She’d gone on to blabber something about “heck of a weekend”, but by that time, I’d pretty much gone deaf. I registered the overturned paper plate and my abandoned pizza crust… and the fact that I’d somehow wound up on my knees.
There I was on the floor, stunned and broken, trying to figure out what to do next. I couldn’t shake the sight of that bitchy underwear model hanging onto Trip’s arm. I wondered if he was going to be a nervous wreck watching his movie, if she was going to be the one to hold his hand and get him through it.
Everything was falling apart again.
Between my job and my fiancé, I thought I had done everything right. Thought I had checked off all the boxes that labeled me neatly as a Responsible Adult. I had bided my time and played all of my cards, and in spite of my “grown-up” choices, all I got out of it was a shadow of the person I had one day hoped to be. I had, somewhere along the way, lost myself.
Until the day a beautiful, blue-eyed man walked through a hotel room door and reminded me of all that I was capable of, had me reassess my options, choose to be the grown-up version of myself I’d always planned on. He’d brought hope back into my life. He’d given me back my happiness. He’d given me back me.
But I was watching that beautiful, blue-eyed man walk down a red carpet with someone else on his arm.
The soon-to-be Mrs. Trip Wiley.
Goddammit, Trip. That’s not even your real name. Does she even know that she’s actually signing up to be Mrs. Terrence Chester Wilmington the Third? Does she even care?
I knew I had to stop this. There was no way he could marry that woman. Not if I had anything to say about it. I mean, how could he marry her when he was in love with me? I could still get on that plane and go see him. Maybe just the sight of me would be enough to stop him from making such a huge mistake. She was completely wrong for him on every level. This whole thing was completely wrong. He had to know that.
I suddenly realized that no matter what justifications I used to try and appease my disjointed thoughts, there simply was no way to spin this around. He’d just announced his engagement to the world, for godsakes. By the time I was scheduled to step off the plane the following evening, the story would already be on every entertainment show, splashed across every magazine. It would be a footnote after every headline:
“SWAYED” TOPS BOX OFFICE
Film’s Star Trip Wiley Engaged
What was he supposed to do after that? Re-announce his engagement? To another woman?
I knew then. The reality had finally hit me: He’d chosen this. He’d chosen her.
It was too late.
It was over.
The hurt hit me then, the positively earth-shaking, soul-shredding ache that overtook every fiber of my being and collapsed my trembling body to a crumpled heap on the floor. My hands went to my face as the tears poured out; every hope I’d ever allowed myself to have was gone, every dream I’d ever had was through.
Through the hurt came the humiliation, because—let’s face it—despite his choices, I was the one who made this happen. The fact of the matter was, Trip had offered me his heart, and I hadn’t accepted. At least not in time, anyway. And oh God! I’d told everyone where I was going! I was going to look like such a loser. The revelations just made me cry harder from the shame.
I bawled into the carpet as my fists punched the floor, my shoulders shaking, my stomach turning. It was a child’s cry, but then again, it was a child’s dream. I was not Cinderella. Never had been.
I couldn’t stop my sobbing, and I was too distraught to even try. I let myself cry until every teardrop seeped from my exhausted body, every ounce of energy drained from my wasted soul.
Wrecked and torn, crushed and lost, I could feel myself breaking apart, my insides shattering into a million pieces…
…and I was sure I’d never be put back together again.
After an eternity, the racking stopped. The heaving ceased. The tears refused to come.
I took a deep, unsteady breath and picked myself up off the floor.
There was nothing left to do but go home.
THE END
Remember When 3
(The third and final installment of the Remember Trilogy)
COMING SOON
About the Author:
T. Torrest is a New Adult author from the U.S. Her stories are geared toward readers who know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance. A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two boys.
A Note from the Author:
Wow. I just want to thank you for holding this book in your hands right now.
When I first put “Remember When” out to the masses, I never dreamed it would become such a beloved story. But so many of you have gone out of your way to let me know how much that book touched you and how you fell in love with the characters. Your kind words have meant so much and gotten me through many a moment of writer’s block!
I want to let you know that I truly grappled with ending this story on a cliffhanger of sorts.