Justin asked me to marry him a few years after high school, when we were both about to graduate from the University of Arizona together. Danielle had dropped out to move to Vegas and Amy, who always dreamed of living abroad, had attended the Sorbonne in Paris. In the last few years of university it was just me and Justin. Always the two of us. J and J. The JJ’s. Justin and Jane.
We were on our way to the park, a place we had dubbed as ‘ours’ from the first time we had discovered it. Justin seemed a little bit on edge. I kept asking him what was wrong but he kept denying it. We walked straight to our tree which was marked with a big J+J in the middle of a heart and made ourselves comfortable. Justin had gone all out that day with blankets and pillows, champagne and snacks. I remember clearly being very impressed with his organisational skills. He popped open the champagne and handed me a glass. And then, right in the middle of the park, he got down on his knee (well he actually got up on his knee as he was already sitting) and he proposed to me. Of course, I said yes. I was always going to say yes. The JJ’s united. By then we had been going out for four years already and I knew that the day was going to eventually arrive. Still, I hadn’t expected it. Back then I thought that my whole life was waiting for me. I thought I’d always be as happy as I was then. How wrong I turned out to be.
Justin and I held a small party and invited our closest friends to celebrate our engagement. We weren’t sure if anyone could make it but we were lucky enough to have the original members of the group back together again. I still have a photo of that day. Timothy, Amy, Danielle, Justin and I smiling into the camera. It was only afterwards that I noticed that Justin and I weren’t even standing next to each other. That was the day that Amy announced that she was not going back to Paris. Of course, we were excited. We were thrilled.
“Oh Amy! This is great news. Half the group is together again.” I had said as I engulfed her in a big bear hug. And I really was happy. Amy had been such an important part of our lives and I was glad to have her back. From then onwards she started spending more and more time with us. I didn’t mind. I thought it was great to have another girlfriend to gossip with. She asked me so many intimate questions about my relationship with Justin and I gladly answered each of them in detail. I liked having someone to talk to. For a full year the two of us became even closer than we were before, to the point where I definitely considered her as my greatest girlfriend. But all that changed, and in one night – a night that is now etched into my mind forever – I lost both my fiancé and my best friend.
I had been working late that night and had told Justin that the company had set me up in a hotel for the night. But when the job finished early I decided to surprise Justin by going home without telling him. I went and bought him his favourite take-out and crept my way inside. I remember that night in slow motion. The way I had walked in all excited and then wondered why he wasn’t in the living room watching TV even though the TV was on. The way I had jumped into the bedroom to yell ‘surprise’ only to find him naked on top of Amy in our bed. Our bed. Our bed. I remember how those words kept playing in my head, over and over again. They had jumped up in fright and I had just stood there, staring at their naked bodies. They both apologised. They both scrambled for their clothes. And all the while I just stood there. Watching them without really seeing anything at all. Amy ran out the house and I sat on the bed while Justin kept telling me that he was sorry over and over and over again. Eventually I looked at him – he looked like a stranger to me, not the Justin I had been going out with for so long – and I finally found the words to say, “How long?” Justin didn’t try lie or hide his face. He looked at me then and I knew that he was going to tell me the truth. “A year.”
A year. We had been engaged for a year.
I looked again now at his Instagram account and then threw the phone on the bed. I wasn’t sad anymore. I was angry. Suddenly the room felt claustrophobic and I needed to get out. I walked downstairs and looked at the house that I now lived in. The house that was so different to the one that I had lived in with Justin. But I was glad that it was so different. There were no memories to haunt me when I looked around – only the stark reminder that life had changed.
Chapter 4 - Jane
I walked the stairs and admired the beautiful house that I now lived in. I had to take pleasure in the small things and I was constantly reminding myself to be more grateful. I felt like I was constantly trying to channel Oprah Winfrey in order to find some inner peace, even though most of the time it felt like inner turmoil. The house was gorgeous though, and easy to love. I was lucky enough to have reconnected with the lovely Danielle – who, as it turned out, was a far better friend then Amy could ever be. Danielle had never fully trusted Amy and I had knocked her for it in the past, telling her to try see beyond Amy’s cheeriness. Danielle hated people that were too bubbly – she said they were hiding something. I should’ve listened to her from the start. But, of course, I was always giving people a chance. I wondered if it was a good thing that I was now a lot more distrustful of people. In a way I wasn’t giving many people a chance now but at least I wasn’t getting hurt. I didn’t want to be hurt anymore.
Thankfully Danielle had more than enough space for me. She owned a beautiful two story house in a development in the heart of Henderson, NV. It was far too big for one person to live in alone. It wasn’t going to be forever, but for now it was a good place to camp out until I got my life back together again. Although I knew I wouldn’t be able to find anything quite as luxurious as this one, especially since I didn’t even have a job at the moment. Just walking down the stairs felt like something out of a movie – it was long, and spiralled down with sophisticated ease, all white and sparkles of gold. Above it lay a beautiful chandelier, where more gold sparkles lit up the room. A little extravagant, and perhaps completely unnecessary, but Danielle could afford it and it made her happy. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it made me happy. The soft bed, the big walk in cupboard, the bathroom all to myself and the big coffee machine next to my bed. It was far better than anything I had ever had before. But it was hard not to still feel alone, even amongst all these beautiful things. Thankfully, Danielle kept me laughing through all my sadness.
“Hey Danielle.” I called out as I walked outside. Danielle was lying by the pool working on her tan which certainly needed no work at all. She was all bronze and beauty and looked as if she belonged to the house that she had bought. As if she was just a part of furniture herself. She had always been a lot more glamorous than the rest of us, even when she was sporting jeans and t-shirts all day. So it was no wonder that she had finally found a place to suit her.
“Jane. I’m glad you’re here. You mustn’t coop yourself in that room for too long. It’s not good for anyone to be inside for long periods of time. I was actually just thinking that if you weren’t here in ten minutes that I’d have to come up and drag you down. It’s a beautiful day. I have just the thing for you. Actually make that three things: The sun, the pool and a delicious cocktail.” She got up and poured me a cocktail. It was bright blue with a yellow umbrella and little bits of fruit bobbing happily at the top.
“I cannot believe your life sometimes.” I said while taking a grateful sip of the delicious drink. The cocktail tasted like juice more than alcohol – which I knew from previous experiences to always end up being a bad thing. And with the hot sun pounding down on me, it was hard not to take gulps rather than sips.
“Wonderful isn’t it. I’m very lucky. But I worked hard to get here. This didn’t just come to me. I made it happen. These moments of lazing around are definitely few and far between. And greatly deserved. I always make the most of them. And so should you.”
It was true. Danielle was an incredibly hard worker and had done well to get to where she was today at such a young age. She worked at as a hostess and waitress at Palms Casino and maked close to $100,000 a year in salary and tips. Then, despite her busy schedule at work, she had decided to start a landsca
pe company and had asked me to do the marketing for it. I couldn’t afford to pay her much rent so this was my way of helping out as best as I could. But it wasn’t enough. I needed a job.
“Danielle, I need a job.” I confided.
“But you have a job silly. You’re doing my marketing. And you’re doing a damn fine job at it.” This wasn’t entirely true. There was barely enough work for it to even be considered a job. So far I’d only done a few hours a week and I had a feeling she’d just made up the position to help me.
“Yes but that’s only to help with rent. I need to actually start earning money and I’m also not going to be living here forever.”
“What? I thought we were going to fall in love and get married and live happily ever after here together.” She said trying to sound earnest.
I punched her in the arm. “Yeah sure. I forgot all about that plan. I wish I could, this place is amazing. But seriously, I need to find something. I can’t just sit around all day looking at photos of Justin and Amy. It’s going to drive me insane.”
“I hate that you do that. I told you to stop following them. Although, did you see my comment on their latest photo?” She was giggling.
“I did. You’re awesome. That one made my day.”
“What is she doing in that photo anyway? Pretending to be a flower? It’s so incredibly lame. And what’s with all those idiots telling them what a nice couple they are? They know that he cheated on you with her. It’s ridiculous really. I tell you what – if there’s one good thing that came out of all this is learning who your true friends are. And saying Au Revoir to the rest.”
“That’s true. And you’ve proven to be the best of them all. Also, I do love how you always turn to French when you’re trying to make a point.”
“Well, yes… naturally. Mais Oui.” She took a long sip of her cocktail and flipped her hair back in exaggeration.
I laughed, “You’re such a show off.”
“Ah… but at least you know where you stand with me.”
“That’s true. But now, back to the job thing, I’m honestly getting worried. My savings are starting to run out and I really don’t want to have to move back to Arizona. It’s bad enough seeing their photos – but to actually bump into them would be a nightmare. Also, I want them to think that I don’t need them. That I have my life together. Even though I’m clearly falling apart.”
“Why don’t I get you a job at the casino with me? I’ve already told you that it won’t be a problem at all to get you in. Just say the word and you’ll have a job.” Danielle had been trying to get me to work with her since I arrived but it wasn’t something that I wanted to do.
“I don’t know Danielle. You know me and waitressing. I’ve never been good at it. In fact, I’m rather awful at it.”
Danielle burst out laughing, almost spilling her cocktail. “You’re right. I forgot about your first waitressing job. You were awful.”
“I was. I was more than awful.”
“Remember when you dropped that plate of food on that hot guy?”
“Oh no! I do remember that. And the food was hot and he got up and jumped out of his seat. And then he knocked the other waitress to the floor. Then I tried to help him by throwing water all over his crotch. It’s funny now but it was so embarrassing at the time. I wanted the earth to swallow me whole.” Suddenly the two of us were laughing until our stomachs hurt. We had both put down our cocktails and we were doubled over with tears running down our face.
“And do you want to know the worst part?” I said, coming up for a breath in between the laughter.
“What? It gets worse?”
“Not that moment. But the worst part was that the hot food and water on crotch incident was just one of many. I was forever spilling stuff on people. I think I have a natural tendency to do things like that when I’m nervous.”
“Thanks Danielle.” I finally said when the laughter had subsided.
“Thanks? For what?” She asked.
“For this. For always making me laugh. I really am grateful to be here you know.”
“I know you are. Now, what about that other job you applied for? I never got the chance to ask you about that.”
“Oh, well I haven’t heard anything yet although they said that I should be hearing back soon. I have absolutely no idea if I’ll get it though. You know what it’s like – they’re always so vague with these things. I could’ve been brilliant or awful – either way they keep their cool. Well it’s actually for The Sunrise Casino – you know that big one with the pool that wraps around it?”
“Of COURSE I know Sunrise Casino. Everyone knows about it! I actually tried to get in there once, this was years ago when I first moved here, but it seemed everyone had the same idea as me. I didn’t get in and then I got the job at Palms Casino and I’ve been so happy there that I haven’t bothered trying to get in again. But what a cool place.”
“Well, they ran this online contest asking for social marketing ideas. I did a bit of research on the place and put a few things together and sent in my proposal. I have to say, for such a big and fancy casino, their social media presence isn’t all that great. I think that anyone who wins that contest will do a better job than what they are doing now. They’ve basically ignored that side of their marketing completely. So it was quite easy to come up with some ideas. And it was so much fun. I love doing things like that. Sometimes half the fun is in the planning.”
“Half the fun is in the planning? You are SUCH a nerd at times Jane. So, what happens if you win?” Danielle asked and I punched her on the arm. She was always mocking me for the nerdy things that I did. I was the type of girl who always had her nose in her book and who got excited when someone mentioned the word Scrabble.
“Well if I win then I’ll get to lead the casino’s social media campaign. It will be quite a big job and I’m assuming it will go on for quite a long time. Also, I hear the money’s pretty good. But like I said, I have no idea if I’m going to get it. Also, I have a feeling millions of people applied for it. I’d hate to be the person in charge of going through all those applications.”
Danielle whistled. “That place is one of the hottest casino’s on the strip already. If they sort out their social media they are literally going to explode. We did that at the Palms a few years ago and we went from quiet to busy within weeks. I tell you – if people see it on social media then all of a sudden it becomes the place to be. That casino is already doing so well without it – can you just imagine how crazy it’s going to be when they up their game? I hope you get it girl. This is the perfect job for you. Little Miss Organizer and Planner.”
“I certainly hope you’re right.”
“Now, will you relax a bit with me? You’re far too uptight and ruining this beautiful day. Also, I have a surprise for you.” She winked at me and I frowned back.
“A surprise? What does that mean? Oh no, I hope you haven’t organised for some stripper to come?”
Danielle laughed. She had done that once before to a friend even though it wasn’t her birthday and it was hilarious to be on the outside watching in, but not at all funny for the poor girl who had to endure it all. “No, no. I wouldn’t do that to you. But I really do have a surprise for you. In about half an hours’ time. So until then, sit back, relax and enjoy your cocktail.”
“But what is it?” I hated not knowing things. Surprises were always good when they happened but there was nothing worse than knowing that something was going to happen and not at all being prepared for it. Also, I was about to lie down in a bikini and it wasn’t quite the best time to have other people walk in. “Can I keep my clothes on in case you are surprising me with people? Should I go brush my hair? Or put on a nice dress? Oh no, I don’t think I even have any make up on.”
Danielle giggled. “Relax. Relax. You are perfect as you are. I promise you. Just trust me.
And I did trust her. Only her.
Chapter 5 - Jane
Somehow, in the space o
f half an hour, I had managed to fall asleep.
“Jane, Jane, earth to Jane. Wake up. Your surprise is here. Hello lovely girl.” A voice called out from the distance. My eyes drifted open and I screamed out in shock. Danielle had her face right in front of mine.
“Geez, don’t do that to me. You’re going to give me a heart attack. Did I fall asleep?”
“You sure did. Such a lightweight. One cocktail and you’re out. Come now sleepy head, look around. Look at everything that you’ve missed out on while you’ve been away in la la land.” She signalled around her.
I looked around and was surprised to see that the outside section had been transformed in what looked to be a spa of some sorts. There were beds, towels, and something that looked to be a changing room. There was also a lady standing there staring at them. The lady was gorgeous and looked like she had stepped straight out of a magazine cover.
“Okay, how the heck did I sleep through all of this and what is going on?” I was incredulous. I must’ve really needed that nap. And I must say, that even though it was only half an hour, I suddenly felt good.
“Welcome to your very own spray tanning session, with the wonderful Miss Marian.” With that the lady bowed down.
“A spray tanning session? That’s my surprise? Oh I don’t need to do that. You don’t need to do that either. Look at you. You are already so brown.” I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful but I really wasn’t a fan of self-tanning. I never had been. Which would possibly explain my translucent skin.
Auctioned to Him 3: Back to the Yacht Page 33