into work on time. A small miracle really, if you saw the shape I was in Sunday night.
The first thing I noticed on my calendar when I sat at my desk—this Saturday is Karly’s wedding. With the sheer volume of guests attending, along with the 5-course dinner meal Karly wanted—everyone on staff had to be there. That included me. I spent the week dreading the event to come. Every day I prayed Erik would call me and request I be back by Friday, so I would have no choice but to miss the wedding—this of course didn’t happen.
Then part of me wanted to see Corey, to at least make sure he was okay, since I was still worried after the way he looked leaving his apartment Friday morning. The very childish side of me wanted to call my Grandmother and tell her there was no way I was working one more day. Of course I couldn’t/wouldn’t do that either.
Which left me with no other choice except—to be at the wedding.
* * * *
The banquet hall looked absolutely incredible. Flowers, candles and tulle covered every surface making it look like a winter wonderland. I threw myself into the party planning for two main reasons. The first being, it distracted me from everything else that was creating distress in my life and second because Karly deserved the absolute best. A few times she called or stopped by the Inn to check up on me . I both loved and hated that she did this. Every time she showed up, all I had to do was see her and I broke down into a freaking mess. Sometimes it was exactly what I wanted; to just cry my heart out and other times I was just so tired of being the blubbering mess. Gabby was already stocking her house with plenty of liquor and ice cream and the promise to help me drown out my broken heart.
Bailey agreed to deal with the main reception area, catering to everyone’s needs the way I did for Emily’s wedding. That was already a nice relief to calm my mind.
The second guests started to arrive I burrowed myself away in the kitchen. No one questioned why I was helping prepare plates of food, chop vegetables or wash dishes. We were serving up the last course for dinner and everything was going well so far. I tried to convince myself that the people on the other side of the door weren’t the same group that was now a huge piece of my heart. After the final course had been returned to the kitchen, I decided to brave the party. My plan was either to make myself seen by Karly so she could come join me— away from her brother— or I could at least wave so she knew I was here.
Except the moment I stepped into the party, Bailey bum-rushed me, blocking my entrance into the room.
“What are you doing?” She asked in a single, hurried breath.
“Going to try and get Karly’s attention.” I answer, completely dreading the look of hesitation behind Bailey’s eyes.
“You can go back into the kitchen and I can bring her to you.”
Before I asked why she would prefer to send a bride in a very white gown into a crowded kitchen—it hit me. Corey. Bailey wasn’t protecting me from running into a saddened man; she was preventing me from something she knew I didn’t want to see. Well, now there was no other option—I had to see what was going on. After pushing past Bailey, it took me about ten seconds to find what she was keeping from me.
Seated at the round table, with the bride and groom were the sisters, their dates, a couple that I assumed to be Corey’s mom and stepdad. That wasn’t what made my heart plummet to the pits of my stomach though. Seated next to the cleaned up man I spent the past two weeks crying over, was a total bombshell. From the side view I caught a look at her dazzling smile, Victoria’s Secret big sexy curls in her hair, a painted on red dress showing off her long legs and big boobs. Already I hated this girl but the second I saw Corey’s arm reach out and drape along the back of her chair—I saw red.
Sure, I said we were over but I sure as fuck didn’t expect to see him here with another. Not just that, but this chick was obnoxiously gorgeous and the smile