Page 14 of Puck King
“You know I'm joking.” My father's voice sounded stone cold serious.
“Alison,” Mom said. “This is huge news, but it is definitely not good news. What's going on?”
My cheeks burned. I had married a man no one liked, but I was about to save the day. “Mom. Dad. Brian and I were doing really well with the business, and our apartment has appreciated a lot in value since we bought it. So I’ll get half, and when I do, I’m going to pay back every cent that I borrowed from you. There is no way you are going to lose this farm.”
A growl came from my belly as the news spilled from my lips, and suddenly I was ravenous. I took a bite of the bread and it felt like medicine. Everything was going to be okay.
After the weekend,I found myself back on Hollie’s sofa, scrolling through commercial listings. My excitement grew as I favorited several spaces that would be perfect for the new clinic.
I was in a weird place emotionally. Grief would show up unexpectedly, and I would heave a sob at the failure of my marriage; then, thankfully, anger would arrive and I would get pissed at having my life tossed upside down by that cheating bastard. I liked anger a lot better. The tears still came, but they felt hotter and more cathartic.
The best was when excitement started to take over.
I was starting over, and I had to remind myself that I wasn’t old. There was plenty of time for me to accomplish all the things I’d hoped to achieve with Brian.
But then sadness would make a comeback, and I would grieve the loss of the relationship and the future I had planned out with that cheating bastard. And I hated him for it.
Hollie opened the door and struggled to squeeze through, her arms loaded with reusable shopping bags. I hopped off the couch to help her. She tossed her keys onto the kitchen counter and pulled a bottle of wine from one of the giant tote bags.
“What else have you got in there? You’re like a pack mule.” I laughed as Hollie proceeded to fully stock the little apartment fridge with vegetables from her tote.
“Chocolate.” She held up one of my favorite chocolate sea salt bars and tossed it to me. Hollie had been a lifesaver, and whether she knew it or not, her small gifts of food and bottles of wine had helped me get through one of the toughest times of my life. She poured two glasses of wine and sank into the sofa beside me.
“Cheers.”
I smiled and met her glass with mine. “Cheers.” My eyes flashed to the time. It was only three o’clock in the afternoon, but I didn’t care.
Hollie took a sip of her wine. “Have you heard from Everleigh yet? I can’t believe she was such a bitch to you.”
I shook my head. “Actually, she wasn’t the bitchy one. It was the brother that was the jerk.”
“That’s not what the tabloids say.” Her eyes flickered to the copy ofTattle Townthat was on the coffee table. “I only know her from class, but according to this she’s a real piece of work.” Hollie flipped open the magazine to the page about Colton King.
If I didn’t know he was such an asshole, the man with the six-pack and the piercing blue eyes on the glossy pages would’ve been hot. Like, ‘get me turned on by a photograph’ hot. “He’s not just a sexist pig, Hollie. He’s a cheater.” My cheeks burned as the ‘C’ word came out of my mouth. It was going to be a long time before I’d trust a man again, and there was evidence all around me that the majority of them were pond scum. And that was being nice. They were toxic algae, the blue-green kind that every animal naturally knew was poison.
“Was he this good-looking in real life?” Hollie folded the magazine in half and pointed to his muscular ass, the kind of ass only a lifetime of skating could create.
“Nah, I’m sure they photoshopped that butt.”
Hollie set the magazine down. “He’s not a Marbellian. I doubt that he requires photoshopping at all.” The Marbellians were an Upper East Side family of socialites known for their love of plastic surgery, and overuse of social media filters.
“I know. He’s nothing like them. The Marbellians seem like nice people.” I laughed and handed Hollie a piece of chocolate before breaking off an entire row for myself. “It’s a good thing, though. I wouldn’t want to work for a jerk like Colton King.”
Our conversation was interrupted by the vibration of my cell phone.
“Maybe that’s her.” Hollie’s eyes were wide with excitement. She hadn’t been insulted by Colton King, and was still excited at the idea of having him as part of our new clientele.
“I can practically see the stars in your eyes.” I shook my head and rummaged around in my purse for my phone.
“Is it her?” Either the wine or the excitement had made Hollie’s cheeks just a little too pink.
I frowned at the number on my screen. “It’s my lawyer.” I let it ring a couple more times while I took a deep breath.
“Here we go, Holls,” I said. “Let’s see what we’re working with.” I had done some rough calculations with the lawyer, and it looked like I was going to be able to pay back my parents and still have enough left to get a cute apartment and start up my new business.
“Hi Gloria.” I smiled as I answered.
“Alison.”
