Stud Muffin (Donner Bakery #2) - Jiffy Kate Page 0,36

If I can’t burn shit, I’ll throw it away.

It takes the edge off, until I come across an envelope that’s been tucked down in here since it came in the mail a few months ago.

Green Valley High Class of 2009

My knee-jerk reaction is to throw it in the trash with the rest of the junk mail, but I can’t help reading through the invitation.

Join us for two days full of friends, family, and fun!

Our ten year class reunion will kick off with some good ol’ Green Valley pride at the football game on Friday night. Come join us and cheer GVHS on to victory. Class of 2009 will have a dedicated section and we’ll be recognizing some of our classmates who made history at Green Valley High.

On Saturday, join us for a fun day at the park. Bring your spouses, significant others, and kids!

Saturday night, we’ll go out with a bang! Taking it back to the good days. Dinner, Dancing and this time around, we’ll be serving alcohol… legally. Your 2009 Homecoming King and Queen will be the guests of honor and emcees for the evening.

Don’t miss your chance to reconnect and rekindle old friendships and flames.

Cost: $25 for one/$40 for couple

RSVP to Mindy Mitchell...

Mindy Mitchell.

Something inside me snaps, similar to what I’ve experienced lately—heart pumping wildly, blood rushing, logic fleeing—and I’m left with the rawest, most basic needs. And right now, I need to go to this reunion. I can’t explain it. But I don’t want to do what they all expect me to do—throw this invitation away and hide away like the guilty party.

Hell no.

I’m not.

I’m going to do exactly the opposite. I’m going to show up and hold my head up high, knowing I’m not the one who is wrong in this situation. I didn’t sleep around on my wife. That was Asher. I didn’t sleep with someone else’s husband. That was Mindy. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let them flaunt themselves around for two days like they’re the king and queen of the goddamned world.

Walking over to the refrigerator, I take off one of the magnets and place the invitation there, holding it in place. Nodding to myself, I pick up my phone and open up my email, sending a brief, non-threatening, email to Mindy Mitchell.

Class president.

Husband stealer.

Miss Mitchell…

Scratch that.

Mrs. Williams.

I’m sure the invitations were made before she accepted Asher’s proposal, but I’m extremely too petty these days to let this opportunity pass me by.

Please add me to the list of attendees for the Class of 2009 reunion.

Tempest Cassidy.

Wait…

Please put me and a plus one down for the Class of 2009 reunion.

Tempest Cassidy.

I have no idea who that plus one will be, but I’ll be damned if I’m going alone. My thoughts immediately turn to Cole, but that would just be weird, taking my cousin, and would only further their opinions of me. But I’ve got a few weeks to figure it out.

I’m a smart girl and I’m not entirely unfortunate looking.

I can find a date.

At least, in theory, but the truth is that I’ve never actually approached a guy before. Before Asher, I hadn’t really had a boyfriend. There was this one guy, Tim, who took me to the movies my freshman year, but it was awkward and my mama drove us.

Before I can chicken out, I hit send.

As I’m driving to Knoxville, I think about the email, the invite, the marriage. I let it all sink in.

When I walk through the doors of the church, where the anger management group sessions are held, I take a deep breath. Somehow, I made it. I made it here without losing my grip, my temper, or my mind.

“Welcome,” the group leader says, when she sees me. “Tempest, right?”

I nod and give her a small smile, my eyes darting around the room, noticing a few familiar faces from last week. Most of the people stand around talking in groups of two or three. Since I’ve only been to one session, I don’t feel comfortable enough to approach any of them. So, after I sign in, I take a seat in the semi-circle of chairs, opting for one closest to the exit.

And my mama thinks I don’t have any self-preservation.

“Hello everyone,” the leader says as she walks to the front of the room. “As most of you know, I’m Lana. Pretty sure everyone has been here at least once, so I won’t force any awkward introductions.” She smiles and claps her hands, pacing for a moment