three hours having my nails, hair, and makeup done for the gala. When the dresses showed up, my mom made me try on every one of them, and I let her pick. She chose an emerald green dress that shows off my curves and will look great on the dance floor, according to her.
Then my mom insisted I arrive in a separate car so my photos wouldn’t be mixed in with theirs. If I wanted to stay later to talk to my friends, I’d have my own car. Again, her words not mine.
A long time ago, I learned it was easier to agree with my mother instead of trying to fight her on things. Especially anything that has to do with appearances, and I know this night is important to her.
I watch them arrive in the car in front of me. My father turns to her and helps my mom out of the car. They both smile for the cameras and the press goes crazy snapping photos of them.
When their car pulls away and mine pulls up, I know the drill. My driver waits until Mom and Dad are halfway up the walkway before opening my door. I step out, the camera’s flash, and everyone yells out questions. Smiling and posing, I turn and join my parents who are smiling like we’re this perfect American family.
Once inside, Mom grips my arm and steers me right over to Spencer Macintosh. ‘Look who got back into town earlier this week,’ she says to Spencer and his parents.
‘I heard you were back in town, Jenna, and was hoping you’d be here,’ Spencer says.
I went to kindergarten with this man, and I can honestly say he peaked in middle school. He was a cute kid, but once puberty hit, it wasn’t kind to him. He’s tall, skinny, and pale with a little acne. He has the confidence of a player, though, and I’m guessing the only reason he gets any action is because of his family name and bank account.
‘Yes, I’m in town visiting my parents,’ I tell him as my mom floats away to talk to someone else. I knew this was a setup.
‘Oh, I heard you’d moved back from, where was it? Montana?’ he asks, making “Montana” sound like a dirty word. I guess in his world it is.
‘Well, you heard wrong. I’m just visiting and happened to be in town for the gala, so here I am.’ I smile to be polite, but when his eyes start running over my body, it feels gross and wrong.
It’s not like when Phoenix’s eyes run over me. That heats my body and turns me on like nothing else can. Spencer’s eyes on me make me feel uncomfortable and violated.
‘Well, maybe I can give you an incentive to stay?’ he asks, but there’s a cocky smirk on his face that says it’s not really a question.
‘I doubt it. Honestly, I’m enjoying being out of the city and away from all this. I’ve got a book deal I’ve been working on.’
‘That makes sense while you’re in Montana. How long before you finish up the book and come home?’
I don’t know why I’m irritated that he thinks I’m only there to do the book. Maybe it’s the way he again made Montana sound like a dirty word. Or maybe it’s because he’s not understanding I’m done with this life.
That’s when it hits me full force. I’m done with smiling for the camera and putting on the perfect face. I’m done with galas and charity events and fundraisers and fancy dresses. I’m done with spending hours on hair, makeup, and nails just to look perfect for a few hours at an event.
Hell, I’m done with the big city and the noise that fills the air at night. I’m done with not being able to see the stars from my front porch, and I’m done with all of these people.
But I gave my word to my mother about tonight, so while I may have to grin and bear it, I don’t have to stand here with Spencer.
‘Well, I guess I’ll see where it takes me.’ I smile and head directly to the bar to get a drink.
The best part about my mom insisting I have a driver is that I can have a drink to make dealing with tonight easier. Though, I’ve also learned that at events like this, one glass of wine is my limit. It will relax me, but not make me tipsy as I need to have my words and wits about me to deal with the men in this room.
I don’t even make it to the bar before I’m stopped by another man my mom has tried to set me up with in the past. I have no idea what his name is. I just remember he had a horrible sense of humor that bordered on racist. He talks to me like we’re best friends. When he tries to tell me about the contract he’s working on with my father, I finally put my foot down.
‘It’s funny because the last time my father talked about you, he said he wouldn’t work with you even if it meant his business going bankrupt.’ Then I turn around and walk off.
Once at the bar, I place my drink order. While I’m waiting, another gentleman next to me turns around and grabs my butt as he smiles at me. I have no idea who this guy is. He’s old enough to be my father and makes no effort to hide what he just did.
‘That dress is the perfect choice for you,’ he says with a creepy smile.
‘Touch me again, and not only will I break your hand, but I will also dislocate your dick.’ I smile at him as I take my wine from the bartender who’s trying not to laugh, having overheard what I just said.
Now that I have a glass of wine in my hand, I move off to the side of the bar. I scan the room, looking for the best place to hide out until dinner. Unfortunately, right in front of me, stands Chad.
‘I didn’t think I’d see you at another of these events. But I’m glad you had the guts to show your face,’ he says without even the hint of a smile.
‘Why should I be embarrassed to show my face? I wasn’t the one who had to pay the newspapers to spin the fact that you jumped from one bride to the next.’ I say, giving him what I hope is an evil smile.
Over his shoulder, I see my mom notice who I’m talking to. Her eyes go wide and she excuses herself, picking her way over to me as fast as she can.
‘If I’m being honest, Chad, I have to thank you.’
Confusion fills his face. ‘Thank me for what?’
‘If you hadn’t made it so blatantly clear that you were only marrying me for the money, I would have married you that day. We would be married and miserable right now. But instead, I’ve been given a chance to be happy, to do something that gives me joy, and I never would have taken that leap if it hadn’t been for you.’
My mother stops not too far away, ready to jump if it looks like the situation is getting out of control.
Chad’s eyes turn soft, and I see a hint of the man I first dated. The one I thought I was marrying.
‘I’ve only ever wanted you to be happy, Jenna. Despite how our relationship started and how our marriage would have begun, I would’ve always made sure you were happy,’ he says in a soft tone.
I can feel the emotion behind it, and at that moment, I believe him, regardless of everything that’s happened.
I don’t get to reply because his new fianceé walks up, and his entire demeanor changes.
‘Well, congratulations to you both.’ I smile and turn to walk away before either of them can say anything else.
I smile at my mother as I walk past her, and I do the same as I walk past my father. I’m sure they think I’m just making my way to the restroom, but they’ll soon discover I’m not.
I text the driver to come pick me up. When I get to the side door away from all the press, he’s there waiting on me.
‘Is everything okay, miss?’ the driver asks once we’re heading back to my parents’ house.
‘Yes. I just realized this isn’t where I’m supposed to be.’
The driver gives me a big smile and there’s a twinkle in his eye, like he knew all along what it’s taken me until now to realize.
As soon as he drops me off at the pool house, I’m inside and changing out of the dress. I lay it on the bed so it’s there when my mother finds it. Then I remove my makeup but leave my hair since it’s curled and done up. If I tackle it now, it’ll take me forever to brush it out.
Quickly, I pack my bags, and when I step out to start loading them in my car, the driver is there with a smile on his face.
‘I’ll load these for you, and then I’ll go back to the gala. I’ll inform your parents that you weren’t feeling good, so you came home early and planned to go to bed. They won’t know you’ve gone until morning.’
‘Thank you. I’m not sure why you’re helping me out, but thank you.’ I don’t know this driver. He’s only recently begun working with my parents and this is the first time I’ve ever seen him.
‘It may not make a lot of sense to you, but you went to school with my son. He was in school with you on a scholarship and wasn’t popular. He had a huge crush on you because you were one of the only people that were truly nice to him. So, consider this my way of paying it forward.’
I wrack my brain trying to think who his son is, and then it hits me. ‘Your son was Ethan Kirby.’
‘Yes, and getting that scholarship was a blessing to my family. But I know that going to school was hard for him, and he would always focus on you. How you made it worthwhile for him to go to school every day.’
‘Ethan was one of the kids that were nice for no reason. Until I met him, I hadn’t known someone could be like that. My mom always packed these ridiculously healthy lunches with food I could never pronounce, and I was jealous that he would get peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and brownies and chips in his lunch. I’ll never forget the day I sat down next to him. It was the middle of ninth grade and I was having a horrible day. His mom had sent him in with brownies and he gave me his brownie to make my day better. It was the first time I’d ever had a brownie, and from that day on, I felt protective of him.’
‘You know, I remember that day. He came home flabbergasted that someone his age had never eaten a brownie before. We talked about how he was in an entirely new world, and how he needed to tread lightly.’
‘I never knew he had a crush on me. But I always considered him a friend, and I wish he would have asked me out to homecoming or prom. I would have said yes,’ I say with a smile, remembering those moments hiding from the rest of the kids during lunch just for a bit of peace and quiet with him. ‘How is he now?’
‘Well, he busted his butt, got into Yale, and then he worked even harder and ended up at Yale law school. After graduating early and working at a firm here in Denver for a year, he decided he needed a change. What he wanted was to do good versus make a lot of money, so he does pro bono and charity work now.’
My mind immediately flips to Cash and how he’s going to need someone he trusts on his side when his brother passes away.
‘What type of work does he do?’
‘A lot of family planning and estate planning, child custody, divorces, and criminal law when he sees someone is wrongly accused.’
‘And he’s here in Denver?’
‘Yes. Is everything okay?’
‘My friend’s brother is really sick, and he’s not going to be around much longer. He’s going to need someone he can trust to guide him on the right path. He’s in Montana, and I know Ethan can’t represent him there, but I would feel better having someone look over the paperwork before anything is signed. If I gave you a letter, would you give it to him?’
‘I’d be happy to.’
After placing the rest of my bags by the front door, Mr. Kirby loads them into my car while I pull out a notepad from the kitchen area. I write a quick letter to Ethan, telling him that I hate that we lost touch. Then I give him my number, letting him know I’m going back to Montana, but would love to reconnect and maybe talk to him about looking over some paperwork for a friend of mine.
I give it to Mr. Kirby, who then pulls me in for a hug before opening my car door and helping me in.
As I drive north and see the Denver city lights behind me, I smile, feeling at peace with my decision.
After driving for a few hours, I get to a hotel just outside of Casper, Wyoming. I still have a full day’s drive to get back to Whiskey River. Only once I hit the Montana State line do all my doubts start to hit me, but there’s only one question that keeps running through my head over and over.
Why didn’t Phoenix want me?
