CHAPTER ONE

A majority of people married in Vegas go in one of two ways. They stick it out and try their best to make some magic. While other people decide it was a mistake and go their separate ways. It’s the perfect chick flick for broken-hearted girls. A mistake in Vegas turns into the perfect romance.

My story didn’t quite start that way. Someone was married in Vegas but it wasn’t me. My best friend, Jessy, took seven of us to party and celebrate her engagement. A few hours later we split off. Some of us made our way to bed, others to bars. One or two even went shopping. Jessy did the unimaginable. She went out, found herself a man and the rest was the typical drunk in Vegas love story. Except the love story was missing the love.

The next morning we got the breakfast sob story. The new “husband” was there. He kept a respectable distance but he made it known that he did not intend to mess things up for anyone and would do anything to remedy this situation. When the courts decided to fight the annulment, they settled on a divorce. Not the perfect situation but a reasonable one.

As they sat down to work out the details, he opened up a bit. Said he figured if he was accidentally married, we should know that he is not a murderer. His name was Devin, 23 years old, an only child. A business owner in downtown Victoria. Went to Vegas for a convention. Got drunk because his girlfriend cheated on him and sent him pictures of her with another man. The weirdest part is he had been living in an apartment building down the road from me. I say had because he would no longer be living there since the apartment was under his ex-girlfriend's name and there was no way she would give up a place in that building. the waiting list alone was a pain to get on. He needed a place to stay. Jessy, of course, did not want to stay married to him and did not want to let this “husband” of hers live in the same home. Everyone else had their obligations or reasons to say no, including children

I wasn’t quite sure why. He was everything a woman wanted. Tall dark and handsome. A bonus. He was British. What girl doesn’t love a man with a British accent? how stupidly cliche.

Jessy’s soon-to-be husband knew about the event and understood stupid things happen in Vegas. He was the perfect man for Jessy because Jessy was wild, stubborn and crazy. On the other hand, she was loyal and honest. While her fiance was an adorable thing. He’s very friendly, loves a good night out but would rather stay home and cuddle up to a good movie. They were both in the business field. I‘m not really sure what but they enjoyed it.

“Cassy?” Jessy called me out of my daze.

“Yea what’s up?” I sat up and actually listened.

“Would it be possible if Devin moved in with you for a bit? I know you were struggling to make ends meet,” she said with a pointed glare. Yes, let’s let the strange man live with the weird reporter, story writer and photographer.

A short hushed argument later and I was on the plane in the seat next to this stranger. A few hours later we landed. And a few hours after that we crossed the ocean on the ferry and drove two hours from Nanaimo. A small car loaded with boxes and finally my adorable overpriced two-bedroom home. Jessy wasn’t wrong when she said I was struggling. I am. But not with money. With stories. I’ve been stuck on the same chapter for a week. the trip was supposed to help with new ideas

“Well, this is home I guess,” I say, lightly dropping his box on my floor. “Um bathroom is there and I just need to empty out the spare room and you can spread out a bit if you want.” I calmly walk to the spare room but in reality, I’m freaking out. My spare room had been a crappily put-together red room. The chemicals safely stored and put away. I had a walk-in closet that would have worked better but I had the room why not use it right?

“film? That’s different,” he said walking into the room.

“Yea, it’s a little outdated but everyone has a passion right?” I replied continuing to pull down the photos I had left to dry. A hand slipped past my face.

“It’s beautiful.” a photo of a raindrop on a rose. The only colour was the red of the flower where the rain was.

”Thanks, it was meant to be on the cover of a book but they fed me the company line.” I sighed “they went another direction”

He laughed. “What a mistake.”

“What about you? What’s your passion?” I said stacking the photos safely in folders. “

Books.” I laughed of course. What guy didn’t have a nerdy side. “ mostly science fiction. But I love a good horror.” he continued, handing me the photo.

“You know what. Keep it. Someone should show it more love than my file folders ever will” I said passing it back.

Taking my box out. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was going to be something good or not. I slowly unpacked my stuff into my walk-in closet. My clothing was in a dresser. I really didn’t really own a lot of clothing. Shopping wasn’t my thing. Unless it was for new camera parts. Crash. something was broken. Dear lord, please don’t let it be important.

“Shit!” I dropped the box in my hand and ran to the room. In it was Devin standing on a chair with a lightbulb in one hand and a broken one on the floor. A red one.

“Cassey I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to. I’ll buy you a new one. I swear I’ll do dishes for a week. No two weeks and clean every room in the house.” I couldn’t help but start laughing. Laughing because it was just a lightbulb. Because of the look on his face.

“Its ok Devin. It’s a lightbulb. Replaceable. Not like you broke my camera. Just put the new light in and I’ll grab the broom ok?” I could physically see him relax. It was cute. Seeing him get worked up over something so minor.

That night was amazing. Pizza and a beer or two. Low music on in the background. We just talked all night. About everything and nothing. The good and the bad. My unnatural hate for chick flicks. He opened up to me about everything. His childhood, his ex, his favourite foods.the big things that could change everything and the little things that meant nothing. The next morning would be hellish and we both knew. Multiple times we said we should go to bed. But a song would come on and we would start up again. Talking about music or a movie which would branch out to another thing. Until we sat in silence again tempting us to get out and get some sleep.

Alarms. Texts. Emails. In the morning they started pouring in. work. Friends. Life.

“guess that’s our cue.” I sadly mumbled.

“I guess so” there was knocking on the door. The day was here, and yet I couldn’t help but wonder. Was it sleep deprivation? Or was there a spark?

Days passed and we grew closer with each event we shared. it had been about two weeks since that night. normally I clean every week on Sundays but the trip had put me behind. Today’s big event. Laundry. I always found it amusing how little he knew about day-to-day living.

I folded my shirt on top of the occupied dryer. Devin was on my left. Attempting to fold a pair of pants.

“So you have never done laundry?” I stifled a laugh as he once again put down a horribly folded shirt. Knowing I would pick it up and fix it yet again.

“I did once when Kendra and I first got together. But I mixed some of my red clothes in with all her white towels and sheets and turned them pink.” I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. What a silly mistake. Never mix whites! I wanted to shout that from the rooftops. It's such a silly mistake that everyone seems to do. it's that stupid cliche that I loved hearing about. As I picked up his horribly folded shirt letting it come undone the door creaked open letting the few people in the building know we had another companion.

“Shit.” mumbled Devin. His hands shaking as he put down the pants that had actually begun to look like a normal person had folded them

“ what’s wrong?” I questioned as I put my hand on his shoulder. One name slipped out that made me worried for him.

“Kendra.” I looked up at the woman who had just entered with a man. the man was shorter than her. then again it could have just been the five-inch heels she was wearing. he was scrawny. like he hadn’t had a decent meal in years. light blond hair was different. he should have had brown or black. his skin was too dark for that light of blond. then there was Kendra. Dear lord was she ever beautiful. Long legs. No fat. She could have been a supermodel.

“Devin?” her voice squeaked. Except for that. Dear lord how did he put up with that high-pitched voice!

“Hi Kendra,” he mumbled putting the pile of folded laundry into a basket.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” she squeaked. holy cow. I’m going to need some vodka in a minute. how did he put up with that voice! and that attitude! did she just come from cheerleading practice?

“Just washing some clothes,” he replied putting my shirts in the same basket as his. Accident or to make her see he had moved on even if he hadn’t. “And who is this one?” she pointed a very long dragon claw at my chest. how does she expect to do anything with those things?

“This is Cassy.” he said wrapping an arm around my waist. So this is how it was going down then.

I rested my head on his shoulder and gave this Kendra a very sickly sweet smile.

“ I’m sorry who are you?” the smugness on her face seemed to drop to anger in the blink of an eye.

“ I’m Kendra. I’m sure Kevin has told you all about me.” the joy I was about to get out of this next bit outweighs anything I have ever done. “Nope.” her anger was making it very hard not to laugh.

“Kendra. his one true love? isn’t that what you used to say Devvy?” she tried so hard to make me jealous. it was cute.

“I’m sorry we didn’t really talk about exs we mostly just focused on each other and getting to know one another. he has been such a great help around the house and with work,” I said cuddling up to him a bit more. the anger was seething out of her face.

“so he let you read some of his writing then? I’ve read most of it.” wow she really wanted to make me angry.

“his writings?” I questioned. let her have her moment of happiness. “I’ve read all of it.” Time for the final nail “honey we should hurry up if we want to make our reservations with your family” we had never really talked about family so I didn’t want to push my luck with too many lies. But it seemed to hit a nerve.

“You’re introducing her to your parents?” she snarled. lucky shot.

“Yes. making a trip up to Campbell River tomorrow morning for the long weekend. Right sweetheart?” he looked me right in the eyes and moved the hair from my cheek. It was sweet. Amazing even. Made my heart jump. But I knew it was all fake and that hurt. Once we got home from the laundry mat we went our separate ways to put away the freshly cleaned linens. I couldn’t help but feel a bit broken. I knew this wouldn’t go the way I hoped.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. We were closer than ever before. Yet it wasn’t the closeness I wanted. I wanted him. I wanted to hold him. To cherish him. To give him the love he deserved after everything his psycho ex had put him through. I wanted to tell him tonight. That I had gone and fallen for him. Devin. He was all I wanted.

As if it came out of one of those stupid romantic comedies where the girl gets the stupid text asking her to meet him. as she runs to him to tell him she loves him. That he was the one. As she walks to meet him she finds him in the arms of another woman. Usually his ex. And in my case, it was exactly that. His ex was in his arms kissing him. it was a pain I have never felt before. I never liked relationships and this didn’t help the case. the worst part was his phone in her hands. the smirk on her face. of course, she would want revenge after that scene in the laundry mat. after we had left she had actually broken a machine. Broken wasn’t the right word. Smashed. Destroyed. and here I was feeling about the same as that poor machine. It wasn’t worth it. I was nothing to him. But he was everything to me. it was the stupidest thing ever. I wasn’t this girl. I didn’t put my heart into the hands of someone else ever. because its what stupid cliche girls do. saying I love you and doing cute things. getting jealous. it was all stupid chick flick crap.

I spent most of my day walking. Nowhere. And to continue with the cliche crap, it's raining. Pouring rain. the worse part was my tears. I didn’t cry often. but when I did it was for a good reason. this wasn’t a good reason, this was a stupid cliche. my tears mixed in with the raindrops. Dear god! I was turning into a cliche! Here I am listening to sad songs walking around in the pouring rain. and yet it felt right.

My music ended with another call from Kevin. That makes 12. I finally decided to end my walk. Walking into the house. I was overtaken with loving hugs and a million questions. Jessy, her now husband, Devin, and all the girls. all the girls right? the four I actually knew and hung out with. my basically sister, Jessy and her husband, and my roommate. Each one wanted to know where I was.

“ I’m fine just distracted.” I lied. They stuck around for a couple of hours making sure I was ok.

By the time they left me and Devin had enough tension to drown a person or two.

“What’s actually going on Cassey?” he said as he sat on the couch. “ we’re best friends Cassey.” I stopped in the doorway.

“How's Kendra?” was all I said before I walked to my room. “

“Kendra’s dad died today. I kissed her out of habit.” with that he kissed my lips gently before leaving for his room.

And that was the start of my cliche love life