Free A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection by Annette Lyon, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, Josi S. Kilpack, Heather Justesen, Aubrey Mace Page B

would take care of him, be the nurturing wife she’d thought he deserved.
    Hope’s voice was flat as she spoke. “What a turd. And I’m only saying that word because, as your big sister, I won’t swear in front of you. But I’m totally cursing him out in my head.”
    “He is a turd.” Tess wiped at her eyes. Her fingers came away black from smeared mascara. “I better wipe some of this mess off my face before I stain the couch. I must look like the undead.”
    “You look great. You always do,” Hope countered as Tess headed for the half bath.
    Behind her, Tess’s phone went off in her purse by the couch. She cringed, hearing James’s ring—the Law & Order sound effect: “dun-kung.” He’d put it on her phone as his ring tone because to him that sound meant “lawyer.” It rang a second time. Tess spun around, marched back, and, before it could ring again, declined the call then set it to vibrate so she wouldn’t hear that noise again. She stood there by the couch, Hope watching, Tess staring at the phone.
    As much as she wanted to hate James, she desperately wanted him to be the man she’d thought he was. “Leave a message,” she ordered, staring at the screen of her phone, hoping a notice of a message would pop up. “Leave one.” But after a few minutes, the phone still didn’t show anything but a missed call. No message of any kind. Not even a text. Tess tossed the phone back into her purse with disgust. As she headed to the bathroom, she wondered whether to block his number. Pro: blocking him would feel good. Con: she’d never know if he was really sorry and trying to contact her.
    Why do I care? He’s a jerk.
    Tess closed the bathroom door, looked at herself in the mirror, and replayed Hope’s words about how she looked great no matter what. Her sister was trying to make her feel good. It didn’t work. She took stock of her reflection, noting every flaw. If her nose had been straighter, her complexion clearer, her eyes not so wide set—if she had been prettier , then would James have wanted to marry her? Why had he pretended he’d wanted to marry her for so long, when he obviously didn’t?
    He was the top of his law school class. He was smart. No way was he stupid enough to think that she’d stick around like a pathetic puppy, waiting around forever for any scrap of attention or affection he was willing to throw her when it occurred to him.
    Except for the fact that she’d basically proved that she’d always be a puppy, always waiting, always there.
    After wiping her mascara off with a tissue, Tess leaned against the bathroom counter and gazed at her reflection, studying it—really studying it, but this time not for flaws. She tried to be as objective as possible.
    “I’m not ugly,” she whispered, after taking a full inventory. Even with red, puffy eyes and no makeup, she really wasn’t ugly. She was actually quite pretty. Not model gorgeous. Not even beautiful. But pretty. Maybe James was holding out for beauty bombshell.
    Turd.
    What now? Mom, she thought. I have to go see Mom. She’ll know what to do. She’ll let me stay with her while I figure this out. Her mother would make her famous brownies then hold Tess and let her cry it out over cups of Mexican hot chocolate. She could hide from James there at her mother’s place in California. She’d screen her calls and never—ever—answer a call or text from him again.
    Yes . The more she thought about the plan, the better it sounded. She wouldn’t check her e-mail—or better yet, she’d just block his email address from her account. She’d unfriend him on Facebook. Change her relationship status back to single.
    She’d take control of her life. She’d surrendered that control entirely to James for far too long.
    Three years I’ll never get back.
    With the energy of anger and purpose, she pushed away from the counter top and headed back to the living room, where her sister still sat on the couch, now watching a dating