh and nudge her shoulder. “Just practicing the lines, huh?”

Julia giggles gently then squeezes my hand. “You’re my best friend, Ashleigh. I know you're trying to avoid disrupting my wedding but… you’re crying, you never cry. I don’t think I could concentrate on saying my vows if I don’t know you're okay. Please tell me what my idiot brother did now?”

“Doesn’t matter.” I shake my head. “Today it's your day, I’m not going to ruin that with my drama. Besides, crying’s all I seem to do these days. Darryl broke me and now I cry. Even when I’m happy.”

Julia squeezes my hand. “I know you’ve married my brother, Ash.” My gaze snaps up to meet Julia’s. She isn’t hurt that she wasn’t invited or told, only amused by my reaction. “I should have figured the two of you would elope.”

The heat slowly creeps up my neck. Maybe I can hold the humiliation back by keeping a firm grip on the reality of the situation. “Did he tell you we were drunk and utterly mortified when we woke up too?”

“No.” Julia shakes her head. “Darryl did.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ.” The warmth is in my face and I look away. “Next you’ll be telling me Stephi knows.”

“Actually—” I groan and roll my eyes. “She’s the one who told me, when I asked Sean if it was true, he went very quiet.”

“Anyone else?” I sigh. “No? Not your parents? Not Mimi? Or Ryder? And you’re sure it’s not been advertised in the newspaper?”

“You’re going to have to tell people eventually.” Julia smiles. “Krystal Valentina is married to JT Preston, and that’s a huge deal to some people in LA.”

“I know, but the timing of it sucks don’t you think? I mean with the show on Wednesday.” Julia nods. “Honey, you need to think about your wedding not mine. Because...” I point to Julia’s father. “I think people are waiting for you.”

The next couple of hours are painfully slow. Bittersweet and full of tears. It doesn’t matter how many times I blink them away or dry them with tissues, the damned tears keep returning.

Eighteen months ago I pleaded with Julia not to give up on men because her ex-husband was rotten to the core. I begged her not to give up on Darryl, because he was resolving decades of hurt, too. They didn’t give up on each other and they made it.

---