Page 8 of Queen of Ruin

“What’s going on?” Alistair asks, the creases of concern fanning his eyes.

“Evangeline’s leaving, and she’s taking my fucking plane.” My heart races and the sudden change makes me feel dizzy. Never did I think she would actually leave – especially when she knows what’s at stake.

“Leaving?” he asks, tilting his head in confusion. “Does she know she’s not getting any money unless she stays the whole year?”

“She knows damn well!” I yell, pacing along the steps. But if I thought Evangeline cared about the money, I’d have bought her a closet full of designer gowns, fur coats, or whatever the fuck she wanted.

She’d rather leave penniless then stay with me.

I press the phone to my ear and ask to be patched into the pilot.

“What’s the destination?” I ask before the pilot can utter a word.

“Sorry, Mr. Walker?”

“Where the fuck is my wife going?” I fume.

“Las Vegas, sir,” the captain confirms. “Do you want me to cancel the flight?”

I stare at the dirty wet pavement while I contemplate his question. When I look at Alistair, he’s staring back at me bewildered.

I have been a fuckup all my life – on purpose – not because I didn’t know any better. I have done stupid, selfish things because I thought I had to in order to get what I wanted. She said she would have married me if I had just asked her. Maybe I can leave the choice up to her.

“No.”

3

THE THINGS I’VE DONE

EVANGELINE

I drag my luggage into the kitchen and stop when I see Lottie, but it’s too late to back out because she’s already noticed me.

“Evangeline!” Lottie smiles, peeking around the refrigerator door, her eyes stopping on my luggage. She finishes placing a carton of milk on the shelf and knocks the door shut with her hip.

“Good morning.” I glance towards the front door, willing my rideshare to hurry up and get here.

“Would you like some breakfast? I made scones,” she offers in a cheerful tone while ignoring my luggage, at least for now.

I shake my head. “I don’t have time.”

I don’t think I could stomach anything right now anyway.

“Well, surely you have time for a cup of coffee.” She doesn’t take no for an answer easily, and since my rideshare hasn’t arrived yet, I reluctantly take the seat opposite her at the kitchen island.

“Are you going on a trip?” she inquires casually while grabbing a cup from the nearby cupboard.

“Not exactly,” I manage to say. “Have you seen Darren?” I ask not so subtly. He left and hasn’t come back, which is probably a good thing right now.

“Darren can be difficult,” she replies, sliding the cup of coffee towards me, and I’m grateful to have something solid to hold onto. “But he usually comes around.”

“Difficult, yes,” I nod. “Coming around? Not so sure about that.”

“I know it’s none of my business,” she admits, resting her arms on the island, “but when Will and I got married, I had this silly notion that it would always be like our honeymoon.” She offers a small smile. “We had to learn how to be with one another in the real world.” She pushes away from the island and finishes putting away the groceries.

“I don’t think this is the same situation,” I admit, feeling like a fraud – especially with Lottie.

“You’re right, it’s not. You and Darren got married under very different circumstances,” she offers, making me wonder what she knows. “Losing his parents has been difficult for him. I know he pretends that it doesn’t bother him, but believe me, it does.”

---