Blayne

I spent that night in a motel and found myself hating life for a long time, before I could finally bring myself to use that crappy bathroom. I don’t know if I was missing my old bathroom more or Nick. Either way, I knew I had to get over it. But the millions of texts that Nick had been leaving on my phone weren’t exactly making it easy.

That was the thing with Nick. He always acted like whatever was between us was something special, and he would go on telling me that he loved me more than anything in the world, and then one day unexpectedly I would catch him in bed with someone else. He had lied to me so many times, I could no longer trust a word that came out of his mouth. Besides, Nick wasn’t the only problem I had anymore. Finding an actual job, and a place to live were my major concerns now. And then, I remembered Chloe. She had left me a message last night telling me that she was back from her vacation. Chloe had been my best friend since middle school. In the frenzy of last night, I didn’t even tell her what was going on, so I gave her a call now. The phone kept ringing for a while until she finally picked it up.

“Sleeping late?” I asked. “That’s not like you Chloe. Is someone there?”

By the whispered reply I got in return, she was obviously trying not to wake that someone up. “I’m about to do the walk of shame,” she said. “This could get awkward. Give me a minute and I’ll call you right back.”

“I can hold,” I told her. “Take your time.”

“Okay,” she said. “Hang on then. I can’t find my fucking pants!”

Chloe was a consultant at some firm and one of those people who manage to find a balance of work and life. I had known her forever but the first time we really hit it off, was at some birthday party that we both thought was lame. There’s something about sharing inside jokes with someone that instantly turns you into friends. Since then, Chloe and I have always managed to find inside jokes. We may not be the family we were born with but we’re certainly better than most of them. Chloe is about my age, and one of those crazy hot blondes you always hear stories about. But somehow, she manages to do it all with a certain flair. With the pants finally acquired, and Chloe walking outside a building, we started talking.

“Who was the guy you just ditched?” I asked, a desperate attempt at avoiding my own problems for as long as it was possible.

“No one you need to remember,” she said. “The sex wasn’t even that great. There’s nothing to tell really.”

I almost laughed aloud. “That is so you, Chloe.”

“What can I say, I got standards okay?” she said. “So, tell me why you’re calling me this early in the day and why are you not lounging at some outdoor café pretending to be interested in other engaged to be married rich women?”

“Guess I’m taking a day off,” I said. “I’m on a vacation.”

“What’s wrong, Blayne?”

So, she noticed.

“I left him,” I said. “I just got up and walked out on him.”

Saying it, just made it sound more real.

“You did?” she said, and I don’t know if she thought it was a good idea or a bad one. “You, finally did it? Oh Blayne! I’m so happy for you!”

“I should have known,” I said as a joke, relieved to hear these words. “You really do hate men.”

“We don’t hate men,” she said. “We just hate assholes like Nick who can’t appreciate a good woman.”

“Pretty sure his friends must be saying the same thing about me.”

“Well, his friends can suck my proverbial dick.”

“Seriously though Chloe,” I said. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do here.”

“Oh,” she said, knowingly. “You’re new to single life, huh? Don’t worry about a thing. I’m making you a care package in the evening. Hint: it’ll have plenty of condoms.”

“Chloe!”

“What? I’m serious! What’s the point of leaving your stupid fiancé if you’re not going to have some crazy hot single sex?”

Everything that happened with Chase came back. I didn’t know how to tell her that I’d already lost my second virginity to that Heartbreak Club hotshot.

“We can discuss this over cheap wine and expensive chocolate. When are you coming over?”

“Babe, I do have work to get to,” she said. “But I’ll try to get off a little earlier. I’ll see you in the evening. Where are you staying?”

“In this crappy motel,” I told her, looking around once again at my dismal surroundings. “It stinks in here and there are serious bug problems. I need to find a place, Pen.”

“Oh wow,” she said. “I feel like such an idiot! Listen, I’ve been looking for a roommate for so long! When I come let’s move you to my place.”

“Chloe, I don’t want to do this, you know?”

“What? Take a friend’s help?”

“Well, yes.”

“You do realize that’s the most ridiculous statement anyone in the entire world has ever come up with?”

“I’m starting to see that.”

“So, shut up and I will see you soon. Make sure you dress up because we’ll be going out on the prowl. It’s Friday! We’ll make sure Nick isn’t even a problem after tonight.”

“Just come!” I said, unable to conceal my cheerfulness. “I’ll text you the address.”

Even as I was talking to her I kept getting texts and calls from Nick. He barely had time for me in months. But now apparently, he was so into me that he had done nothing but texted and begged all day. Of course, this made me despise him even more than I did the night before. And when I looked around at the motel room I realized sitting in here moping wasn’t going to be a good start of a new life. So, I decided to take a walk. I looked in the mirror and brushed my unruly red hair. This was a new life and a chance to correct whatever went wrong before. A chance not to repeat the previous mistakes.

I had barely stepped out of the room when a man, dressed in what appeared to be a driver’s uniform, got out of the black limousine parked right outside. It was when he spoke in my general direction that I realized he was standing there waiting for me. On closer inspection, it was Stanton.

“Miss Worthington?”

“Yes?” I said, trying not to sound too surprised.

“My employer sends his regards. The car is for you. Mr. Cooper would be delighted if you could see him for brunch.”

“Who?” I asked, acting like I’d forgotten his name would be a good way to discourage both Stanton and his employer.

Stanton helped brush up my memory. “Chase Cooper?”

“Cooper?” I said, as though I was starting to remember.

“Perhaps you would like to talk to him?” Stanton said patiently. I realized this was just a job the poor guy did and I didn’t want to be rude to him, but I also didn’t want Chase getting the wrong idea. I accepted the phone he gave me and Chase was on the other end. “You know Stanton has things to do,” Chase said. “If you don’t pick up my calls, then I have no choice but to send him over.”

“Chase?”

“Blayne?”

“Yes—”

“It’s good to hear your voice,” he sounded genuinely happy. “Are you joining me for brunch, then?”

“Chase,” I said. “I don’t like being stalked.”

“I’m not stalking you.”

“Really?”

“I was worried.”

“Well, I appreciate your concern and now that you have learned that I’m fine, perhaps we can get back to our lives?”

I said this and handed the phone back to Stanton.

“There’s just one more thing,” Stanton said, and I almost rolled my eyes at him. But he was holding out his palm. There was something in it.

A fortune cookie.

“Thank you, Stanton,” I said. “You can go back now. Enjoy your day.”

I had no idea who this guy was but in the light of day that smile looked like a mirage. I might have been vulnerable that night, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stay weak. I couldn’t believe he thought this was cute? The whole stalker romantic-hero routine? The way he was talking to me on the phone just now, he was certain I was going to say yes. Was he that presumptuous?

But I wasn’t about to let him ruin my walk into a brand-new existence.

I broke apart the fortune cookie when I was away from Stanton.

Every day is the first day of the rest of your life.