Lucky Charm by Marie Astor Read Free Book Online Page B

it would be convenient for you to move over to Athena’s.” By the way Jeremy averted his eyes, Annabel knew that she had hit the nail right on the head. “Are you worried that Athena might not want you for the long term? Well, I’m sure the two of you will figure things out . A t any rate, now you should be able to pay your own rent.”
    She had meant to hurt him by her last remark, but instead she felt that she hurt herself more . W as that all she had been to him – a convenient means to pay the rent with unlimited sex benefits? She had to get out of there before she broke down in front of him.
    “Goodbye, Jeremy.” She was about to walk out, but then she remembered the sapphire ring on her finger , the very ring that Jeremy had proposed with two years ago. She twisted the ring off her left ring finger and placed it on the dining table. T hen she was gone, hurrying out into the street before he could see the tears in her eyes.

Chapter 7
     
     
    Annabel groaned at the sound of the alarm clock . M orning had never been her favorite part of the day, but this morning, the blaring sound was so much worse, as it mercilessly reminded her that her life was now officially in ruins.
    In an instant, the details of the previous day came back to her: Jeremy and Athena, together, kissing, h er anger at seeing them together, and then tossing Jeremy’s belongings out on the floor and telling him to scram. Yesterday her senses had been dulled by her self-righteous anger, several shots of Hine , and a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream, but this morning she could already feel her gusto evaporating as she was faced with the aftermath . Jeremy was gone , and she was left alone. She wondered what Jeremy was doing this very moment . W as he thinking about her or had he already forgotten her , happily turning over the page to a more exciting one with Athena? Were they drinking their morning coffee together, cooing over breakfast? Maybe , full of lust and passion, they were making love this ver y moment, while Annabel was alone in the queen-sized bed – the bed that used to belong to her and Jeremy.
    Her eyes felt scratchy, as though covered with a film of sand, from all the crying she had done last night ; her mouth was cotton-dry from all the cognac she had downed, and her head hurt from all the sugar she had ingested in vain attempts to quell the ache in her heart. After giving her ultimatum to Jeremy last night, she had roamed the streets for over two hours, while eating Haagen-Dazs chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream right out of the pint carton that she had purchased at a grocery store along the way. Dressed in her old sweats and scuffed up sneakers, she was not a pretty sight, but at the time she could not care less about the concerned glances that she attracted. By the time Annabel got home, she had finished the entire container . W ell, at least there was no danger of her losing any more weight . A t this rate she would quickly gain back the pounds she had lost while planning the wedding , and then some.
    Of course , there had been no need for her to be alone last night . T here were people she could have called . H er family and friends would have supported her. But she could foresee what every one of them would say . W hen she had first moved in with Jeremy, everyone had told her she was crazy to put her own dreams on hold for him. Lilly had been beside herself, calling Jeremy a shameless leech, and while less vocal, Annabel’s parents had been none too thrilled either . E ven Meredith had tried to intervene. Back then , Annabel was too in love to heed the warnings of her family and friends . N ow she wished she had listened. But the last thing she needed last night was to be reminded of her mistake, so as much as she had yearned for a shoulder to cry on, she opted to be alone instead.
    Despite all the anger and the hurt, part of her had secretly hoped that Jeremy would be there when she got home. As much as she hated to admit