1. Lexie

Chapter 1

Lexie

" A lexandra!"

The sound of my fiancé screaming my name as I bolted around the side of the church put a fire under my butt, and I pumped my muscles harder, my thighs aching.

The grass and gravel threatened to bowl me over, but I managed to stay upright, hitching the train of my ten-thousand-dollar wedding dress up around my hips to keep from tripping on it. My head was spinning, but it also felt empty.

I just needed to run .

When I turned to look back to make sure that Dick wasn't gaining on me, I saw that he'd given up, doubled-over and panting as I made my way to the highway. The venue was close to the airport, only about a five-minute drive. I was in great shape though running in a wedding dress was a lot different than running in workout gear.

All I knew was that I couldn't stay there. I couldn't marry Richard Whitman. Not because I wasn't in love with him, although that was one of the reasons. But because we wanted different things out of life. Much different things. Besides, I was tired of being treated like a doormat.

The only belongings I had on me were five-hundred bucks in cash and my driver's license, both stuffed in my bra. My phone, my purse, everything else was back at the church or at Dick's house. It had never felt like my house, even though we'd been living together for almost a year.

Dick's things were Dick's things, and he didn't share. He was very clear about that.

"You can buy your own things," he'd say whenever I'd complain. He managed all the money. I worked part-time as Dick's personal assistant because I had plans to go back to school. It never happened, however, so lately I'd been looking for a full-time position.

The last time I'd seen Dick before the wedding, we'd gotten into an argument. We were always getting into arguments.

" You should stop all that job searching, " he complained as I scrolled through a job site.

" Why would I do that? "

" Because I'll take care of you, " he promised, kissing my cheek as if that was supposed to somehow reassure me in a romantic way.

Dick had a lot of money and always had. He was born in upstate New York and had settled in the city to play the stock market. I wasn't exactly sure what his job position entailed, but I knew it earned him a lot of zeros in his bank account—that along with the trust fund his parents had set up for him.

The Whitmans were well-known in New York. When I first began dating Dick it had seemed like dating royalty in a way.

He took me to all the fanciest places, bought me the most expensive, beautiful jewelry. I was wearing the heart locket encrusted with diamonds that he bought me on our fourth date when I fled the church. I guess I got caught up with all the money, all the fame, definitely the financial stability.

It wasn't that I felt unwanted by Dick, it was more… transactional. For a kid who didn't feel like a priority to my parents—or anyone else in my life—there was comfort in that, regardless of the condition of our relationship.

I take that back; I suppose I was a priority to at least one person. But there was no reason to think about that now.

Oliver was another lifetime ago. I was a different person then and I'm sure he was, too. So what if Dick never made me feel like Oliver did? So what if when we were in bed he never even made me come?

Relationships aren't all sex and excitement. You have to work at them.

But there was no working on my relationship with Dick. As I was walking down the aisle, I couldn't help but think about how much Dick whined and complained, how our kids would end up having his big, stupid nose and how they'd be whiners, too.

I had to get out of there.

JFK is a huge airport and I just needed to make it to one of the gates...

I prayed while I thudded down the side of the highway, exhausted, sweating. I prayed that I had enough money for a plane ticket to Dallas, Texas, near my hometown of Wagontown.

I didn't have anywhere else to go.

Dick had made it so that I was isolated and I didn't have any friends, but at the same time, I simply hadn't made any. I moved away from Wagontown because I had to get out of my parents' house, had to get away from my little sister—the golden child. It wasn't that I didn't love my family, of course I did, but I always felt like I came second fiddle to Gillian.

I never really discussed my childhood or my homelife with Dick. He never asked where I grew up, never seemed to be interested. But at least with Dick, I felt like number one. I helped him with his work, we spent a lot of time together, even when he was busy. He'd been sweet and attentive at first, and I'd clearly been a priority in his life. So when he got down on one knee at our favorite restaurant, I'd said yes immediately, throwing my arms around him.

I thought it was what I wanted.

" What do you mean, you'll take care of me? "

He frowned, concern shadowing his brown eyes. " Of course I'll take care of you, Alexandra. You'll stay at home and keep up the house, and then, when the children come ? — "

" Children? "

My mouth went dry. I didn't know why I'd never thought about it, whether Dick would want kids, but I couldn't imagine him being a father. He was so... cold. Robotic, almost.

" Two or three, at least, " he said, smiling, but I didn't smile back.

That wasn't the first time I'd been unsure about Dick, but it certainly gave me pause. Over the past few months, he'd grown more and more controlling. I'd gone out with coworkers a few times and he'd nearly lost his mind, calling me over and over for hours while I was out. Not only that, but when he thought it was time for me to come home, he'd lock the credit card that he'd given me to use. Luckily, I had some of my own money to cover the bill but the way he controlled everything else.. .

When I arrived home, he acted as if nothing happened. He was as sweet and attentive as always.

But it was another red flag.

I guess the real straw that broke the camel's back was when he talked about kids. I suddenly realized that although I'd always wanted children, I didn't want children with him. I didn't want them to be controlled the way I was controlled.

I was running out of steam when I heard the squealing of tires in the distance. Assuming it was Dick, I panicked, jumping into some nearby bushes behind a building. I hid there, panting, until I heard the car drive past, the calls of my name fading away.

I'd always preferred my nickname, Lexie, but Dick insisted on calling me by my full name, Alexandra. I used to think it was endearing but now I find it annoying and another way he uses to control me.

I slowly climbed out of the bushes, pretty sure that there were sticks and small branches stuck in my dark hair, which was braided and piled on the top of my head.

I looked at the long stretch of highway before me. I didn't know if I was going the right way because I didn't know New York City the way I knew Wagontown. I only remember seeing the airport outside the limo window when we drove from this direction to the church.

A semi honked as I stumbled out onto the road, and I yelped and jumped backwards, falling into the ditch as my heels buckled.

The next thing I knew, someone was standing over me, their shadow blocking the bright June sun. The person was tall, and for a moment, fear tightened my throat.

"Honey, you look like you've had a day ," the woman said, and I was relieved to hear an obvious Texan accent .

"I really have," I replied, and the woman reached out her hand to help me up.

"I'm Lily. Short for Lillain, but don't tell anyone."

"Lexie," I greeted her with a small smile, brushing off my dress as I stood. "Short for Alexandra, but don't tell anyone."

Lily chuckled, jerking her head toward the semi which was parked on the shoulder of the other side of the highway. "Looks like you might need a ride."

She looked me up and down. It was obvious that I was a runaway bride—my hair and makeup done to the nines, broken heels, wearing a ridiculously expensive dress, now sullied with dirt and twigs.

"Yes, please," I breathed, relieved. "I can pay you for gas?—"

"Absolutely not," she cut me off, frowning and leading me across the empty highway. "I was planning on going past the airport, anyway." She paused. "I assume you want to get the hell out of here?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"That accent..." she trailed off. "Oklahoma?"

"Texas," I said, and she broke into a huge smile that made her look ten years younger.

"My old stomping grounds. I miss it. New York is quite the culture shock for us country girls."

"You're telling me," I muttered as she opened the passenger door and helped me up into the cab.

She started up the truck and instantly cold air blew into my face. It felt so good I almost moaned. It was a particularly hot day for June, and I'd probably have one hell of a sunburn once I finally got to where I was going.

Thing was, I wasn't sure where that was. I hadn't talked to my parents in probably three years .

I was sure they'd been in touch with Gillian, though, my little sister. I guess I was hoping that my family would take me in regardless, at least for a few months until I could get back on my feet. I prayed that they would.

When Lily stopped at the next gas station to fill up, I walked inside, buying myself a bag of chips and a stick of beef jerky. I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday; I'd been too nervous last night and this morning.

After I devoured my snacks, Lily offered me a thermos full of cold water, and I gulped greedily as if it were nectar from the gods.

By the time we arrived at the airport, I felt a lot more human.

"Are you on your way back home to Texas?" Lily asked as we approached the terminal. She hadn't spoken much on the way there. It was about a half an hour drive, so I was more than grateful that she picked me up. Although, in truth, I probably could have made it there quicker on foot.

"I am," I said, and reached into my dress, pulling out my cash. I tried to offer her some but she immediately pushed my hand away. "No need for that. I'm happy to help get a fellow Texan back home. I hope to get there myself, someday."

"If you do, look me up. Lexie Tripp of Wagontown," I told her as I jumped out of the cab. She gave me a sloppy salute and a wink.

There really are angels on Earth, and people like Lily proved that. I watched her drive away before heading into the terminal and toward the ticket booths.

The cashier didn't even blink an eye, clearly used to seeing somebody like me showing up at her station while working at JFK.

"International or domestic? "

I was able to get a one-way ticket for Dallas, thank God, and once I got through security, I wondered who I knew still living in Wagontown.

Specifically, I wondered if Oliver was still there.

Oliver Stanhope. My first love. My first heartbreak.

Surely, he wouldn't still be in town. He was probably married now with kids, he'd always wanted a family. The thought was a little bittersweet, even with how things ended with us. Nevertheless, I still wished the best for him.

Besides, the odds that I'd run into him were a million to one.