Vivian
MY LIFE WAS ruined. Every single part of it was absolutely ruined, and I had no way to fix it. I had always deemed myself as a responsible person, but now I was legally married. To Brent – of all people.
I couldn’t believe how my life had changed.
On top of that, I figured Olivia would be my safety line, but she backstabbed me by saying what an outstanding idea this was. Obviously, she wasn’t thinking about my well-being in this situation. She could only see dollar signs. Normally, she wasn’t like that. I understood the point of selling books, but this was insane.
Now, because of her, Brent was sitting next to me on a plane on the way to Los Angeles.
I was trying to pretend he wasn’t next to me annoyingly tapping on his iPad. My laptop screen was bright and words should be flowing out of me. Being on a plane was perfect for me to get my word count in, but instead, there were none. Nothing was coming out of me. This wasn’t like me. I would shine and my imagination allowed me to do what I loved best. Now...nothing. The screen was completely blank.
“What are you doing?” Brent asked as we sat on the dock of the pond.
“Looking at the clouds.” I was laying on my back. The Texas sky was above me. The few pillowy clouds were dancing about.
“Why?”
“Because it’s relaxing.”
He chuckled. “You’re thinking about your fairy tales.”
I bite my lip trying to hide my smile. He knew of my wild and crazy imagination.
“Tell me the story.”
My cheeks heated up. He was always asking me to tell him the story I was thinking up.
“Nah.” I sat up.
“If you don’t I’m going to throw you in the pond.” He threatened.
“You wouldn’t dare.” I gasped in fake horror.
“Oh, but I will.”
I squealed and jumped to my feet, trying to run away, but he quickly grabbed me around the waist. I was laughing so hard, I couldn’t even say anything as he pulled back and we both fell into the water.
“Could you stop tapping so loudly?” I hissed at him. He had to be the reason why nothing was working correctly.
His perplexed expression paused his tapping. “What?”
“It’s a touch screen. This means touch and not pound on it.” I slammed my laptop shut, crossed my arms, and stared out the window. The pillowy white clouds surrounded the plane, and it seemed peaceful. It was nothing like my current life situation filled with chaos and confusion.
“Viv, what is it? I know it’s not my tapping.”
I could almost hear his eyes rolling since I wasn’t facing him. “Nothing.” It was easier to give a vague nothing then exploding my outrage here on the plane. I didn’t want to end up on some Facebook live feed.
He scoffed. “I’ve been on this earth long enough to know when a woman says nothing, she doesn’t mean a single bit of it.”
I continue to remain silent trying to not let my emotions bubble over.
“I’m going to take a shot in the dark and think it’s because we’re married and you’re not happy about it. Plus, your publicist thinks this is a grand idea, and it’s making you madder than a stirred-up hornet’s nest.”
I hated he could still read me like a book. No pun intended. I wouldn’t let him win at this. I will find a way to get out of this. I had to.
I couldn’t let my life take a turn like this. I had it all planned out. It was a simple plan, really. I was going to write until I retired. Or died. Whichever came first. I didn’t want to be married or any of that jazz. Yes, I missed my friends and the companionship of a man, but it had been so long I didn’t even remember what it truly felt like. I could take care of myself and there was no need for Brent to be around me. Certainly he had some plan up his sleeve, but I was going to figure out a way out of this. Somehow.
I DIDN’T UTTER a single word to Brent the rest of the plane ride, in the cab, or when we walked into the hotel.
When I gave the clerk my name, I thumbed over to Brent. “And he’ll need his own room.”
“Wait. Wait.” Olivia came running up to me. “I already checked you both in.” She told me, trying to catch her breath. How does one run in high heels?
“What?” I stepped away from the desk and glared at her. What was she up to?
“It would look funny if you and Brent were in different rooms. There’s a lot of readers around here. This is perfect to announce your marriage.”
“Have you lost your mind? You’re going to just announce it. What? Like the latest weather report?” This couldn’t be good.
“Well, I already announced it.” She handed me her cell phone and the screen held the words.
“Oh man.” I sighed. My team had announced how I had gotten married to my high school sweetheart while in Las Vegas. She made it seem just like Victor and Victoria. I gave her the phone back. “Why?”
“Because it needed to be done. We’ve received an amazing response and we can already see the pre-orders of your next book climbing. Fiction turned into reality sells books.”
I held up my hands. “I don’t want to hear how this idiotic mistake is making you profit. This is my life, not some book.”
“Viv, people are staring,” Brent softly said.
I didn’t want any more unwanted attention. I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. “What room am I in?”
“You both are in room 807.” She gave Brent the key card.
I stormed off to the elevator not wanting to be around either of them. Brent was close to me but said nothing as we waited for the doors to open. I stomped in and jabbed the button.
“Don’t be upset.” His voice was soft and calm.
“Don’t tell me not to be upset. I’m upset.” I huffed.
“You’re acting like a newborn calf who hasn’t received her milk.”
“What?” I punched his shoulder. “Did you seriously just compare me to a farm animal?”
“Yes.” He rubbed the spot on his arm. “Because you’re acting like one.”
“You...you...arrogant jerk face.” I stammered on my words as the doors open. I ripped the key card out of his hand. I pushed the door open and tossed my bag on the bed. I put my laptop bag and purse on the desk. Brent placed his luggage near the closet. I could feel his eyes on me, but I wasn’t going to look at him.
For the past ten years, I’ve been on my own. I paid my way through college, found jobs until I was able to write full-time. Now, Olivia has turned on me, and I was stuck in a hotel room with Brent.
My husband.
My husband.
The word tasted like a bitter drink on my tongue. This didn’t settle well with me and now I had to be here with him. I unzipped my bag and pulled out my outfit, hoping it wasn’t too wrinkled. I moved about the room, pretending he wasn’t even there.
I pulled two pillows off the bed and grabbed the extra blankets out of the closet. “You’re sleeping on the floor.” It was the last words I spoke to him for the rest of the day.
I SPENT HOURS upon hours listening to reader after reader gush over my nuptials and Brent. Olivia was right – they wanted a true life fictional romance and they loved it. My lines were longer than ever before, and she constantly updated me on my new book sales. I loved my fans, and this time there were some who expressed they hadn’t read my books before Olivia’s announcement.
It made me madder that she was right, but at what expense? My sanity?
I didn’t speak to her, short of work related issues, and her beaming face made me want to scream. She was enjoying this situation too much. I adored the fact she was a brilliant publicist and could sell books like no one else I knew. But I was still mad at her. Not only from the fact she was happy right now, but because she announced my private business.
After the last reader left, I grabbed my purse and exited in a fury. My first stop was the hotel bar. I’d never been a big drinker before the fiasco with Brent. Although I did enjoy a glass of wine every once in a while, I never really tied one on. Look what happened when I did. I ordered a tall glass of crisp Dr. Pepper. I sat there and thought about how my life has literally been turned upside down in a manner of twenty-four hours.
“Is this seat taken?”
I dropped my head. He was showing up everywhere. “I want to be alone, Brent.”
“No you don’t.” He sat down on the stool next to me. “When you’re upset you want a distraction. That’s why you’re in a crowded hotel bar, drinking Dr. Pepper.”
“This could be rum and Coke.” I told him, playing with the straw.
“I know you better than you think, Viv. You don’t drink anymore.” He tempted a joke.
“Oh, now you know me?” I smarted off.
“Am I wrong?”
There wasn’t a point in lying. “No, you’re not wrong.” I sat up and looked over at him. “What do you want?”
“You may not want to hear this, but I’m starving and this is Los Angeles. Sitting in a hotel bar isn’t the best way to explore the city.”
I furrowed my brow. “What are you getting at? I’ve just spent the last six hours smiling, signing my name, and hearing how great my life is now. Do I look like someone who wants to explore?”
He held up one finger. “Listen to me. I know the Vivian from Billings and she would let loose every once in a while and yes, I know you’re a workaholic. However, I would like to have dinner with my friend.”
I turned away from him and stared at myself in the bar mirror. I wasn’t some kid anymore who was extremely overweight with a mask of confidence when I really was the most insecure on the inside. Brent was the only one who could bring it out of me. Bring out the true me. He made me laugh and taught me how to love myself...and him.
“I miss my best friend and I’d like to take her out to dinner.”
I was hungry and room service didn’t sound appeasing. “What are you thinking?”
He grinned. “We’re in LA that means Tortas.”
“Fine, but I’m not buying.” I shook my head. I gave in because food did sound great right now.
This time he laughed. “Deal. Come on, friend, let’s have a good night.”
Brent summoned an Uber and gave the driver the address to the restaurant. The ride over was quiet, but I was enjoying the scenery. When we arrived Brent, always the gentleman, opened the door for me. His hand brushed the small of my back and a familiar shiver pulsed through me. It shouldn’t because I won’t get attached to him again, yet the feeling was there.
He was still sleeping on the floor.