Page 45 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing now?”

Parker offered his most charming grin.

It was pitiful next to my husband’s. My husband. My throat felt tight.

“Are you saying you’re free for coffee now? Somewhere off campus?”

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s probably best.”

The triumphant grin on his face made me want to punch him, but he was the only person I knew who had access to enough money to appeal to Justin and Ricky.

“My car’s this way.”

I looked around, hoping no one noticed. I followed a few steps behind, and Parker seemed to be getting a kick out of my attempt at secrecy.

When we got to his Porsche, he opened my door as always. I hesitated, nearly telling him not to do that, that it wasn’t a date, but it’s easier to attract flies with honey, and Parker Hayes was most definitely a maggot.

Parker took us to a boutique coffee shop far away from campus, full of hipsters and moms fresh from yoga class.

We sat down, and I looked over the absurd menu, trying to ignore Parker’s stare.

“I just want a fucking cappuccino,” I muttered.

“Done. But … wow … you’re spending too much time with Travis. You didn’t used to talk like that.”

I closed the menu and glared at him. “I did, you just never knew that side of me. And yes, I spend quite a bit of my time with my husband.”

His face screwed into disgust. “I don’t get it. To be frank, I’m at a loss for why you would marry someone like him.”

I crossed my arms and perched my elbows on the table. “You said you wanted to talk. Is Travis really what you wanted to talk about?”

“Don’t you?”

“More about the elopement.”

He sighed, relieved. “That’s what I thought. I’ve heard via mutual friends how different you’ve been. It occurred to me that you might be feeling some regret. My parents have very good attorneys at an even better law firm. I could help arrange a quick annulment.”

I choked on my spit, holding my fist to my mouth while I tried to breathe again. “You … What?”

“You must feel trapped, and I hate that for you. An annulment looks far better than a divorce. It’ll be like it never happened.”

“Look better for who?”

He hesitated. “For you, of course.”

I stared at the table, speechless over the audacity. “Parker, I agreed to talk to you today because of the elopement, yes, but not for that.”

“No?”

“We were in Vegas the night of the fire.”

“Debatable.”

I frowned. “Parker, we were. I promise you, we were. Now the campus paper is planning an exposé. You said you’d do anything.”

“That’s what you’re worried about? Why? If you weren’t there?”