PROLOGUE
During the winter Kaelyn Armstrong met the man of her dreams,
in the spring she was sure it was fate,
in summer she could already see the ring on her finger,
and then came fall...
That led to a rather painful next winter.
Kaelyn imagined the floor opening up and just swallowing her whole, she could only wish for this to happen because obviously it wasn't going to. No matter how much she prayed and pleaded she was stuck in this room with no way out Though she could run out the very tempting double door on the other side of the room, unless she wanted to look like a fool in front of everyone. Once it became apparent she was not going anywhere she squeezed her eyes shut, this time wishing, hoping, and praying, that the happy couple in the middle of the floor with goo-goo eyes all over each other would disappear. That while everyone was looking at them in of shock and looking at her in sympathy a big hole would just consume them. So they could look at each other all lovey dovey somewhere else, preferably somewhere in space, where they would die for lack of oxygen.
The shouts of yes from the little blond's lips and the look of joy on the man's face was agony, pure agony. Kaelyn was sure that the world would end right now, more so she hoped it would, she could only be so lucky if it ended right now. She wanted to be able to smile along like this whole thing wasn't affecting her in the least, like she was happy for Jacob and his little blond whore. Yet she knew everyone would see through that, because for one she was a horrible actress and two, everyone knew that as soon as Little Ms. Blond had come sniffing about Jacob had dropped her like a hot potato.
At first she thought he just wanted to get out a little before he finally came to his senses and proposed to her, but nope, he was proposing just not to her. Jacob had chosen little blond, or Claire as she liked to point out, in her high pitched snooty little voice, when Kaelyn repeatedly said her name wrong. So while Kaelyn had already been humiliated by him leaving she still said yes when he invited him to his parents snooty party. Kaelyn of course went because she was sure he had finally come to his senses and saw that she was the one he wanted, well the joke was obviously on her as he called everyone together dropped on one knee and proposed to Claire. Kaelyn fought an unexpected rush of tears, she was only 20 years old, and she had been sure she had found the man of her dreams. Now all she felt like was some pitied old desperate woman, that couldn't keep a man.
Suddenly Kaelyn had to get out of there her eyes were brimming and she couldn't endure anymore sympathy stares as the couple hugged in kissed in the middle of the room. Already she'd seen two people point in her direction and whisper to each other. There lack of care that she could see them floored Kaelyn and she knew if she stood there one moment longer she would be reduced to a puddle on the floor. She had never thought of herself as a punk, but to stand here would be torture and she needed to go somewhere to have a good cry. She eyed waiters walking in and out of the kitchen door and knew that was her best bet. Unless she wanted to trek across the room to the gold and white marble double doors that led to the exit. Kaelyn immediately crushed that idea and quickly rushed to the kitchen door without trying not to seem too conspicuous, but as soon as she got hold of the handle a large hand was on her shoulder.
"Kaelyn, are you okay?"
She knew that voice, who wouldn't, it was deep and smooth and resonated through her spine, she turned slowly to come face to face with sharp green eyes, Jacobs's brother. His dark reddish auburn hair is brushed from his strong angular face except for one stray lock. The question is shocking, Caleb never asks anything unless he really wants to know the answer, and his usually emotionless green eyes were smoldering at her the way they always do when he's interested in something. She knew this because though she was with Jacob, Caleb always interested her, he was a puzzle and for some reason she always had the urge to solve it.
"I'm okay." is all she can manage and they both knew it was far from the truth.
He never liked her, well of course he was nice enough but he was always giving her weird looks whenever he saw her with Jacob. She knew he didn't think she was good enough for Jacob, she wasn't sure if it was because she was black or wasn't rolling in the money like they were but it didn't matter anymore. Jacob had his rich little blond, and she had a gallon of Ben and Jerry's waiting for her at home.
Caleb looked at the strained expression in her usually soft brown eyes, and her anguished face tugged at his heartstrings. He had always thought his coward of a brother didn't deserve the beautiful Kaelyn and indeed she was beautiful. From her black stilettos going up to her toned chocolate legs and her heart shaped lips, she wasn't skinny or tall like the women him and his brothers usually got paired with. She was a little on the short side, maybe 5'3, and boy did she have some curves on her; she was like a pinup girl all soft and thick in just the right places. Her strapless black dress had a white bow just under her heaving chocolate breast and his mouth watered. Her skin was the most beautiful shade of raw umber, and he couldn't see how his brother could give up this cocoa beauty for the snotty, and stuck-up, female that their mother had pushed on him.
His brother never did have a backbone, but it was just sad that Kaelyn had to get caught up in the mess. He had watched as she stood strong, a fake smile plastered on her face as a group of well wishers crowded around his brother. She was a strong woman, but he knew it would just be a matter of time before she cracked, so he wasn't surprised when she made her way to the door. At first he was going to let her go, but some strange irresistible push made him follow her and stop her as she had her hand wrapped around the kitchen door. It surprised him though when she quickly stepped away from him walking away. On impulse he grabbed her slender wrist and practically yanked her to him.
She glared and pulled back whispering to him in a low but seething voice, "What the hell are you doing?"
Caleb wanted to have an answer but he didn't he had no idea why he pulled her back or why his breath quickened as soon as he touched her wrist.
"Do you want to go outside for some air?"
He was surprised that she almost seemed relieved and she nodded her head, following him as fast as she could on her shorter legs across the room.
Instead of leading her out of the front doors like she thought he grabs a hold of her hand and heads to the balcony overlooking Manhattan. She watches him wearily and he laughs to himself, she had every reason not to trust him after what his brother did to her. He notices her shiver and hands her his suit jacket. Finally clearing his throat and turning to her.
"Look, I'm sorry about my brother what he did was wrong."
She looked at him in shock, "And your apologizing why? The last time I checked it was that coward bastard that left me for that stupid skinny blond whore"
