Read Online Wedding Bell Blues by Ellie Ferguson - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellie Ferguson
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actively working to break up
her "best friend's" wedding, people wouldn't trust her, and people who
don't trust an investment advisor don't give her their business.
Just as quickly as she'd paled, a flush crept across her
cheeks and
anger replaced fear. She drew herself up to her full height - all five
feet three inches of it - and tried to stand nose to nose with me. Of
course, it's hard to do when the other person has almost seven inches
on you. And I wasn't about to be helpful by stepping off the stoop so
we'd basically be eye to eye. Not this time, and most especially not
with her.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. And if you
keep
threatening my livelihood, I'll be forced to call the police and file
charges against you." I had to give it to her. She was doing a good job
of trying to portray injured innocence, not that it would fool anyone
for long.
"Like I said, go ahead. I don't think anything I've said can
be
taken as a threat. It's more like a warning to others who might fall
prey to you." Now it was my turn to sneer. "I know what you did today.
And, just for the record, so does my sister. You're as stupid as you
are vindictive. You forgot to strip the date off that photo. So
Maryanne knows exactly what you tried to do."
For a moment, Janie didn't move, didn't speak. I'm not sure
she
even breathed. "So I sent her a photo of Brett and me. What of it? If
she really loved him and knew he loved her, it wouldn't have bothered
her."
"And butter won't melt in your mouth, will it?" I leaned in,
letting her see just how serious I was. If I scared her, all the
better. "Let me make sure you understand this. You will not try to
communicate with either my sister or Brett again. You will not be a
part of the wedding party. You won't try to attend the wedding or any
of the pre-wedding festivities. You will not contact any other members
of the wedding party. If I find out you have, I will make sure they
know the truth about what you did." I pinned her with a firm look. "Am
I making myself clear?"
"You always were a bitch, Jessica."
"It takes one to know one." Damn, that sounded so junior
high, but
it was the truth. "Do yourself a favor, Janie, and don't push your luck
any further than you have already." I turned to leave, satisfied I'd
gotten the message across. But, I had to be sure, so I pivoted to face
her once more. "Janie, if you're afraid of what I might do, you'd
better think about what Brett can do. He's a regional vice president
for the bank. How many of his clients could he suggest not invest with
your firm? Beyond that, his father is a very influential attorney. I'm
sure he could think of a few laws, criminal or civil, you've broken
today.
"But let's not leave out Brett's mother. She moves in those
social
circles you'd love to be included in. Then there are my parents.
Believe me, you really don't want them coming after you. So, all in
all, having to deal with me is probably the lesser of all evils."
"God, it's a real shame those idiots who killed that liquor
store
owner didn't finish the job with you," she spat. Before I could
respond, she'd disappeared inside, locking the door behind her.
Bitch.
BITCH.
BITCH .
Fuming, unable to believe she'd actually said it, I turned
and
stalked across the small front yard to where Mom's car was parked at
the curb. If I didn't get out of there now, I'd go back up to the
house, kick the door open and throttle Janie. After all, she deserved
nothing less. Especially after her little trick. But I didn't want to
spend even a moment having to explain my actions to the cops. So, I
hurried to the car and the safety it offered from my own sometimes
too-quick-to-flare temper.
As I slid inside, my cell phone rang. Figuring it was Mama
checking
to make sure I hadn't done anything foolish, I dragged the phone out of
my pocket and flipped it open.
"Hello?"
"Jess?"
Colton. Great. Just what I did not need.
I slid the key in the ignition and started the engine.
her "best friend's" wedding, people wouldn't trust her, and people who
don't trust an investment advisor don't give her their business.
Just as quickly as she'd paled, a flush crept across her
cheeks and
anger replaced fear. She drew herself up to her full height - all five
feet three inches of it - and tried to stand nose to nose with me. Of
course, it's hard to do when the other person has almost seven inches
on you. And I wasn't about to be helpful by stepping off the stoop so
we'd basically be eye to eye. Not this time, and most especially not
with her.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. And if you
keep
threatening my livelihood, I'll be forced to call the police and file
charges against you." I had to give it to her. She was doing a good job
of trying to portray injured innocence, not that it would fool anyone
for long.
"Like I said, go ahead. I don't think anything I've said can
be
taken as a threat. It's more like a warning to others who might fall
prey to you." Now it was my turn to sneer. "I know what you did today.
And, just for the record, so does my sister. You're as stupid as you
are vindictive. You forgot to strip the date off that photo. So
Maryanne knows exactly what you tried to do."
For a moment, Janie didn't move, didn't speak. I'm not sure
she
even breathed. "So I sent her a photo of Brett and me. What of it? If
she really loved him and knew he loved her, it wouldn't have bothered
her."
"And butter won't melt in your mouth, will it?" I leaned in,
letting her see just how serious I was. If I scared her, all the
better. "Let me make sure you understand this. You will not try to
communicate with either my sister or Brett again. You will not be a
part of the wedding party. You won't try to attend the wedding or any
of the pre-wedding festivities. You will not contact any other members
of the wedding party. If I find out you have, I will make sure they
know the truth about what you did." I pinned her with a firm look. "Am
I making myself clear?"
"You always were a bitch, Jessica."
"It takes one to know one." Damn, that sounded so junior
high, but
it was the truth. "Do yourself a favor, Janie, and don't push your luck
any further than you have already." I turned to leave, satisfied I'd
gotten the message across. But, I had to be sure, so I pivoted to face
her once more. "Janie, if you're afraid of what I might do, you'd
better think about what Brett can do. He's a regional vice president
for the bank. How many of his clients could he suggest not invest with
your firm? Beyond that, his father is a very influential attorney. I'm
sure he could think of a few laws, criminal or civil, you've broken
today.
"But let's not leave out Brett's mother. She moves in those
social
circles you'd love to be included in. Then there are my parents.
Believe me, you really don't want them coming after you. So, all in
all, having to deal with me is probably the lesser of all evils."
"God, it's a real shame those idiots who killed that liquor
store
owner didn't finish the job with you," she spat. Before I could
respond, she'd disappeared inside, locking the door behind her.
Bitch.
BITCH.
BITCH .
Fuming, unable to believe she'd actually said it, I turned
and
stalked across the small front yard to where Mom's car was parked at
the curb. If I didn't get out of there now, I'd go back up to the
house, kick the door open and throttle Janie. After all, she deserved
nothing less. Especially after her little trick. But I didn't want to
spend even a moment having to explain my actions to the cops. So, I
hurried to the car and the safety it offered from my own sometimes
too-quick-to-flare temper.
As I slid inside, my cell phone rang. Figuring it was Mama
checking
to make sure I hadn't done anything foolish, I dragged the phone out of
my pocket and flipped it open.
"Hello?"
"Jess?"
Colton. Great. Just what I did not need.
I slid the key in the ignition and started the engine.
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