Chapter 1

The video on the television flickers and plays again while I stare at it. The video is set to loop over and over and I struggle to turn it off. My mind is completely blank. My body is numb. I can’t believe I’m staring at Logan with another woman. Another woman that looks just like me! Apparently he has a type… Blonde. Young. Gullible. And naive.

I reread the card one more time. Mara knows what’s going on. Has she known the whole time? I underestimated how observant Mara is. No, I can’t think of her as Mara… she’s Logan’s fiancée!

A wave of guilt washes over me.

How could I have believed all his bullshit? I’ve been so stupid! Mara spent the whole day making it very clear they are together. She clung to him with every chance she got, covering him with hugs and kisses. She’d been marking her territory. Warning me. And I’d been too dumb to understand. I was too busy living in my fantasy and didn’t want to think about anything that might take it away from me.

It’s time to grow up. Men are all the same. I should have learned that already. But that’s what I get for allowing myself to picture a life with him. I’m already well aware that I’m not the kind of woman that good things happen to. And I’m sick and tired of men walking all over me.

In college, I didn’t date any guys my friends described as ‘winners.’ When I met David I thought he would be different. Well, he had been different. He’d manipulated me into falling for him while managing to not give a shit about me. How many other women did he fuck while we were together? How many times did I lay in my bed, completely oblivious to the fact that he’d had a different woman in that same spot before I got there?

I try not to ask myself those kinds of questions. They’ll just depress me and I’ll end up at the bottom of another pint of Ben & Jerry’ s. Obviously there’s something wrong with me. I’m the one that had fallen head over heels for a guy that didn’t give a shit about me. And now history is repeating itself.

Maybe it’s time for me to see a therapist so I can work out whatever unresolved issues are causing me to be attracted to narcissistic assholes.

I crumble the note and throw it across the room.

Bre was right. I should have kept my emotions out of it. I wish I could have casual fun like her. I wish I wasn’t such a sucker for playboys.

It’s past time I rid myself of this beautiful mansion and the beautiful man that owns it. He’s made me feel like a fool more than enough times for one weekend. It’s time to go home.

A huge yawn expands through my chest and stretches my mouth wide open. I need some sleep before I do anything else. Maybe I should just take a cue from my roommate, Sophie, and spend a few weekends locked away in our apartment with Netflix. The idea of staying locked away all weekend always sounded boring to me. But, right now, boring is sounding pretty damned nice.

My eyes lock onto the bed. Logan and I slept next to each other just one night ago. That feels like a different time. A different place. I had been so excited. So hopeful.

No. Don’t think about that. I just need some sleep. Then things will make sense again.

I crash into the bed and wrap my arms around a pillow. Exhaustion consumes every last crevice of my body and I hope it won’t take long to pass out. I want all thought of this horrible weekend far away from me. But, of course, I don’t get what I want. Nice things just don’t happen to me…

An eternity passes while I lay in bed, tossing and turning. The clock on the nightstand taunts me with how slow it counts off the minutes. Thoughts of Logan swirl around in my head. Sweet memories made only hours ago are already spoiling. Instead of bringing me warmth they make my chest tighten so much it feels like I might have a heart attack.

I’ve had enough of this. It’s time to cut my losses. How can I expect myself to get any real rest while I’m still in this damned place? Getting myself packed and ready to leave sounds like a much better use of my time.

I pull myself out of bed and grab my phone to text Bre.

Leaving for the City. Soon. LMK if you want to come with.

I don’t want to ditch her but I’m sure as hell not sticking around here any longer than I absolutely have to. She’ll understand after I tell her what happened. And besides, I doubt she will want to shorten her time with Collin. There’s no reason my terrible taste in men should stop her from having fun.

Thankfully, since we left in such a rush on Friday night, it’s not like I have a whole lot of stuff I need to pack. I grab the overnight bag I brought with me and I’m in the middle of throwing clothes into it when a knock at the door makes me jump. I turn to find the door opening. My stomach clenches when I see who walks in.

Logan.