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“What the H E double L are you doing, Rex?”

“I’m leaving to find the nearest bar.” I slung one leg out. Luckily, the first-floor window ledge was only about 8 feet off the ground.

“What do I tell Marlena?”

“I don’t give a—” I sighed “Actually, tell her she mightas well get used to this now because this is how it’s going to be when she forces me to marry her.”

I dropped to the ground and was done for the night.

25

FREEDOM TO FLY

REX

Despite the frosty,cold, and rainy conditions outside my window, inside this room at the chapel on the country club grounds, the heat was unbearable. I’d already stripped as much of my tux as I possibly could, sweating bullets.

My quiet wedding to Marlena would take place in less than an hour.

I pulled out a flask and gulped down the liquid courage while staring at photos on my phone of the lobby remodel plans, in an attempt to remind myself why I was doing this. But it suddenly meant nothing to me.

I brought up an old photo of Dad and me, in front of a castle in England that our ancestors long ago owned. Sadly, the thought of finally ridding myself of the eyesore the deli was, and all the past trauma that happened there…wasn’t such enticing reason to tear it down anymore.

The only thing seeing me through thissuffering was the photo of Chelsea, dressed as a zombie, accidentally knocking over a lamp.

Why did I care so much about her? She turned down my proposal and hadn’t reached out since. Neither had I.

What if I didn’t go through with this wedding to Marlena and she goes through with the fake charges against Chelsea? Could I live with that?

So what if Chelsea gets arrested? I could hire her a lawyer and pay her bail and she’d be free in no time, while I’d avoid marrying Marlena altogether.

But the thought of putting Chelsea—such a ray of sunshine—behind bars, arrested for arson, no matter how temporary, didn’t sit well with me.

I switched my phone to messages, and scrolled to Chelsea’s name, hovering a thumb over the keypad, desperate to send an S.O.S. message, to explain everything, to see what she would have me do. Would she save me?

“Shit.” Even I wouldn’t save me.

At a quarter to my death sentence, the door opened, and I expected it to be Richard, telling me it was time, but to my surprise, Pearl walked in. I scowled.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to help you escape from this hell you’re about to enter. Here. Take my keys and run.” She stuffed the keys to her Mercedes SL in my hand. I stared in disbelief.

“Why do you care so much, Pearl? Can’t you just leave me alone? There’s a reason I’m here today.”

“No, I won’t let you do this, because I made a promise to your father to look after you two boys. Richard, he waseasy to watch over. You, Rex, my God, are such a man-child. But I didn’t struggle for years earning my MBA for nothing. It came in handy so I could run this place while you dabbled in whatever suited your fancy.”

I scoffed a few feet away. “What do you want from me? To tell you thanks and pat you on the back? Give you a huge raise?”

“I want you to admit you’re not happy. Everyone knows it, and it’s high time you face it. You don’t enjoy being CEO and you definitely don’t want to marry Marlena. And I want you to get your head out of your ass and go after the best thing that ever happened to you—Chelsea.”

I had a mind to ream her out for getting into my business, but the door opened again before I could form the words. This time, Mom entered.

“I stopped the wedding,” she said.

“You did what?” My hands at my hips, I towered over both ladies.

“I ran into the photographer from the Zombie Ball who spilled the beans about Marlena and her threats to have Chelsea arrested. My boy, I’ve never known you to make such a sacrifice for someone. I’m so proud of you,” Mom said, reaching up and squishing my cheeks between thumb and forefinger. “Obviously, you have a heart and you care for Chelsea.”