Like Glass We Break (Glass #2)

by Kari Fisher

  “Okay.” Esther is still sniffling.

  “So stop crying,” Lauren commands.

  Esther nods. They sit in silence for a few moments.

  “Holy shit—” Lauren manages, breaking that silence as she watches Oliver walk a very drunk, very half naked bar slut toward the hotel as she hangs off of him. “Oh, hell no. Esther, get out of the car. Esther, now!”

  Esther does as she’s told and jumps out of her idling vehicle. Lauren jumps over the center console into the driver’s seat and throws the vehicle into drive. As Oliver and his new fling walk into the hotel, through the doors, she follows in Esther’s vehicle, as fast as she can make it go as it bounces up the three cement stairs.

  The car, though it is small, crashes into the glass doors with the loudest noise Lauren has ever heard. Being inside the vehicle and hearing the glass crash down around her feels like her world is falling to pieces. So this is what it’s like to implode. Halfway through the doors, she presses on the brakes and comes to a stop. There are screams, although barely audible and buried by the sounds of the car being crushed. The front windshield has blown out and Lauren’s entire lap is littered with glass. Her face and arms are covered in blood. She reaches for the door handle and winces as she squeezes it to release herself from being trapped inside the vehicle. As she steps out, she is wobbly on her feet. Oliver stands, stunned, almost twenty feet from her. The woman he’s with stands too, only feet from him. She looks like she’s about to cry but is too shocked. The look on Oliver’s face goes from fear to disgust.

  “Lauren?”

  “Oliver,” Lauren manages.

  “Lauren, what are you doing here? What did you do?” he asks.

  “Oliver, I can’t believe it. It’s you!” she exclaims, as she begins to step toward him.

  “Don’t come near me.” He holds his arms out, as though to keep her back, even though she’s still far away.

  “Oh, the blood,” Lauren notices.

  “No, just don’t come near me, Lauren. Stay away from me. You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Oliver, I have been all over the country looking for you. We can finally be together,” Lauren pleads.

  There are people running in. People making sure other people are okay. People are bleeding. Esther is standing just outside of the hotel, shocked and shaking. Still crying. She’ll never stop crying.

  “Lauren Blue, you ruined my life.”

  “Oliver, I love you. You said you loved me. Please, tell me you still love me,” Lauren pleads.

  Oliver shakes his head and walks toward Lauren, who has blood, tears, and snot dripping down her face.

  “Don’t come looking for me again,” he whispers as he steps over her and out through the broken glass doors of Maplewood Inn and Resort. Oliver Fallon is gone and Lauren Blue is left to deal with her coffee shop demons alone once again.

  Acknowledgments

  Sean Lamothe, you were so much fun to work with. Kaleigh and Tyler, I appreciate everything you did for me.

  About the Author

  Kari Fisher is clumsy, disorganized, and never wears matching socks. Where does she get her motivation? Over-caffeination often helps, as little gets accomplished without a cup of java. She has two dogs, three cats, a fish, a toddler, and a husband who is more work than all of them combined. She often encourages her readers to enjoy her characters as she creates them in her head—with a splash of red wine.

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  http://www.karifisherauthor.com