Senior Year Box Set

I had to take a bathroom break. The ones downstairs had lines, so I made my way upstairs. One of the staff pointed out one that was off the beaten path. He admitted it was where they all went when they needed one right away.

I found the door cracked open, so I opened it to find Oliver’s fiancée and Cinderella there. They both had their masks off, and it looked like they’d been crying.

“I have to … you know,” I announced.

They stepped out of the way of the toilet but didn’t leave. If nature hadn’t been pressing, I would have kicked them out, but they couldn’t see anything, so I decided to go for it.

“I can’t believe that slut. And she’s in your wedding party,” Cinderella said.

“My parents are going to have a cow. They’ve already paid for most of the wedding stuff,” Cordelia said.

“You’re sure you want to call it off? He seems to love you.”

“Yeah, it’s over. We can’t come back from that. I would never trust him again. I don’t want to always be wondering if he really is working late or if it’s just a boys’ weekend. While I had my suspicions, I didn’t want to believe it,” Cordelia said.

Apparently, Oliver had done something with Harry’s ‘girl on the side.’

“I was just leaving. Would you like a ride back to your hotel?” I asked.

“Yes, please. That would be for the best,” Cinderella said.

I sent a text to my driver, and we started to go downstairs. We made it halfway down the hall when a door burst open, and Oliver rushed out in a disheveled mess. Both girls stiffened.

“Go on down,” I told them and stepped between them and him. “Slow your roll.”

“Get out of my way. I need to talk to my fiancée.”

“She needs to process what she saw. Do the decent thing and give her until at least tomorrow. If you push it now, you won’t like what happens,” I said to try to reason with him.

Harry and his mates rushed out.

“I’ll take the girls back to the hotel. Keep this one here, and don’t let him bother her until tomorrow,” I told Harry.

“He’s right. Come on, let’s get drunk,” Harry said.

Oliver looked defeated.

“I’ve made a bloody mess of it,” he moaned.

I had to agree; he had.

◊◊◊

When I reached the foyer, I found Beth with the other girls. I took off my mask, and Cinderella’s eyes got big when she recognized me.

“You’re … you’re …”

“David A. Dawson, at your service, Princess,” I said and gave her a little bow.

We walked outside and found the paparazzi waiting there to take the aftermath pictures. When they saw that Cordelia and Cinderella had been crying, they couldn’t resist. I was sure it wasn’t lost on them that I was there to help the three of them into the car. I walked around the car and sat in the front seat for the ride home.

In the back seat, the three women talked quietly. I had the driver turn on the radio so we couldn’t overhear their conversation. I wasn’t sure if he would share what he heard with the paparazzi or not, but better safe than sorry.

When we got to the hotel, I got out too. Beth and Cordelia went in, leaving Cinderella alone with me for a moment.

“I wish I’d gotten a dance,” I said.

She gave me a sad smile. Then she looked up at me.

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

“I have an extra ticket to the opera. Would you like to go?” I asked.

She blinked.

“If you’d rather not …”

“No,” she said. “I just never would have guessed you’d have tickets to that.”

“They were a gift,” I admitted. “It isn’t something I would normally plan to do, but I figured since I had them, I might as well go. If for no other reason than to be able to say I’d done it.”

“I’d like that,” she said to make the evening worthwhile. “We’re going out on my boat tomorrow. Would you like to spend the day on the water?”

That sounded better than the opera.

“Yeah. I would love to.”

She gave me the details and then surprised me when she kissed me. I should have known better; this wasn’t my first rodeo. A paparazzo picked that moment to snap our picture. Cinderella blushed and hurried inside. I figured she must not be used to the attention I drew.

I walked across the street to my condo with a smile on my face.

◊◊◊

Chapter 4 – Cinderella Saturday March 25

I came out of my bedroom and found Megan reading something on her phone.

“Morning. You the only one up?” I asked.

“No. Ashley already left for her poker tournament. When she got up, I decided to stay up.”

“Want to go across the street and have breakfast with me?” I asked.

“I’d like that.”

As soon as we got outside, I could tell it was going to be a lovely day. My weather app said the high would be in the low 60s. I didn’t anticipate doing any swimming when I joined my princess and her group, but I expected we would have a pleasant time on the water.

Since Brook had left, a couple of women had caught my attention. Joey, my trainer, appealed to my athletic side. I don’t think she realized the effect she had on me when she bounced around in her shorts that … well … I shouldn’t go there. There would be serious ramifications if I ever did.