Page 2 of Trophy

Allison stared down at the signed and returned copy of her divorce papers. “I can’t believe it’s really over.”

Vicki was pouring merlot into two glasses. “You’re happy, aren’t you? I mean, everything went pretty smoothly. It’s only been a year since you walked out on him. That’s as fast as a divorce can happen in this state.”

“Yeah.” Allison sighed and accepted the wineglass.

She and Vicki were sitting on stools at the marble bar in Vicki’s sleek, stylish kitchen, where they’d sat to talk a lot over the past year.

“It’s just that now I really have to get started with my life, and I’m not any clearer about how to do that than I was in the beginning. ”

“You can always stay here, you know. As long as you want.” Vicki was thirty—four years older than Allison—and she was married to a rich older man too. Her marriage, however, actually seemed to be a happy one.

“I know. I really appreciate it, but I’m sure Russ is getting tired of always having me around.”

“No, he’s really?—”

“Seriously, Vicki, you have no idea how grateful I am for you being here for me this year and letting me stay here while I… I recover from my marriage. But the renters are out of my grandmother’s house now, so I can go ahead and move in.

And I feel like I’m ready to stand on my own feet.

I’ve got to get started on building a life for myself, or I’ll always be dependent on someone else. ”

The other day she’d walked into Vicki and Russ’s huge, luxurious apartment, and it had felt like home. Except it wasn’t her home, and she’d suddenly realized she needed to get out before her dream of independence blew away like so much smoke.

Being a helpless friend might be better than being a trophy wife, but Allison wanted to be more than that. She’d been hanging around doing nothing but taking college classes online, and she was getting comfortable with it.

She didn’t want to be comfortable. She wanted to live a life that was really hers.

“I understand.” Vicki had lovely auburn hair and the tall, slim figure of a model. Allison knew that Arthur had always wished she were built more like Vicki. “I just wish your parents’ house wasn’t so far away from Charlotte.”

“It’s just an hour or so away. We’ll be able to get together plenty.”

After her parents had lost their money, they’d moved into the house Allison’s grandmother owned in a small town in the mountains.

Her parents had had Allison late in their lives—a surprise baby when her mother was in her late forties—and the stress of the bankruptcy had destroyed their health.

Her father had died of a heart attack, and her mother had just sort of dwindled away afterward, dying about a couple of years.

All they’d left her was the house, the furnishings, and an old car.

When her mother had died, Allison had started to rent out the house, hoping for a little money that she could use at her own discretion, but the second year’s lease was finally up, and now she needed to actually move into the house.

At least she had a place to live, rent free.

There was no way she could get a job that paid enough to afford rent in Charlotte, at least not in the neighborhoods she was used to.

Better to start from scratch in a completely different town.

She had a house and a car fully paid for and about twenty thousand dollars that Arthur had given her as a gesture in the divorce so he wouldn’t feel like a complete monster.

Surely she could find a job that would cover her living expenses.

“I’ll miss you, though,” Vicki said, slumping against the counter. She’d just had her hair done, and it was even redder and shinier than ever.

Allison hadn’t had her hair done since she’d walked out on Arthur, although she and Vicki had regularly gotten manicures, since Vicki insisted they were a basic life necessity.

“I’ll miss you too. Hopefully I’ll be too busy finding a job and trying to work for the first time in my life to get too depressed, though.”

“I still think you could have fought for more in the divorce proceedings. Arthur owes you more than that pittance after eight years of marriage, especially since he wouldn’t let you go to college or build a career.”

“No. Arthur wanted me to fight, so he could fight back and win. Even if that prenup wasn’t airtight, I don’t want to beg Arthur for money. I’m going to do this on my own.”

“And you’re sure you need to go right now? Don’t you think it would be better to wait a few weeks until you actually find a job?”

“I’m sure I can find something. I told you I called that dentist’s office in Fielding. They want me to come by first thing on Monday morning about the receptionist job. I think that’s a job I could do.”

“I’m sure you could, but what if you don’t get it?” Vicki’s expression was torn in a way that made clear she was worried but trying to be encouraging. “You said that was the only job advertised in the area.”

“Yes, but when I called the town about my water bill, the woman said that most of the local jobs are still advertised in the newspaper, not online.” Allison smiled, nervous but hopeful at the same time. “People find jobs all the time. I’m sure I can find something.”

“Okay. If this is what you want to do, then I’ll totally support you. But if you can’t find a job, you have to promise me you’ll move back here.”

“I will.” Allison said that, but she had absolutely no intention of moving back. That would be a defeat, and she wasn’t going to let it happen.

“Well, it’s going to be an adventure for you. That’s for sure. Maybe you’ll find a sexy small-town guy to keep you company.”

“Right,” Allison replied, rolling her eyes.

“I’m serious. You’re absolutely gorgeous. Guys will be knocking each other out trying to get to you.”

“I somehow doubt this town is going to be crawling with good-looking, eligible men. The few times I’ve been there, all the men I saw were grizzled or had potbellies or were reeking with cigarette smoke.”

“I’m sure there’s a few good-looking specimens to be found. What about a sexy sheriff or a hot ex-SEAL who has come back home to take over his father’s contracting business?”

“You’ve been reading too many romances,” Allison said, still laughing but feeling a lot more encouraged.

“I’m just going to spend a transition period there—only a year or two, hopefully—so any relationship I had would have to be temporary anyway.

I’m not looking for the love of my life.

All I want to do is support myself for a while so I can figure out what I really want to do and be.

I’m not sure I even want a man later on when I’m able to move back to the city. Not anytime soon, anyway.”

“Are you sure? Because Russ has a friend. He’s a criminal defense attorney in town, and he’s?—”

“No, please. I don’t want another man to support me. I don’t want to be another trophy, dependent and not valued for who I really am. I want to… find out who I am, on my own. Once that happens, then maybe one day I can even open my jewelry shop.”

Vicki’s smile faded slightly. “I really hope so. It’s great to have a dream. But you can do other things with your jewelry right now, you know. Why don’t you start selling it online? The shop is going to take a lot of money, so?—”

“I know,” Allison interrupted, with that quick flash of fear and grief she always experienced when she let herself see how unrealistic her dream really was. “I know it’s not likely to ever happen, but I’m allowed to dream, aren’t I?”

“Of course you are.” Vicki reached over to pat Allison’s hand. “Of course you are. I know that dream kept you going for a long time. You don’t have to give it up.”

Allison sighed and rubbed her face. “I know I’ll have to figure out what to do with my jewelry eventually, but it’s too much for me to think about right now.

It’s hard enough to do even normal things on my own.

It sounds stupid, I know, but I was so stressed out yesterday, just making all those calls about my utilities.

I’ve never done anything like that before.

The first thing I need to do is learn how to live on my own.

Then I’ll have time to figure out everything else. ”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“I know you think I need a more detailed plan for my life, but the only thing I need right now is to feel like I can be independent, that I can really stand on my own.”

Vicki nodded. “All right. If it takes moving to that nowhere town for you to do it, then I’ll support you. I’d never be brave enough to do it myself. Are you excited?”

Allison finished her wine and let out a long breath. “The truth is I’m absolutely terrified, but I’m going to do it anyway.”