Chapter 1
Erica Dixon had planned the world’s most perfect spring wedding. After waiting until she was almost thirty years old to get married to the love of her life, Max, she was getting antsy for that walk down the aisle. Her palms were actually sweating as she stared in the mirror at herself. Realizing she hadn’t eaten breakfast, she pulled a mint from her purse in the hopes that a little sugar boost would calm her anxiety.
The beautiful wedding gown she had chosen was understated. She was never one for those flashy wedding gowns that sparkled and glittered. She had chosen a small wedding venue with a select one hundred guests. A mixture of family and friends sat outside under the beautiful pavilion waiting for her to make her grand entrance. Pink and yellow roses adorned the arbor where she and Max would say their wedding vows in just a half an hour.
It had taken years to get Max to this point, but her final ultimatum one year previous had done it. She’d been dating Max since they graduated from college when she was twenty-two years old. At first, they were head over heels in love. Max was a young business man just starting his company, and Erica was a marketing assistant at an advertising firm.
When she first brought up the issue of marriage, they’d been dating for three years. Max seemed to put her off at first, but finally said he was afraid to get married until they were both financially stable. After working for two years to become so, Erica started to worry that he wasn’t as committed as she was. So, she did the only logical thing in her mind - she gave him an ultimatum. Either get married or get lost.
Erica would have never had the gumption to give that ultimatum without her best friend, Callie Davidson, urging her on. Callie was the outgoing one of her set of friends, and she often got Erica to do or say things she wouldn’t otherwise do or say. But, she knew Callie was right. She didn’t want to be an old maid, and thirty was quickly approaching.
As she stared at herself alone in the bride’s room, she knew that her time had finally come. Her guests were waiting, the doves were ready to be released and the sun was shining bright in the sky on a perfect spring day.
“Hey, girly,” Callie said as she entered the room with her bright smile. Callie was petite with fiery red hair and a set of blue eyes that could pierce any man’s soul. She had no shortage of eligible beaus chasing after her, but she was too busy playing the field to care.
“Hey,” Erica said smiling as she looked out the window at her guests waiting in their white folding chairs by the lake. “Isn’t it beautiful today?” she said touching the window. Her dream of being married was about to come true.
“Yes, it is. Listen, honey, I have something to tell you…” Callie started. Erica could tell by the sound of her voice the news wasn’t good. Callie always kept her “game face” on, flashing her beautiful smile, even when things were bad.
“What’s wrong?” Erica asked turning pale. She didn’t like bad news, especially not since she’d lost her mother two years ago. She slowly sat down on the dressing table bench.
“Sweetie, I’m going to give it to you straight. Max isn’t coming.”
“What? Is he okay?” Erica asked holding a hand to her chest. Her heart was pounding beneath her perfectly manicured hands, and she couldn’t catch her breath. What if he’d been in an accident?
“Yes, he’s okay for now. Until I get my hands around his neck…” Callie muttered through gritted teeth.
“I don’t understand…”
“Erica, he ran off with Rebecca.”
“What? Rebecca? But…” Erica started to stammer as a tear rolled out of her eye and down her cheek. She couldn’t process what Callie was saying. None of it made any sense to her.
Erica couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew Rebecca because she’d worked with Max
Erica Dixon had planned the world’s most perfect spring wedding. After waiting until she was almost thirty years old to get married to the love of her life, Max, she was getting antsy for that walk down the aisle. Her palms were actually sweating as she stared in the mirror at herself. Realizing she hadn’t eaten breakfast, she pulled a mint from her purse in the hopes that a little sugar boost would calm her anxiety.
The beautiful wedding gown she had chosen was understated. She was never one for those flashy wedding gowns that sparkled and glittered. She had chosen a small wedding venue with a select one hundred guests. A mixture of family and friends sat outside under the beautiful pavilion waiting for her to make her grand entrance. Pink and yellow roses adorned the arbor where she and Max would say their wedding vows in just a half an hour.
It had taken years to get Max to this point, but her final ultimatum one year previous had done it. She’d been dating Max since they graduated from college when she was twenty-two years old. At first, they were head over heels in love. Max was a young business man just starting his company, and Erica was a marketing assistant at an advertising firm.
When she first brought up the issue of marriage, they’d been dating for three years. Max seemed to put her off at first, but finally said he was afraid to get married until they were both financially stable. After working for two years to become so, Erica started to worry that he wasn’t as committed as she was. So, she did the only logical thing in her mind - she gave him an ultimatum. Either get married or get lost.
Erica would have never had the gumption to give that ultimatum without her best friend, Callie Davidson, urging her on. Callie was the outgoing one of her set of friends, and she often got Erica to do or say things she wouldn’t otherwise do or say. But, she knew Callie was right. She didn’t want to be an old maid, and thirty was quickly approaching.
As she stared at herself alone in the bride’s room, she knew that her time had finally come. Her guests were waiting, the doves were ready to be released and the sun was shining bright in the sky on a perfect spring day.
“Hey, girly,” Callie said as she entered the room with her bright smile. Callie was petite with fiery red hair and a set of blue eyes that could pierce any man’s soul. She had no shortage of eligible beaus chasing after her, but she was too busy playing the field to care.
“Hey,” Erica said smiling as she looked out the window at her guests waiting in their white folding chairs by the lake. “Isn’t it beautiful today?” she said touching the window. Her dream of being married was about to come true.
“Yes, it is. Listen, honey, I have something to tell you…” Callie started. Erica could tell by the sound of her voice the news wasn’t good. Callie always kept her “game face” on, flashing her beautiful smile, even when things were bad.
“What’s wrong?” Erica asked turning pale. She didn’t like bad news, especially not since she’d lost her mother two years ago. She slowly sat down on the dressing table bench.
“Sweetie, I’m going to give it to you straight. Max isn’t coming.”
“What? Is he okay?” Erica asked holding a hand to her chest. Her heart was pounding beneath her perfectly manicured hands, and she couldn’t catch her breath. What if he’d been in an accident?
“Yes, he’s okay for now. Until I get my hands around his neck…” Callie muttered through gritted teeth.
“I don’t understand…”
“Erica, he ran off with Rebecca.”
“What? Rebecca? But…” Erica started to stammer as a tear rolled out of her eye and down her cheek. She couldn’t process what Callie was saying. None of it made any sense to her.
Erica couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew Rebecca because she’d worked with Max
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