You Shipped Me Off I Married Your Boss Chapter 01
Brian Crawford chose the day of my flight to Chicago for his engagement to the woman he loved.
He told his fiancée, “Skylar’s spoiled. Nasty temper. You’re gentle. She stays in Chicago. She’s not coming back.”
My friends panicked. They thought I’d catch the next flight back to LA, screaming and sobbing.
They didn’t know I wasn’t going to cry. And I wasn’t going back.
Before I left for Chicago, I’d said yes to someone else’s proposal.
Two weeks. That was all I had left before I became someone’s wife.
I shipped every gift Brian had given me over the last ten years back to LA.
Including the ring I once treasured more than anything.
***
The last time I confessed my feelings to Brian Crawford, I made a complete fool of myself.
The private room was full.
Dead silent.
Not a single person spoke.
Minutes dragged by.
Finally, Natalie stood up from her seat beside him.
“Brian, come on. You’re making this awful for her.”
She offered a gentle smile.
“She’s still young.”
A snort from somewhere in the room.
“Twenty-one. Young? Sure.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, building on itself.
I stood my ground. Stubborn. Refusing to run.
But my vision kept blurring as I looked at Brian.
“Skylar.”
He tapped ash from his cigarette and rose to his feet.
“How much plainer do I need to make this? I turned you down the first time when you were sixteen.”
A sob caught in my throat.
“But you were furious when I started dating someone back then.”
“Because you’re the Crawfords’ ward. Every mistake you make reflects on this family.”
“And the kiss at prom when I was eighteen?”
The faintest trace of disgust flickered in his eyes.
“You were drunk that night. Caused a scene. I just wanted it over with.”
I laughed then.
But the tears came faster as I did.
“Brian. In all these years, you’ve had four women. Every single time, I’d cry, throw a fit, and you’d cut them off.”
“After all this time, you’re telling me you never felt anything for me?”
“Because I hadn’t met someone I actually wanted.”
He pulled Natalie into his arms.
“Skylar, listen closely. I’m only saying this one last time. I love Natalie. I’m going to marry her. None of your little tricks are going to work anymore.”
Natalie gazed up at him, her face glowing with adoration.
“Brian…”
No hesitation. He bent down and kissed her.
She threw her arms around his neck, rising on her toes to meet him.
The kiss was deep, fierce, like no one else existed.
And in that moment, all I could think about was prom.
That kiss had been deep like this. Long like this.
Enough to keep me dreaming for four years.
Stupid enough to believe he actually loved me.