Page 41 of Love, Rekindled

EVERMORE

A SALVATION SERIES NOVELLA

By

Corinne Michaels

CHAPTER 1

Gretchen

“What doyou mean you’re not coming?” I scream into the receiver at my what-should-be husband.

“I can’t marry you,” Harold tells me.

My eyes fill with angry tears. “You decided thisnow?” I shriek.

It’s my wedding day.

Well, it was supposed to be. Harold—which is the worst name in existence when you’re in the throes of passion—apparently has decided it won’t be.

An hour late, I might add. I’m here, at the church, in my nine-thousand-dollar wedding dress that I saved for. Without a groom.

I’m going to kill him.

My voice drops eerily soft. “Whatever the hell the issue is, we can deal with it tomorrow, Harold. You can’t do this to me. You get your ass to this church and you marry me.”

He sighs. “I can’t do it. I can’t, Gretchen. I had an epiphany last night.”

An epiphany? How rich. “Was it that you’re a dickhead who was going to destroy the woman who stood by you the last seven-fucking-years?”

“I’m saving you.”

Now I’ve heard it all. “Saving me, my ass!” I scream. “You will not do this to me. You won’t make me a jilted bride! I won’t let you.” My two best friends, Catherine and Ashton, share a look as they stand in their rose gold colored bridesmaids dresses.

Harold goes silent and then I hear someone in the back. “It’s for the better. We never should’ve done this. You’re my associate at the firm and if we do this, it will destroy both of our careers.”

A tear falls down. I’m so angry. I’m so betrayed by him. Seven years we’ve been sneaking around. I was his “Secret Slut” as I called myself. At first it was exciting. The sneaking around, late-night office romps, the little touches we’d share knowing that later we wouldn’t have to slow down.

Then it became impossible. I wanted to go to him when a case went bad, but I couldn’t because he was my boss. Gossip in the office became much more than harmless chatter, so we pulled back even more.

Finally, two months ago, he’d had enough of me complaining and threatening to end things. He proposed and said he wanted to marry me immediately. That if we were married, I could take equal part in the firm and finally stop having to hide our relationship.

My chest rises and falls because now, there’s no going back. People know. People are here to witness this, and now I’ll be the “left-at-the-alter lawyer.”

Fuck him.

“This is only better for you.” My voice is loud, as I no longer have any control. “You are the only person this benefits, you tiny-dick bastard! You were supposed to marry me! You were supposed to finally take me out of the damn hole you threw me in when you slept with me seven years ago.”

“Gretch?” Catherine asks softly and I glare at her. The three of us have been friends since grade school. She puts her hands in the air, knowing there’s no way I can even remotely stop now. I’m livid.

Ashton giggles. “This is so going to be good.”

“You suck as a lawyer!” I continue my tirade, deciding that it’s time to let him know what a favor I was doing him all these years. “You suck as a lover! I faked an orgasm at least half the time and I hope your balls shrivel up. Oh,” I huff. “One more thing, I quit and I hope you lose every damn case I was working on!”

I hang up the phone, throwing it across the room and shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Ashton gives a slow clap. “That...was impressive.”

“Oh my God.” I grip my throat. “Did I just quit my job?”

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