Page 29 of Vegas Love (Love 1)
"I don't kiss good, we kiss good," I tell her, pressing my lips against hers.
My phone starts ringing loudly.
I ignore it.
It stops, starts ringing again.
"You should answer that," she says.
I see Cade's name on the screen and shake my head. "No."
She grabs the phone out of my hand, presses the button to answer it, and then holds it up to my ear.
"Hey, Cade."
"You and Ashlyn are fucking married?! When did this happen? Were you the guy she fucked on the plane? Did you go to Vegas with her that night and get married? And then when I told you about your job and how you couldn't sleep with her, you lied to my fucking face? Actually, it doesn't matter. You're fucking fired. F-I-R-E-D. Fired. Do you hear me? I took a chance on you. And you fucked up this one thing?"
"I can explain."
"There is no explanation," he continues to yell. "It's bad enough you lied to your boss, but it's a hundred times worse that you lied to your brother. Mom just called me. She was crying."
"Mom? How the hell did she find out?"
"Kelli called her."
"That little bitch."
"She may be a bitch, but at least she's honest. Go pack up your shit and go the fuck back to Seattle."
"But, I--"
I hear a click.
"He hung up on me," I say to Ashlyn, hanging my head.
"Good news travels fast, huh?" she says with a sad chuckle.
I hold my head in my hands, trying to figure out how best to handle this. "You could say that."
"I heard what Cade said. I'm sorry you got fired because of me."
"It's okay. We were going to tell them this weekend. I'll just explain what happened. They will understand. Eventually."
I look up at her. She's a mess. Black mascara tears are running down her cheeks. The ocean breeze is blowing her hair, causing it to stick to her face.
I brush it back and kiss her forehead.
She cries harder, her whole body shaking. Then she takes the ring off her finger, hands it to me, and says, "Cash, I want a divorce."
"What? No! Why?"
"I can't do this anymore."
"Ash, my family will get over it, I swear. Cade is just shocked."
She's still shaking when she says, "I thought I loved you, but I don't. Not enough to deal with all of this."
"I don't believe you."
"I'm sorry," she says again as she stands and then runs to her house.
I should run after her again, but I can't.
I'm devastated.
So I sit in the sand, stare at the ring, and do something I haven't done in years.
I cry.
Perfect Girl
Cash
I went back to Carter's house, locked myself in the bedroom, and slept for fifteen hours straight. I'm pretty sure it was my body's way of ignoring the hurt.
Now, I'm packing. Carter hasn't said a word to me since I came home last night, so I'm going to fly back to Seattle in the morning, lick my wounds, and figure out my next step.
I want to talk to my family, but I can't.
If I do, I'll have to admit to defeat. I'll have to admit that she didn't love me enough to stand up to my family with me.
I can take my family being mad at me. I know they'll get over it eventually.
But I don't think I'll ever get over her.
And that's the part I don't know if I can explain.
How did I fall for her so fast?
Why did I marry her?
Why do I still want to be married to her?
Why do I love her?
That one, I know the answer to. Because she's the perfect girl for me.
I'm absent-mindedly grabbing the little bit of stuff I brought with me and throwing it into a suitcase.
But I stop suddenly and look at what's in my hand.
It's the conch shell I found on a family trip to Belize when I was young. I remember there were piles of them on the beach, but this is the one that I had to take home.
"Look, Mom. Isn't this one pretty?"
"Are you sure you want that one, Cash? It's cracked. Why would you want to take it when there are so many perfect ones to choose from?"
"Because it's my favorite," I say.
I've taken this shell with me everywhere. It has sat on a nightstand next to my bed since I was nine. When Kelli moved in with me, she tried to throw it away.
I stare at the shell and know why I've kept it all these years.
I run down the beach to her house and bang on her bedroom window.
She turns on an outside light, illuminating me, and opens the door with a questioning look on her face. "Why are you here?"
I thrust the shell at her. "This is why I'm here. Please let me in. I need to explain."
She stands in the doorway, blocking it and not even allowing me to step inside. If I have to do it this way, so be it.
"I found this shell when I was nine. My mom told me it was cracked and I should find another one, but I didn't. This shell has laid next to my bed since that trip. At my house, at my dorm, at my apartment in Seattle. I know now why I kept it. This shell is like you. It's a pretty shell, but the crack is what makes it beautiful. All my life, I've been looking for the girl who matches this shell." I flip it over. "And look at all the twists inside it. Underneath the exterior is something crazy, wild, fun, and unpredictable. Just like you. I love you, Ashlyn."
I get no response, so I get down on my knees and beg. "Please, take the shell. I want you to have it. I want to marry you again, just like we said."
Tears stream down her face, but she doesn't say a word.
I desperately pull the ring out of my pocket and hold it up. "Will you marry me?"
"I can't, Cash. I'm sorry. Vegas was amazing and crazy, but all it will ever be is a good story."
Then she shuts the door in my face.
Divorce Papers
Cash
The next morning as I'm getting ready to leave for the airport, I find an envelope on my doorstep. Inside are divorce papers that she printed off the Internet. I can see the website address sprawled across the top of the document. She's also included a copy of our marriage certificate, our napkin prenuptial agreement, and a note from her asking if I would please sign and return, along with her promise to handle our divorce as discreetly as possible.
&n
bsp; I study the marriage certificate. Granted, I've never been married before, but this thing doesn't look legal.
I grab my computer and pull up a frequently asked questions page about getting married in Vegas.
Most all chapels will perform a ceremony without a marriage license so that you can have the fun experience of a Vegas wedding, but if you want that marriage to be legally binding, please go to the License Bureau first. They are open 365 days a year from 8am until midnight.
"We're not really even married," I say out loud. "That's just a--"
"She thinks you are," Harper says, startling me. I turn around to find Harper and my sister Chloe, along with Carter and Maddox.
"Harper told us the truth about everything," Carter says. "I'd just like to go on record and say that Chloe owes me five hundred bucks."
Chloe smacks Carter on the back. "I do not! We redid our bets, which voided our original agreement."
"No way. You owe me. No fancy schmanzy purses for you," he teases.
"I hate you," she says, laughing.
I roll my eyes because I'm not in the mood for their stupid joking around. "I'm going to finish packing."
"No, you're not," Harper says. "I talked to Ashlyn. I know why she told you she wants a divorce."
I run toward her. "You do?!"
"I'm pouring some drinks first," Maddox says.
"Good idea," Carter agrees. "This is going to take a while."
I sit down next to Harper, but Chloe squeezes between us. "I'm in on this too."
Harper agrees. "We're working together on this. All of us. Because we love you both. Think of this as an intervention."
Carter hands me a glass of amber liquid on ice. "Scotch, first. Intervention, second."
"Intervention?" I ask.
Maddox laughs. "Kind of funny that we're drinking scotch at an intervention. Aren't these things usually reserved for addicts?"
"Cash is an addict," Harper says with a smirk on her face. "He's addicted to Ashlyn."
"I'm not addicted to her. I love her. And nothing you can say is going to make me stop, so don't bother."
"We want to help you get her back," Chloe says sincerely. "I mean, we're mad at you and all, but we still love you."
Her words touch me deeply. This is what I wanted Ashlyn to experience--a family who loves you unconditionally.
