“Even if you weren’t conventionally pretty—which you are, your heart makes you fucking gorgeous,” Emery’s voice is lethal.
I just bobbed my head and tried to get them to be quiet, but Bryce’s sanctimonious voice announcing my lack of beauty repeats in my mind over and over. A sob rips from my core. “This was the man who was supposed to be the love of my life.”
“You just said it brilliantly.” Amy jabs her pointer finger in my direction.
“What?” My voice is exhausted.
“Supposed to. He was supposed to be the love of your life,” Emery chimes in.
Amy wraps an arm around my shoulder and tucks me against her side. “What do you want to do next?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to know right now,” Christin shoots a fulminating glare in Amy’s direction.
“Or even soon,” Emery tacks on.
“No, I need to do something.” Amy understands what it’s like to break up with someone in the public eye. As a schoolteacher, Amy preserved her dignity instead of fighting back against the harsh accusations flung her way by the man she once loved.
But I can. In fact, my mind clears from the pain as I mentally flip through my schedule. “I only had a week before I was due to fly out, anyway.”
“Really?” Emery reaches forward for her mug of tea.
“Yes.” Mind whirling, I can’t believe I let my upcoming trip slip my mind. Especially considering the hoops I had to jump through to get approval to go. “Remember? I’m flying to Beijing and then hopping a flight to Chengdu?”
“Where is that again?” Christin asks.
“Sichuan Province,” I answer absently, mentally switching gears. Since I assumed Bryce would be occupied with training camp, I thought it would be the perfect time for this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Having applied at the Chinese Embassy, despite restricting my trip to only ten days, I fully intend on making the most of my visit by photographing at least Four Sister Mountain, the Yading National Nature Reserve, and the Yaqing Temple.
After giving my girls my itinerary, their expressions range from jaws hanging open to smirks. It’s Amy who jokes, “Well, that’s one way to avoid any fallout. Step back in time about 1900 years.”
“Where there’s no such thing as public Wi-Fi,” Christin interjects.
Emery deadpans, “It sounds awful. Bring me back a keychain.”
“Just make sure it doesn’t contain a tracking device,” Amy pipes in. Her college roommate is some sort of computer savant.
“I take it back. A postcard works just fine,” Emery backtracks.
Her adamance forces me to do something I never imagined I would do earlier. I burst into helpless giggles.
Once I was done, I felt some of the weight leave my chest. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll deal with Bryce. Because while a bowl full of vomit makes a statement, I have a few things I need to get off my chest.
“Are you sure you want to send him an email?” Emery asks me.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because…” she hesitates before glancing over her shoulder at Amy, who just shrugs.
“Spit it out, Emery.” My eyes cast over her shoulder to see Christin has joined Amy and is wearing the same look of concern. “All of you.”
“We all heard him, what he said—” Amy’s voice trails off.
“Minus the part about my looks.” I recount.
Christin winces. “Right.”
“Then what’s the concern?”
