Page 45 of Almost Paradise

Hannah is right. You don’t give an engagement ring to someone when you’re not ready to set a date. I take a deep breath and step inside, eager to have this confrontation and leave it behind me.

“Saturday afternoon is perfect,” I hear Scarlett say. “Don’t worry about that. There’s no budget for this wedding.” She stops talking for a few seconds then says, “Yes, he’ll be here, and we can go over the details with him then. I’m so excited about these caterers.” I look at the ceiling. No one says no to doing a Paradise event. No one. Catering my wedding is a dream job. Unfortunately, there will be no wedding. At least not with Scarlett.

I close the door behind me and walk into the house. Yeah, there’s no way I can bring Nia here. I’d have to knock it down and rebuild it first, and that’s if she doesn’t stab me in my sleep the first night.

“Okay. Talk to you soon,” Scarlett says. She ends the call just as I reach the living room. It’s all done in various shades of white. It’s as boring as our relationship, and I’ve never noticed how depressing these muted colors are.

She turns and our eyes catch. Her green ones assess me, and I hold her stare. She runs across the room and leans in to kiss me. I grab her shoulders and keep her away. “I guess you’re still angry with me.” She bites her lip and plays coy.

“I’m not,” is all I say. There’s nothing left to be mad about. In truth, there was never anything for me to get angry at. She’s the one who has the right to her anger.

She lets out a big breath. “Good. I just needed some time. This is all so upsetting, but I’m getting used to the possibility of being a stepmother.” I’m not sure what she means by possibility since my son is already a reality, but it doesn’t matter. I never would have let her near him. “I mean, I’m sure he won’t spend that much time here, and we’ll have our own kids. You know. A real and legitimate family, not some shameful secret.” She tries to run her hands through my hair, but I step back. “I’m not trying to be insensitive, but really, Drake, that was irresponsible, especially with someone like her.”

“What do you mean by someone like her?” I ask. “I’m the one who went after her, not the other way around.” If I hadn’t pursued her, we never would have had anything. We wouldn’t have a son, and I wouldn’t have had the best year of my life.

“Some random girl that you probably knocked up in the backseat of one of your cars. I’m mortified.” She waves her hand around as if that will erase the existence of my son and his mother. Who is now my wife. “Anyway, that was the wedding planner Lyssa. We have big plans on Saturday afternoon, so don’t schedule anything. She managed to get three different caterers, and they’ll be here to give us samples.” She sighs and takes a deep breath as if making a single phone call to the wedding planner is some great feat. “You have no idea how much work this is. I called your mom to see if she would be willing to help. It’s my way of getting her out of her funk, but she says she’s not up to it. She sounded kind of drunk, but Hannah says she’ll be here on Saturday. I should also mention—”

“Scarlett, listen,” I say, stopping her. She freezes and looks into my eyes. They narrow. “We need to talk.” Her eyes widen and she visibly swallows. She takes a step back and shakes her head as if she’s afraid of what I’m going to say.

“Somehow my mother’s talked me into making all six of my female cousins bridesmaids. Of course, Heather is my maid of honor, but I’d really rather have Emily.” She pulls her hair and lets out a strained laugh. “You know me and my sister are always fighting. Lord knows I love her, but—”

“Scarlett,” I say a bit louder.

She jumps at my tone and takes another step back. She shakes her head harder than before. “No,” she says. She holds both hands up as if to stop me. “Whatever you’re going to say, I don’t want to hear it. We’re getting married in a few months, an—”

“No, Scarlett, we’re not.” I shake my head. “We’re not getting married.”

She stumbles and I quickly grab her to keep her from falling, but she yanks away from me and gives me her back.

“I could not have possibly heard you right.” Her voice is too low and calm for the news I just delivered. “I couldn’t have,” she whispers. “Because I know that I haven’t been waiting all this time for you to marry me only for you to tell me that you’re not.” She spins around and runs toward me. She slaps me across the face before I can grab her wrist. It stings, and I think Scarlett surprises even herself with that hit. She stands there, immobile.

When she tries to slap me again, I wrap my hand around her wrist. I’ve had my fill of women hitting me. I slowly put it down. She looks down at my hand and lets out a guttural sound. “What is that?” She points at my left ring finger, and I lift it up, showing off the platinum ring. “Is this some sick joke, Drake?” The tears start to fall, and I look away from her. Not in shame. I could never be ashamed of my wife, but I hate having Scarlett as collateral damage.

“I didn’t mean for you to find out like this. I flew to Charlotte to end things, but you wouldn’t see me.”

“When did you do this?” She’s lost all her coloring now. Her pale face is ashen.

“Today. This morning,” I say to her. “In Providence,” I add when she still doesn’t speak. “I’m sorry, but—”

“In Providence? You went to Providence and married someone else when I’ve all but begged you to go with me?” Her voice is low and full of disbelief. I open my mouth to answer, but she speaks over me. “Shut the fuck up,” she hisses. “Just shut the fuck up.” She swipes at her eyes. Her normally pale cheeks are now flushed red.

“You deserve someone who will love you unconditionally. You deserve more than I can give—”

“Don’t tell me what I deserve!” she screams so loud her body shakes. “Why did you give me this if you never had any intentions of marrying me?” She holds up her left hand, and the diamond on her finger catches the light. “You’ve made such a fool of me.”

“I’m sorry,” I repeat. “When I gave you that ring, I thought this was what I wanted.”

She shoves my chest and asks, “Then why did you refuse to set a date?” When all I do is stare, she yells, “Liar! You goddamn, fucking liar. I lost you the moment that whore came back into your life. I lost you that day at the arcade.” She lets out a deep breath and starts to laugh like a maniac. “The biggest irony is that I’m the one who guilt-tripped you into going to that stupid party. The joke’s on me, isn’t it?”

I take a step closer to her. She stills and glares into my eyes. “I know you’re upset, Scarlett, but you’re upset with me. Do not call my wife a whore again.” Her head rolls back as if I struck a physical blow.

“Yourwife? You have the audacity to call her your wife to my face? Fuck you and your whore wife, Drake! And fuck that little bastard she bore. I wish she had aborted him when she—”

I grab her wrist and spin her around to face me. She opens her mouth to say more, but the look I give her promptly shuts her up.

“Don’t youeverutter those words again. Do you hear me?”

I don’t let her go. I stare into her eyes until she looks away in shame. Her head whips right back, and the anger and defiance return. I drop her wrist, unable to stomach touching her for another second.

---