Faking Amends (BadLuckBrides series #2)

2

Cassie

I hardly slept last night. Ever since I was fired from my job, stress has been doing a fine one at keeping me wide awake. And after my run in with Ivan, a had new obsessive thoughts taking over my mind way after midnight.

When I did finally fall asleep, he even filtered his way into my dreams and I briefly relived a part of my young past that I'd shoved off for so long, it almost made me sick to my stomach to think of again.

That sick feeling came on even stronger when I woke up at noon to a text message from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hey, Cassie. Let's meet somewhere this afternoon. - Ivan Hartman.

Ugh, he uses a text signature?

Nope. I don't want anything more to do with this man.

Keep your compensation.

I get out of bed, tossing my phone on my pillow. I run my fingers through my hair, yanking at a few knots along the way before it's about combed through.

I stop to stare at myself in the heart shaped mirror hung on the wall that I've had since I lived in Oklahoma, scratching my fingernail over the little purple butterfly sticker I stuck on when I was six. The fact that it's still standing strong—just a bit faded—at twenty-four makes me smile until my phone vibrates again.

Unknown: I feel really badly about dragging you into that. Please meet with me just once so I can pay you for your time and you'll never have to see my face again. - Ivan Hartman.

Me: Promise?

Unknown: Yikes. Did I make that bad of a first impression? - Ivan Hartman.

I crook my neck, realizing how sore it is. I slept horribly and now I've got a date with the devil.

Just thinking about his face, seeing how apparently great he's been doing since high school while I've been doing nothing short of struggling, makes me cringe.

I could've questioned how he'd ended up here in manhattan, but really it's me that should be the one questioned.

This is where people like him venture off to. Not me. I should still be in Pennsylvania, working at my lame bakery job living a regular life.

But I had a choice. My parents decided to go back to Oklahoma when my Nana first got sick, and as much as I wanted to go home, I felt a pull and ended up here. Giving it my best shot.

I won't lie, it hasn't felt right since I got here a year ago.

Maybe it's my guilt speaking, but I should be at the ranch. I should be helping Mama stock the shelves at the parlor. I should be spending time with Granny.

But I wanted to be different. I wanted to break free from what I knew. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm doing here, really.

Just a girl with a dream, I suppose.

Ivan and I set on a time to meet and chose a Starbucks nearby.

I can't believe he's been this close to me for who-knows-how-long and I had no idea.

I showered, blow dried my hair straight, did my make up and dressed in my usual blue jeans and a v-neck get up. Complete with brown, short-top sneakers.