fit to shine his shoes, much less pretend to be in them. When in reality, the opposite is true. Jack is the best thing to ever happen to me. Douglas, as it turned out in the end, was the worst. And Jack was my best friend through all of it. Through the fights and the heartbreak, Jack was always there for me. Iâm just lucky, that after all these years, Jack and I finally ended up together.
âJack,â I say to Douglas. âHis name is Jack.â
âWell, whatever,â Douglas says, a sly smile creeping onto his lips. âI wonder what Trip will say when he finds out that Jackâs not me?â
âIf you drop your lawsuit, I promise that Iâll tell Trip,â I say, and Douglasâs sly smile becomes a full blown grin.
âWell, I was hoping to get to court at least one time to see you in one of your cute outfits,â he says. Even though I never figured out exactly what it was that Douglas did for a living, he always found a way to diminish what I did for a living. Cute outfits for court? Iâm abig time lawyer, for Godâs sakes! Sometimes being so devoted to fashion really has its drawbacks.
âIâm leaving,â I say, getting up out of my chair.
âWait,â Douglas says. âSit down. Are you really going to tell Trip everything?â
âIs that what you want? To humiliate me once again? Dumping me mere minutes before my ex-boyfriendâs wedding wasnât enough for you? Now you want me to confess to my ex that I was so desperate to keep my dignity ever so slightly intact that I made my best friend dress up and pretend to be you?â
âWell, yes, actually,â he says, leaning back in his chair. âThatâs exactly what I want.â
Hmmâ¦. Risk public humiliation at the hands of my ex-boyfriend or face a two million dollar lawsuit? The sort of quandary single girls everywhere must face on a daily basis.
âFine,â I say, trying to plaster a fake smile onto my face. âIf I tell Trip everything and completely humiliate myself, will you then drop the lawsuit?â
âSure, Brooke,â he says, putting his hands behind his head. âSure I will.â
âShake on it?â I ask, thrusting my hand out for him to shake.
âI have a better idea,â Douglas says, and pulls my hand so that my body goes flying across his desk. I fall on top of his desk and try to use my other hand to get back up. âNow, this is more like it,â he says, leaning over me. â This is what I call a negotiation.â
âYou disgust me,â I say, pulling away and struggling to stand upright. I straighten my suit and spin on my heel.
âYouâll come back, Brooke,â Douglas says as I walk out of his office. âYou always do.â
Chapter Eight
âTrip,â I say to my ex-boyfriend, âwe need to talk.â
Weâre on the set of his latest film. You know, the one thatâs starring his movie star wife about a woman who goes to her ex-boyfriendâs wedding? Yes, thatâs the one. The one thatâs all about my life.
Long story.
âI donât have time to talk, Brooke,â he says, ever the uber-agent to the stars. âIf you havenât noticed, weâre trying to make a movie here.â
âAbout that,â I say. âThereâs something you need to know.â
âOh no,â Trip says, âhas the screenplay been leaked on the internet?â
âNo,â I say. âTrip, listen to me. Itâs about Douglas. Well, not Douglas, butâ¦. Okay, let me start over. DouglasâI mean, the person who you think is Douglasâisnât Douglas. Thatâs why the real Douglas suing us.â
âWhat are you talking about, Brooke?â Trip says, putting down his clipboard and giving me his full attention.
âWell, there was a Douglas. A Scottish guy I was living with. But we werenât engaged when I told you we