“Just turned twenty-eight last week.”

“Oh my God. You’re a baby!” I exclaim.

“Hardly.” He doesn’t smile.

“You are to me.” I shake my head, feeling miserable over my number.

“And how old are you?”

My inner voice screams, Almost thirty-three.

I could be his big sister! But there’s no way in hell I’m telling him that. I’d just be opening myself up to scrutiny. By my reaction, I’m sure he’s figured out I’m older than he is. Alexander doesn’t need to know my concrete age. So, I do what any woman would do in my position. I shrug and smile seductively.

I look at my watch, realizing we’ve been outside together for too long. “I should go back inside and check on Sanam.”

Our friendship might be over, but I would never disappear at her wedding.

“How do you know the bride?” he asks.

“We met in college. Our parents are Iranian, too, so that’s something.”

“Ah.” He nods. “I get it. I’m here for Reza. I’ve opened up a restaurant in one of his buildings in downtown LA.”

“Of course you have,” I reply dryly.

“How about you give me your phone number? I’d love to take you out.” His grin is breathtaking but still wrong.

“I don’t think so. I’ve sort of been through a bunch of stuff, and I feel like, right now, I need to take it slow.”

“This means, no dates?” He opens his hands to me, all charm.

“Nope.”

“Well, give me your e-mail at least. I’ll invite you to my next opening.”

“Sure.” I give it, and he nods. “Bye, Alexander,” I say in a singsong voice.

“Bye, beautiful,” he shouts to the back of my swaying blush-toned gown.

22

Lauren

Work today is insane. Jonathan has been driving me crazy all morning with bullshit tasks. Nothing is complicated, but it’s all tedious.

On a good note, I’ve already begun studying for the GRE exam, so I can apply for a master’s degree in social work. Those few days I worked with Eve were enough for me to realize that helping women and children is where I see myself growing professionally. The jury is still out as to whether or not I’ll work with her out in Nevada, but regardless, I want to take this path. My parents are happy, too, that I’ve found something that fulfills me and finally made a move toward it.

My father insisted that it wasn’t law he was hell-bent on, but he wanted me to “be settled in a career.”

I apologized for always giving him the runaround in regard to law school, but he understood.

Once I stopped avoiding what had happened with Slade, Eve and I got back in touch. She was annoyed that I hadn’t answered her previous calls, but thankfully, she understood why. Still, I asked her not to say a word about He Who Shall Not Be Named.

If he has anything to tell me, he’ll have to do it himself. It’s been eight weeks and nothing but radio silence from his end. It hurts and angers me. The dust has settled, and I see our situation for what it was. Slade treated me like shit, and I took it because my feelings for him were so strong. His good parts were extraordinary, but his bad ones brought me six feet under. I thought I was resilient and the kind of woman who’d never get caught up in an abusive relationship, but I ultimately caved to his will. I’m disgusted by myself, but most of all, I’m hurt.