“Not to worry. But believe me, karma’s coming for that boy, and karma’s coming for you.”
I frowned and looked back in the direction the car had gone, then back to the lady. But she was gone.
Which was impossible.
Staggering off the road, I gave in to the heaving in my stomach and hurled into Mrs. Wilders’s prized roses, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, then headed for my house. I ignored the wine bottles scattered by the curb, the empty pizza box, bags of chips, and ice cream carton, and stumbled into my house, locking the door behind me. Breathing hard, I went to the couch and fell onto it.
Darkness swallowed me, but my last thought was that I was probably losing my mind. That there was never any old woman. That maybe there wasn’t even a car.
I could handle losing my husband. Icouldn’thandle losing my mind.
2
Emma
Iwoke up to hear pounding at my door. Blinking my eyes open, I hissed in a breath as my shoulder throbbed. Using my good hand, I pushed myself into a sitting position, and my stomach rolled from the wave of pain. It radiated through my chest and down my arm. The sudden urge to hurl again came over me and stars danced in front of my vision.
The pounding came again, and I stood, the ground tilting under me, and headed for the door. Before I knew what I was doing, I threw back the brand new locks and opened the door. On the other side, my ex-husband stood with his new girlfriend next to him. He looked ridiculous. He had obviously put plugs in his dark hair, and I could have sworn he had makeup and even eye-liner on. He was wearing skinny jeans and a shirt with a band logo on it, a band I happen to know he hated. The woman at his side was barely twenty, young enough to be his daughter, and she wore a cut-off shirt that exposed her belly button piercing and jeans that said Wet and Wild Woman along the side.
I blinked at them both.
It took my ex a long minute to speak, and then he launched into that irritating voice of his. “What the hell, Emma? What’s going on? There’s trash all over the front yard. You look like you slept in a dumpster. Is this some pathetic plan to try to win me back?”
My head rang with every word that left his thin lips. “Win you back? Winyouback? Like some cheater who can’t manage money is such a prize, Rick.”
He flinched as I spoke.
His new girl tossed her hair over his shoulder. “Ithink he’s a prize.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “But will you think he’s such a prize when a few years from now he starts boning his new secretary?”
Her mouth dropped open.
“Close you mouth, sweetheart, you look stupid like that,” I said, unable to help myself.
Rick stepped in front of her. “Leave her alone. I came to get my stuff, and then we’re gone.”
“Go ahead,” I said. “I put everything you own in boxes in the garage.” After letting the neighbor’s new puppies urinate all over them, but I kept that to myself.
He gave a huff. “I was going to let the lawyers tell you, but since you continue acting like a bitch, I’ll save them the trouble. If you think this divorce is going to break me, you have another thing coming. The house, the cars, the business, they’re all in my name. And since you signed a prenup--”
“I never signed a prenup,” I said, shocked.
“My lawyer would beg to differ. He’s ready and willing to testify that he saw you sign the prenup we prepared a few weeks before we got married.”
“Wait.” My head spun. “Is your lawyer yourcousin?”
He grinned. “The best lawyer in the state. And when we’re done, you’re going to have nothing.”
The idiot beside him grabbed his arm. “You said there was jewelry?”
Something inside of me snapped. “You’re not going to get away with this! I never signed a prenup, and I’ll prove it. You were underwater on this house when I met you. I used my savings to buy the cars. And that business is going to sink without me, so don’t even pretend to try to take credit for my hard work.” And then I turned to the woman. “The jewelry in this house is mine. Take that garbage man, but stay away from my diamonds.”
She pouted. Like a two-year-old.
“I want my stuff,” he said, his voice cold.
I opened the door wider, biting down on the cry of pain that the movement caused in my shoulder. He strode past me, his dog at his heels, and they both headed for the door that led to the garage. I didn’t take a breath until the garage door slammed and I heard the big door opening that led to the outside.
