My Trash Crush Wants Me Back!

borrowed from a dream-where even

th warmth. The rose garden just beyond the arched windows blushed in full bloom-crimson, ivory, and blush petals dancing with each te

Sheryl Lancaster sat before her vanity mirror. The room was a delicate canvas of paste

pen windows, the latter from a lit candle flickering softly beside her. But despite th

't just he

he was convinced-utterly, undeniably-th

her cascading caramel-brown curls. They were styled to perfection-half up, half down, wit

shments-hugged her form gracefully. The gown caught the sunlight in a way that made her glow like

arkled with restrained hope. This wasn't just a hunch. Nathaniel hadn't said

their walks, complimented her in quiet ways that made her heart clench. Last week, during dinner at the

be public. She deserv

n, he'd

t reached those midni

room and over a hundred guests attending, the stage was perfectly s

beside her jewelry box.

deo Call: M

d the screen blinked t

and she was swaying on her feet, bouncing baby Celeste in her arms like a lifeline. Behind her, th

her voice gentle, h

sorry, Sheryl. I won't be able to make it to the banquet. Alexander has this emergency board meeting

, though her chest ached a l

y on her hip. "She's adorable when she's aslee

offscreen. "She spat out the pacifier agai

mile crept in. "He's still fussing over my

le, "you did push a tiny human into e

y." Mia's face softened. "I kn

but she nodded. "It's ok

the potential proposal, for support. She and Mia had grown close, like sisters carved out of circumstance r

dn't always b

's sudden death and the shocking revelation that her biological father

he door with a steely glare and venomous words: "You're a reminder of ev

less distant. She wore apathy like

had dared to pull her into the circle. Slowly, gently, with bru

other half of the call. Glossy waves of chestnut hair framed her

before Bethany could speak

. I got called to Paris last minute-Vogue is doing a fall featu

sted on a smile. "Of course not. It'

ed relieved.

red, even if a piece

say to a girls' night this weekend? Just us-no ki

Yes! Tequila and tra

l laugh this time. "

eam, Bethany's disastrous encounter with a fashion blogger who mistook her for a waitress, and

Familiar. Al

n went dark, and t

again. She looked like the lead in a love story. She felt li

Her palms were cold despite the warm air. Her breath caught i

red, as if speaking the

hat the evening she thought would end with a ring on