Free Unwrapped by Gennifer Albin

cliff of no return, but instead of the crunchy bottom of a ravine, we’ll find freedom and a happy ending. Or at least a happier beginning.
    I think I know just the person to be my partner in crime.
    Eric.
    I wasn’t the only wronged party in this situation. Courtney has a boyfriend, and he is stop number three on the agenda. First up—Bobby’s office. Stop two—my studio.
    Having cleaned up my tear-stained face before leaving the apartment, I walk confidently into Bobby’s office and stop at reception instead of strolling straight through.
    “Hazel! How are you?” Amaryllis smiles at me from behind the desk, and for the first time I wonder if it’s genuine, or if she’s seen the business side of Bobby’s dick as well.
    “I’m good. I can’t stay, but please give this to Bobby.” I hand the phone over.
    “No wonder he was so tense today.” She stands and smoothes her skirt.
    “Yeah, he left it at home.” I nearly choke on the word, knowing it isn’t my home anymore. “Anyways, if you could tell him I’ll call later?”
    “Sure!” She clips down the hall on her stilettos, and I clop out of the building in my stompy buckled boots. I’m just pulling away from the curb when my phone rings. Bobby. Gee, I’d love to get it, but talking on the phone while driving is dangerous. He’s probably wondering where his Thai food is. As far as I’m concerned, his lunch is dangling between his legs, because he can eat a dick.
    Noticing the scenery going by a bit fast, I ease up on Zowie’s gas pedal. The last thing I need is a ticket. At the next red light, I select a CD, crank it, and Aloe Blacc fills my ears with funky beats. Bobby craves order above all else; change is a bitter pill for him to swallow. As much as I want to scream in his face and throat-punch him, I know something that will have an even bigger impact.
    The wedding will go on as planned, except for one tiny detail in our vows. The part he won’t be expecting is when I tell the priest, ‘I don’t,’ throw the bouquet in Courtney’s face, and walk down the aisle alone and free. If I break up with him this second, his first priority—when he realizes I’m not joking—will be cancelling the wedding and getting his money back. This way, not only does he get shown up at his wedding in front of all his family and friends, but he’s left footing the very expensive bill which I know will just chap his ass.
    I know it’s expensive because he’s mentioned how much he’s spending on it about eleventy-billion times. “Hazy, you know you should watch your spending a bit more. Things will be tight for a bit, what with me spending eighty-seven thousand dollars on our dream wedding.”
    Your dream wedding , I’d wanted to correct him, but it did all sound very beautiful, if unoriginal.
    It’s going to be driving him crazy wondering why I dropped the phone off and didn’t stay to chat about wedding plans. Or bring his food. This, the latte machine, and the 3D glasses are just the beginning of a thousand tiny annoyances I’ll be orchestrating in the next six days until the wedding.
    The car behind me honks. I pull forward and call Bobby back, steeling myself for phase two.
    “Hazel, where the hell are you? We’re supposed to be—”
    “I know, Bobby.” My decision to do this by phone was the smartest thing I’ve done all year. My fists itch to punch the dashboard just from hearing his voice. “Something came up, and I had to run. Did you get your phone?” Will he be worried I saw the vid?
    He sighs heavily, and I can picture him pinching the bridge of his nose. “Obviously I did, or I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”
    Nope. The arrogance of the self-entitled. What a snuggly blanket of delusion that must be. “So, you’re not going to like this. But a huge piece came up with a really large commission.”
    “What’s not to like about that? It will be nice to get some back after all the money I’ve sunk into the