She’s engaged.
Information that feels like a punch to my gut.
“That’s wonderful,” her mother says through the receiver. Her enthusiasm makes her voice even louder. “It’s settled then, we’ll have the wedding on Christmas. I’m going to start notifying all the relatives! I’ll talk to you later.”
After wishing her mother goodbye, Victoria disconnects the call and casts me a rueful smile.
“Sorry about that. You were saying?”
The moment is gone.
Whatever courage I had slips through my fingers like melting snow. Not that it matters, anyway. Not if she’s engaged.
Of course she’s already taken. A woman like that would be.
My only regret is that I didn’t find out sooner, as I might’ve not drawn out my time camping out next to her restaurant for quite as long.
“Never mind,” I mutter, forcing a smile, and the next words feel too thick in my throat. “I just heard you’re getting married.”
Lucky bastard, he’d better be treating her right. “Congratulations.”
Her eyes soften. “Thanks, Simon.”
While her voice is warm as usual, concern clouds her gaze. “I’ve gotta get back to work. The burger joint’s swamped.”
I nod and watch her walk away, a string in the center of my chest yanking tight as she steps inside. She belongs in that warmth, in that world full of laughter and people. Not out here in the cold.
But am I really just going to watch her walk away?
Victoria
As soon as I step inside the restaurant, the noise and smell of food hits me like a wave.
The greasy scent of fryers and sizzling burger patties, plus ketchup and the vinegar from the pickles. The crispness from outside also clings to me, frosty enough I shiver slightly.
Despite the line of customers, I can’t help one last glance through the windows toward Simon.
His thoughtful smile and words always fill me with a warmth that has nothing to do with the temperature, which again, is absolutely frigid.
I hope he’ll be okay. I hate leaving anybody that way.
Then I round the counter and launch into action.
“Next order!” I call out, grabbing a bun and squeezing ketchup in perfect spirals.
A car pulls up to the drive-through window. I step over, smiling at the driver. Between the sun nearing the horizon and the tinted windows, I can’t make out features as I ask, “What can I get you, sir?”
The window rolls down, and my stomach plummets.
My fiancé’s sitting there in his rumpled dress shirt and loose tie, looking like he just got home from a long day at work. His fly is open, and a woman’s head bobs in his lap.
Bobs!
I freeze for a second, stunned by the absolute shock and audacity.
It takes about ten more seconds for the rage to kick in.
“Carl?” I shout, but everything else I want to yell lodges in my painfully tight throat.
His head snaps toward me, his brown eyes bulging as his face drains of color. His widow’s peak and dark, slicked back hair, along with his pallor give him a vampiric look that suits him. It certainly feels like he’s just sucked away the last few years of my life, after all.
“Jesus Christ, Victoria!” He scrambles to shove off the woman and fumble with his clothes. “I thought you were off today.”
The woman-my cousin Jade, of all people-pops up, smoothing her hair with a smug grin.
“Hey, Cousin,” Jade says sweetly, but her eyes glint with mischief. “Long time no see.”
I grip the counter so hard my knuckles turn white.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter, more to myself than to them. At my back, one of my coworkers asks if I’m okay.
I’m not. I’m pretty sure I’m also in shock. Mere minutes ago, I told my mom to go ahead with my Christmas wedding to the man my cousin was giving a blow job.
Carl’s mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air, but Jade just leans back and adjusts her lipstick in the rearview mirror. If she’s embarrassed, she hides it well. It’s not like she’s ever been kind to me, but the viciousness in her features now takes it to the next level.
I can’t believe I planned to marry this man. He’s not even ashamed, and that has me tossing the items in my hands aside. No way am I handing out their food, business as usual.
“I’ll be back,” I holler, rounding the counter and storming outside.
My righteous anger fuels my steps faster, the slap of my boots echoing through my limbs and my head. Once I reach the car, I angrily yank open the driver’s side door. “Carl! You’re cheating on me with my own cousin? How could you?”
In the next instant, I’ve pulled him out of the car, unsure how I found the strength but glad I did.
“You’re disgusting,” I snap, and oh shit, the twang in my chest warns me my anger’s about to give away to tears.
Carl dodges and shakes off the fist clenched in his disheveled shirt. “Well, now that you’ve found out, there’s nothing left to say. We’re over, Victoria.”
“Just like that?” Tears sting my eyes, and I blink like crazy, willing them back. All those years I put up with his immaturity, and he’s throwing me away like I’m nothing.
On top of the sting of betrayal, my thoughts rush to my grandma and how much she was looking forward to our wedding. She needs this. “We’re supposed to be getting our marriage license tomorrow. How could you do this to me?”
There wasn’t enough blinking in the world to prevent the tears from falling now that I recognized how much this would crush my grandma. And as much as I don’t want to hurt over a man who clearly doesn’t love me, I’m standing there with my heart in pieces.
Jade’s sharp laughter cuts through the air, and I don’t understand how either one of them can be so cruel.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.