My Big Fat Fake Wedding - Lauren Landish Page 0,77

I could return to my schedule.” My eyes bug out as I look at Abi. “Who does that?”

Her smile is pure triumph. “Ross does, apparently, though I’ve never known him to make even a fraction of this effort for anyone before.”

Her words give me pause, and hope tries to bloom. Maybe he’s feeling some of what I’m feeling too? Could it be?

But no. Not Ross, and not for me. This is a big deal, a production to fool everyone. We can’t go at it half-assed or everyone will know it’s fake. That’s why he’s doing this. It has to be.

“So, did you find the dress?” she asks, hands clasped below her chin.

I shake my head. “No, not in that batch. But the associate said another batch—maybe even another store—would stop by tomorrow. I tried to argue about my schedule, but she said it’d already been arranged with my assistant and that he’d blocked out the time. Can you believe Archie?”

Even as I say it, I know it’s ridiculous. Archie will do whatever the hell he wants, and there’s nothing I can say or do to change it. I might be his boss, but he’s a man of his own wills and wants. It’s one of the things I love about him . . . usually.

Before Abi can answer, the bells jingle, signaling a customer up front. She turns to go help them, but a voice calls out. “Violet, where are you, baby?”

Abigail and I meet eyes, both of us with pinched brows and animated horror marring our faces.

“What the fuck?” I whisper as I go out front to see . . .

Colin.

He’s wearing his usual workday suit, spit-shined shoes, and slicked back hair. He looks . . . boring.

“Oh, there you are, Vi. I saw your car on the street and knew it was the sign I was looking for.” He smiles like any of that made sense.

“What are you doing here, Colin?” I say, not mad, exactly, more just confused with what’s going on.

Abi is flailing her arms wide, waving him off. “No way, mister. You can spin on your thumb and get the hell out of my store.”

“I wanted to talk,” Colin says to me, ignoring Abi. “I . . . I wanted to say I’m sorry, and I’ve been thinking. I was wrong.”

Unable to deal with Abi’s act, which had evolved into something like a manic dance at this point, I step around her. “You said you wanted it to end, Colin. So it’s over. I haven’t looked back”

“I overreacted!” Colin says, his voice touched with anger. “You were pressuring me, neutering me half the time, and—”

“Neutering?” I scoff, trying not to laugh. Neutering is the last thing I want from a husband, especially after the way Ross fucked me rough and hard. Nope, give me a fully functioning set of balls, thank you very much. But those balls have to come with respect. “Colin, I never neutered you. I wanted you to be you and for me to be everything you could ever want in a woman. In fact, I still hope you find someone and have a good life. But as for you and me . . . it’s over.”

“Woman, you don’t tell me when things are over!” Colin thunders, his entitled brattiness at having his toy taken away making him have what equates to a grown-man temper tantrum. But newsflash, I’m not a toy. And also, what did I ever see in him? Was he always this . . . childishly annoying?

“Except that I just did. As much as I hate to say it, you were right. We weren’t meant for each other—”

He interrupts me, a sneer twisting his lips. “So I’ve seen in the papers. You think you’re suddenly meant for Ross Andrews? I’m sure you do. You think you’re marrying better, don’t you? Hooked you a sucker with a bigger bank account than mine. But he’ll see you for the gold-digging whore you are.”

Of course, he’d think this is about money and status, as if those are the only reasons to get married. It’s like he thinks I’m some shiny toy. He doesn’t want me, but he damn sure doesn’t want anyone else to have me either.

Fighting hard for the high road, I say neutrally, “For so many reasons, I’m happier without you. Just leave.”

I turn my back on him, walking through the doorway to the back. As I pass her, Abi is glaring at Colin, shooting daggers with her eyes that