Page 8 of Stick Fight

“I’ll be here, and a long, hot soak does sound nice.” I wave my phone. “After this.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” He turns and I stare at his broad back as he walks to the door, giving me one last reassuring look that everything will be okay before he leaves. But I know that isn’t true. Nothing will ever be okay again.

I swallow, and fight back the tears as I call my parents. It rings only once before Mom picks up.

She must hear my tears because she quickly asks, “Gabrielle, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, Mom,” I tell her quickly, even though I’m not, and wince as she calls me Gabrielle. I’ve always been Gabby to her, but after entering the fashion world, my ex-fiancé and his fashion mogul father had thought it best I go by Gabrielle. They thought a lot of things. All things I complied with. “Cass and I…” I fight to say we’re over.

Dad takes the phone. “Where are you? We’ll come get you.”

“No, it’s okay.” I try again. “Cass and I…” I can’t bear to tell them what happened. It’s embarrassing that I wasn’t enough for him. How could I ever have thought I could be? “We had a fight. The wedding is off.”

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. Come to our room or let us come to you.”

The thought of crawling back to them and letting them soothe my hurt sounds appealing. But they’ve done enough for me, have always been in my corner and I need to stand on my own two feet.

I inject a measure of confidence into my voice. “I’m with a friend.”

A beat and then, “Is it…Todd?”

Why are they saying it like that? Like they might have known something I didn’t. Am I the only fool who didn’t know my fiancé and my best friend were into each other?

I start to sob, and I’m not sure if it’s just hearing their voices or the fact that the two men I cared about most both have betrayed me.

That, and when I told them I was with a friend, they assumed it was Todd. Why wouldn’t they? When it comes to friends, I don’t have a whole lot anymore. I immersed myself in the fashion world, leaving those I once knew behind. My ex-fiancé and his father wanted me to be around the ‘right’ people.

Todd, also in fashion, was one of those people. When he and I first met Cass at a fashion show, back when we were still in college, and Cass asked me out, I was thrilled. I had no idea what a guy like him would see in a girl like me. Now I do. He saw compliance, a girl struggling for her career…a shapeshifter.

That’s right. I became the doting, loving girlfriend who never asked too many questions. Everything he wanted me to be. When it comes right down to it, I’m not even sure who I really am anymore.

Wait…was he only with me so he could secretly be with Todd?

Ohmigod, have I been his beard all along?

“Do you guys remember Roman Marinelli?” I manage to push past the lump in my throat.

“Of course, we know who Roman is,” Dad responds, his voice strained and quiet and I hate doing this to them. But of course he knows Roman. Dad is the world’s biggest hockey fan, and I remember how thrilled he was when he found out Roman had signed with the Bucks.

“I ran into him here at the resort. I’m in his room. I’m going to stay here for the night, until I can figure out what’s next.” I know Mom and Dad would travel the world for me, and driving to Vegas for my wedding wasn’t that much to ask, but I still say, “I’m sorry you guys had to come all the way only for this to happen.”

Dad’s voice comes through the phone, softer this time. “Gabrielle, honey. Whatever you need. We’re here.” A beat and then, “We’ll head back tomorrow, first thing. There’s plenty of room in the car, and…that old sewing machine you got started on is still in your room.”

My throat tightens and I’m grateful they’re offering me my old room, and not asking about what all this means for my future, because frankly I don’t know either—where I go from here. One thing we both know though, is my fashion career might just be dead because it’s always been in the hands of my fiancé. Some thought I was with him because of that, but no, that’s not true. I loved him.

My phone keeps pinging, and my stomach tightens, knowing it’s Cass. How can I answer? What am I supposed to say? The look on his face when I walked into that room. He wasn’t just embarrassed, he was mad.

Mad.

That I caught him cheating.

But surely to God he won’t want to get married after this? He won’t want to walk down the aisle when he’s not really in love with me. If this was true love, he wouldn’t have cheated the night before our wedding.

“Gabrielle, are you still there?” Mom asks.

“I am, but I’m going to go. I need a good night’s sleep.”

“What about tomorrow?”

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