But my heart ached as I watched Annie say her last goodbyeto Kitty, Frank, and Kitty’s parents, taking a vase of flowers and walking out with her dad and his wife. Annie took one last glance over her shoulder into the room, and in my head, I hoped she was looking for me.
Thereshe goes.
Chapter 12
Annie
SEPTEMBER | Balance: $50,937
It was two months after the wedding.
Nick and I parted on positive terms, both of us stumbling our way through the Sunday brunch and exchanging numbers before I rode with my dad back to Charleston. He sent me a picture of his chunky little dog when he got back to L.A. and said he hoped to see me again sometime.
He was cute. He was nice. He was what I needed that weekend: a kind soul to make me feel pretty and like I’m not the worst person in the world. And yeah, he tried to give me a good time, but it seemed like we were fated to fail there. In a perfect world, we could have seen if there was something more to be had between us.
But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that the world is most certainly not perfect. I wasn’t interested in pursuing some long-distance relationship where we saw each other once in a blue moon.
Especially not right after the disastrous relationship with Roger. Going back to work after the wedding was hellacious. I did everything I could to avoid him at work, despite his numerous attempts to catch me to “talk.” What was there to talk about? I had been stupid to believe all his lies in the first place, and I didn’t want to waste another second hearing his excuses.
So when Marcie sent me a LinkedIn request as soon as I got back to Nashville, I accepted. We exchanged emails detailing what she might be looking for in a maternity leave substitute. I was quietly getting my ducks in a row to do something that was a bit of a dare, but something worthwhile.
Really worthwhile if you considered the mountain of debt I was chipping away at. Thanks to my mom getting sick when I was in high school, I carried a hefty medical debt bill in her name. Some of it was in my dad’s name, but I’d shifted most of it to my name once I finished law school. Becoming a lawyer was my way of finding enough financial stability to support him. Being the eldest of five siblings and without our mom, I felt a strong sense of duty to assist my dad. Call it Oldest Child Syndrome if you want. I just wanted him to focus on getting my sisters and brother through school without being saddled with all that mess.
Plus, I wanted him to move on. We were all crushed in Mom’s absence, and having all that debt on him wasn’t going to help him live a full life. He threw me money whenever he could. I handled the phone calls from lenders and collection agencies.
The offer from Marcie’s firm in Los Angeles would massively increase my income, even with California’s cost of living. I could get my footing staying with Kitty and look for a modest place to meet my minimal needs. I’d be able to get out of debt sooner and live close to my best friend.
When I put in my notice, a meeting appeared on my calendar with Roger. I braced myself on the appointed day and time. He walked in my office and closed the door.
“Annie.”
“Hi, Roger.” I tried to force a smile, but it fell flat almost instantly. I gestured for him to sit in front of my desk.
He hesitated, seeming unsure of how to move ahead. “How have you been?”
“Fine.”
He nodded, folding his hands between his thighs. “Good, that’s good.”
I clamped my jaw shut, grinding my molars. “Rog, why don’t you tell me what this meeting is about?”
His eyes rounded, his little puppy dog look that used to make me crumble. I was no longer a brittle, shitty cookie. There would be no crumbling. “I heard you’re leaving.”
I nodded. “I am.”
“You don’t have to leave, Annie. I gave Evelyn the papers.”
I stifled a smile. “Oh, you think I’m leaving because I still want you?”
“Look, I know I didn’t treat you fairly. I should have been with you at that wedding.”
I snorted. “I think things worked out exactly as they should have, Roger. I’m moving to L.A. That has the added benefit of not having you begging for me back, but it’s mostly for the money.”
He flicked his eyebrows up. “About that. I know you have money trouble, Annie. I could help you.”
I wrinkled my brow. “How is that, exactly?”
“After I stood you up, I started a second account and put some money away for you. You can keep up your lifestyle and . . .”
