It’s taking longer than I anticipated to finish my latest book, so I thought I’d give you a little something to read to tide you over.

Amber is in love with her fiance John, but, alas, he’s kind of a jerk and runs off with a younger woman and has the nerve to ask for the ring back!

After this chapter, there is absolutely no cheating.

This chapter hasn’t been through the final edits yet, so keep that in mind.

Enjoy!

I walked out of the office, staring at my perfect engagement ring and marveling how I could make it sparkle in the glow from the parking lot lights. The diamond had it all, according to my fiancé and best man in the world, John. Its color was listed as a D, and it was, as John said, flawless like me.

I was surprised he was able to afford a four-carat brilliant cut diamond but there was no way I would turn this beauty down. In fact, I never expected him to pop the question so early in our relationship, either. It was sweet that he shared our happy news with everyone in the apartment building, too.

I climbed into my black Lexus CT200h , not feeling the cold air because I was, after seven months, still warmed by his proposal. How could a woman turn down a man who said she was flawless and all he ever wanted in life? I’ll admit, the ring was part of the inducement, as well. With my five year high school reunion coming up, I knew I’d have the best ring in the room and I bet a lot of the other mean girls, and they were almost all mean girls in my graduating class, weren’t even engaged yet.

Sure, they’d have stories about ‘focusing on their careers’ and ‘waiting for the right man’ but I’d been able to do both and still managed to be the youngest divisional sales rep in the company. Clearly, they weren’t up to standard.

My stomach turned with that last thought. Not being up to standard was the taunt they used on me throughout the four years of hell called high school. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you hear it every damned day for four years, it takes a toll. Even thinking that about another person was not a good path to go down.

I needed to get a grip. I deserved to feel good about myself and my accomplishments. Now, how to do that while dealing with the emotional landmines at the reunion? That was the tricky part.

I pulled into my parents’ driveway in time for our weekly Tuesday wedding planning meeting. We’d been meeting, well it was my mother and me while Dad cooked dinner, since the week John and I announced our engagement. I didn’t believe her when she said there was a lot to do and that there wasn’t any time to waste if we wanted a perfect wedding but as we continued to plan, I realized she was right. I was determined to have a perfect wedding because there could be no other way to start out my married life.

I was a little concerned with her overuse of the word ‘we’, but as her only child all her hopes had always been pinned on me. Hopes for a beautiful wedding, hopes for grandchildren, hopes for my future. Sometimes it was a lot to live up to.

Tonight dad was cooking lasagna and we were deciding on chair covers. I still hadn’t picked out the style of cover I wanted for the reception hall chairs. Colored or white? Bows or drapes? Contrasting bottom trim or plain?

I opened the door to the smell of garlic and tomato sauce – heaven if there ever was one. My dad looked over from the kitchen counter where he was slicing tomatoes for the salad. “There’s my girl,” he said with a grin.

“And there’s my guy,” I replied, like I always did. I set my purse down on the kitchen table and kissed him.

“Your mother’s in the dining room, elbow deep in something or other. You should go save her from herself,” he said with a grin.

“I heard that, Carl!” my mother yelled from the other room.

“I know you did, Emily,” he yelled back.

My parents are loud and a stranger might take their raised voices for arguments, but that’s not the case. I’ve never seen two people more in love and more supportive of each other. I hoped that John and I would have the same kind of marriage.

I certainly supported him and his work as much as I possibly could. It’s tough to see, sometimes, how he makes money by playing games online but it’s a thing lots of people are doing these days. He showed me the amount of money the top ten Twitch streamers make and I was astonished. He promised he’d be close to the top ten in a year or two.

I kissed my mother on the cheek and said, “Chair covers?”

“Yes, and then we need to move on to flowers. We need to get some of the bigger decorative items decided on so we can order them in time.”

We still had almost eight months to our fall wedding, but I sat next to her and started leafing, for what felt like the millionth time, through the notebook section dedicated to chair covers.

“I have pictures of a few new styles at the back,” she said.

I flipped to the back of the notebook and fell in love with the last photo. White satin, of course, but with a pleated skirt, lilac bow and a deeper purple hem. “Mom, these are the ones,” I said, pointing excitedly at the photo.

She smiled at me. “I thought you’d like those best. I’ll order them in the morning.”

“Dinner is almost ready,” my dad said from the door.

I looked up at my dad and smiled. He was such a great guy. If there was one word I would use to describe him, it would be reliable. If Mom or I needed anything, he was there to make sure it happened. Mom said he volunteered to cook us dinners as his part of the wedding planning. It was a good choice on his part, because I don’t think he’d have the patience to debate satin vs. polyester or tulle vs. lace.

I started gathering up the papers and binders and said, “Thanks, dad. We’ll clean all this up.” I brought everything to my old room, which had been turned into my mother’s study. She’d painted the walls a deep sage and had brought in white furniture. The walls were lined with history books she used to supplement the classes she taught at Woolhaven high.

My mother had the oak table set before I returned so I helped dad bring the food in from the kitchen.

“You know, Amber, you really ought to get that ring appraised,” said my Dad as he passed the salad to me. “It needs to be listed in your renter’s insurance, just in case.”

I knew he was right, but it seemed crass to know the value of my engagement ring, particularly before we got married. It was clearly expensive and he’d even got the platinum band that I asked for, what else would someone need to know?

“I know, Dad. I know. I promise I’ll take care of it soon.”

The ring also never left my hand unless I was cleaning it. No one would have the opportunity to steal it from me. We lived in Woolhaven, not some big city with a lot of crime. Home invasions were not a thing that happened here.

As we ate, I watched my parents in a new light. Ever since my engagement, I’d looked at them for clues to what makes a happy couple and even though I knew they were a happy couple, I never realized how much they supported each other in even the little things. Dad made dinner on Tuesday so mom could focus on me. Mom kept the inside of the house tidy and clean, a job that had gotten a lot easier once I moved out to go to college. Dad spent a lot of his weekends working on the outside of the house, a job that was getting more time-consuming as the house was getting older. It always seemed that if one of them was working, the other was helping in some way. The thing I liked most, and that I tried my best to emulate, was that they listened to each other. Really listened with all their attention.

I wish John would do more of that with me. It could be hard to get him to put down the controller and focus on the important things – like our wedding or our future together. When pressed, he said he was working for our future and to make sure we had all we needed, but it really seemed like he was goofing off. I couldn’t tell the difference between gaming for work and gaming for fun.

“And how is John?” my dad asked.

I swallowed the piece of garlic bread that tasted like a little piece of heaven and said, “He’s doing well. He’s starting a new game, so he’ll be busy for a while.” I set down my fork and sighed. Now was the time I had to tell my parents what had been upsetting me for weeks now. “He says he won’t be able to come to the reunion with me.”

I suppose a lot of women would think that her fiancé not coming to a reunion wouldn’t be a big deal, but for me it was. I wanted to show my class that I was ‘up to standard’. Hell, I was way above standard with my handsome fiancé and gorgeous engagement ring. The problem was, the reunion was also our Valentine’s day date. It’s not a good sign if your fiancé decides to work on Valentine’s day.

Sure, he claimed it’s the only time he’ll get to play AstroKid, the king of Overwatch. It’s the only time AstroKid had available and John made it sound like the guy was doing him a favor. What could he do?

I reminded myself, as John had reminded me a million times, that he was working for our future and if he beat this guy, he’d become much more well-known and that would lead to a major increase in ad revenue.

My mother scowled. “What’s his excuse this time?”

“It’s a work thing. He’s playing a guy whose only free time is that night. And he doesn’t skip everything.”

My mother started counting on her fingers, “Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve –“

I held up my hand to stop her from continuing.

“I suppose that’s a time most of these video game, live-in-their-parents-basement types have available,” chuckled my dad, “its’ not like they can get dates.”

I stood up and started clearing the table. That was a mean stereotype and insulting to John. “Dinner was great, dad. Thank you.”

“Now honey, don’t get all upset,” he said.

I flashed him a fake smile. I knew that he thought as poorly of John as he did every other video gamer he disparaged. It wasn’t a real job in his mind. John had steadfastly refused my dad’s offer to get him a job in his company, saying he could play around on weekends. John didn’t think construction would suit him, which gave more credence to my dad’s idea that all gamers were all lazy, too. “I’m not upset, but maybe you can be a little more respectful of his non-traditional job?”

My dad scoffed but didn’t say anything. I supposed that was better than the alternative of hearing his opinion again.

“You’ll have to celebrate on another day. Do you have plans?” my mother asked.

“I don’t know what he has planned, but he wanted me to come over tonight. He said it was time for a long talk.”

“Sounds serious,” said my mother.

“I don’t think so. At least, he didn’t sound serious in the text he sent me. I hope he’s finally going to give me some clues about the honeymoon. The suspense is killing me.”

“Leave the dishes to me,” my mother said, “and you go get some answers from your man.”

I kissed my parents goodbye, grabbed my purse and headed out to John’s apartment. My parents had never been there, thankfully, because technically it was the basement of his dad’s place. Okay, that’s not really fair to John, it’s the finished basement of a rental property his dad owns. It’s not like he’s still living at home.

I pulled into the visitor’s parking spot, surprised not to see John’s car in the lot. I looked at the time on my phone. Seven twenty, a few minutes early. Where was he?

I walked into the building and knocked on the door that led down to the basement. When he didn’t answer, I pulled out my key and let myself in. It had been a lot of work to get him to give me a key, but he relented when I promised I’d clean the place up.

I walked down the stairs and called his name. No answer. Once I flicked on the light to the one-room apartment I gasped. Everything was gone. Gaming system, television, bed, posters on the wall, even the pile of dirty laundry on in the corner that I had planned to wash tomorrow night.

The only thing in the apartment was a note with my name on it, sitting on the tiny kitchen counter.

Amber,

   You’ve probably figured out by now that I’m gone. It’s been a hell of a ride, but I could never imagine myself marrying such an uptight, needy woman as you.

   Chloe and I have moved to Las Vegas. She’s going to get a job as an exotic dancer and I’ll be able to devote all the time I need to my career.

   I’ll text you our address to send the ring back. I think Chloe deserves it.

Later,

John

 

My knees buckled and the room started to spin. I held onto the Formica counter for support until I could stand on my own again. Chloe was the upstairs neighbor’s daughter. Was she even old enough to move out? Did her parents know what was going on?

I took a few deep breaths and steadied myself. He’d left me. Eight months before our wedding, and he’d up and moved with some young girl to Las Vegas.

Sure, she’d probably make a lot of money as a dancer. She was fit and gorgeous, enough to tempt any guy. And that’s when it hit me. He’d been seeing her for a while now. The times I’d found them together in his apartment, the late-night phone calls he’d had to take when he was at my place, the abruptly canceled dates. No Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s dates. He’d been with her.

I couldn’t believe he’d played me for such a fool. Why did he ask me to marry him if he knew he was going to run away with Chloe?

I crumbled the note in my hand, wanting to throw it out, but he’d even taken the trashcan. I stormed up the stairs and threw open the door and ran smack into a crying woman. She looked even more upset than I felt.

“Excuse me. Are you all right?” I asked her.

“Is he down there? Is my daughter with him?” she demanded.

“No, he’s not there. The apartment is empty, except for this note he left me.” I tried to smooth out the note as best as I could before handing it to her.

She snatched the note out of my hands and read it quickly.

“Las Vegas? He’s taken my baby to Las Vegas!” she wailed.

“Why don’t we go to your apartment and get you something to drink.”

“Vodka,” she agreed.

I had been thinking a nice cup of tea, but vodka would work in a pinch, too.

She unlocked her door with shaking hands and we walked in. I had always thought John’s apartment was drab and ugly because it was in the basement and his dad hadn’t wanted to put much effort into it for John. I was wrong – this apartment was drab and ugly, too, although Chloe’s mom had tried to brighten the place up with some color. Unfortunately, the bright pillows and curtains only highlighted the dingy, stained walls and threadbare carpet.

“I know I’ve got a bottle in here somewhere,” she said as she started rummaging around in her tiny freezer.

I stood in the doorway, not sure what to do, feeling uncomfortable, hoping she didn’t want me to stay for long.

She pulled two shot glasses out of the cabinet next to the sink and said, “Okay, now we’re ready.” She gestured to the couch and said, “Sit, we’ll drink. It will be much better after that.”

Not a winning life attitude, but what could I do?

“I, uh…Do you have any tea?” I asked.

She snorted. “Not a drinker? Fine. I’ll make you some.” She poured herself a shot first and slammed it like a pro. She took a pan out of a cabinet, filled it with water and set it on the stove. “I knew there was something going on between them but then the two of you got engaged and I convinced myself I was a crazy old woman. I should have known better.”

She turned around to look at me again. “Why couldn’t you keep your man? I’d still have my baby girl if you did.”

Woah, there. In no conceivable way was this my fault. “Maybe I’ll just go,” I said, backing toward the door.

“Fine. You do that. Everyone else has left me, no husband and now no daughter – she stayed long enough to get her birthday presents this morning and now – off to Las Vegas with that loser.”

I looked at the coffee table and saw a card with a big eighteen on the front. That bastard. He’d been waiting for her to turn eighteen before they ran off together. How long had they been planning this? A horrible thought struck me. They’d been planning this for at least seven months. The engagement that had seemed out of the blue was a cover for his relationship with Chloe.

“I’m really sorry, but I don’t think I can help you. I’ll … I’ll be going home now,” I stammered from the doorway.

She poured a second shot and slammed it down her throat. “Whatever,” she mumbled.

I turned and got right out of there. I sat in my car and cried big, ugly sobs until I could get hold of myself. Why hadn’t I seen this coming? I was sure he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Why wasn’t I enough for him?

I took a deep breath and tried to exhale my sadness out with it. It didn’t work, but at least it slowed down my crying. A couple more breaths and I was ready to go back to my apartment.

The moment I opened the door, Cassie, my roommate, took one look at me and said, “Oh my god. He’s left you.”

How could she have known? What did she and my dad know about John that they never told me? Why wasn’t Cassie as surprised as I was?

I couldn’t speak, so I nodded.

She pulled me into the apartment and gave me a fierce hug. “He’s a loser and doesn’t deserve you.”

I started crying and she maneuvered me over to the couch. “Ice cream?” she asked.

“With chocolate syrup and whipped cream,” I said. No sense in watching my weight for the wedding now.

She brought me a half-empty pint of her Cherry Garcia along with a can of whipped cream and a bottle of chocolate syrup. “Go to town, I can get more tomorrow.”

I poured chocolate syrup into the container, then smothered it with whipped cream. My first bite was bliss. “Thanks,” I said with my mouth full. I ate more and added chocolate syrup and whipped cream as necessary. It had been ages since I’d had ice cream, or cake, or any desserts because the dress I’d picked out would highlight my waist and the smaller it was, the better I was going to look for the pictures. My only cheat meal was the dinner my dad made every Tuesday.

What a waste of time and energy. I can’t believe I gave up ice cream for that jerk.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” Cassie asked.

I wasn’t really, but Cassie deserved to know the bare outline of what had happened. “He left me to go to Las Vegas with a girl that just turned eighteen. She’s going to be a dancer and he’s going to ‘finally focus on his work’.”

“Hasn’t he been focusing on his work all along? she asked me.

“It seems like he’s been focusing on the just-legal-today girl who lived upstairs from him.

“Just legal today?” she said in astonishment.

I nodded. “I met her mother in the hallway and she said Chloe, that’s the girl, Chloe had waited until she got her birthday presents this morning before they left. The mother had no idea they were leaving, either.”

“That’s cold,” Cassie said.

I looked down at the ice cream to see it was gone. “I’ve done enough damage here. I’m going to bed. Maybe when I wake up this will have all been a bad dream.”

Cassie took the implements of my dietary destruction into the kitchen. “You’re a fantastic woman and any guy would be lucky to have you. This jerk couldn’t see it, that means he was way beneath you.”

I smiled wanly at her attempt to cheer me up. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll believe you tomorrow.”

I skipped my twenty-minute evening moisturizing routine – no need for supple skin if no one was going to be seeing it on the nonexistent honeymoon – and went to bed.

I’d need all the strength I could muster to tell my parents and cancel the wedding.

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