Novel excerpt:

Chapter One: Chelsea

My mom was worried that I hadn’t known Jay long enough to be marrying him, but my mom had always been a worrier. I’d never understood why. Now, especially, she no longer needed to worry. For me, all the painful events of the past two years were now a blurry, dissolving memory. Today was the happiest day of my life.

Since Jay was from Southern California and I’d grown up in the San Francisco Bay area, he suggested we should have a destination wedding on neutral territory. That way, neither one of our families would feel the other was favored. When he showed me pictures of a lush garden overlooking several water‐ falls on The Big Island of Hawaii, I was reminded again why I’d fallen in love with this man. He was absolutely perfect for me. It seemed as if he knew my heart better than I knew it myself.
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Now, the ceremony was over. The photographs had been taken, and the limo had driven us down beautiful roads past palm trees and breathtaking views to the resort where we were hosting our reception and spending our honeymoon. We’d sipped champagne while our closest friends lifted their glasses in toasts that made us laugh and glow with the warmth of their re!ected love. Both my parents spoke heartfelt words that brought tears to my eyes, their voices "lled with love for me, and respect for Jay. There wasn’t a note of reservation regarding their belief in our future.

It wasn’t as if I were a child, leaning on my parents. At thirty-two, with a six-year career in the tech industry behind me, and now, a year of law school under my belt, I wasn’t exactly looking to Mom and Dad for approval in everything I did. But at the same time, we were a close family. I cared about their feelings and considered their opinions. They’d never steered me wrong.
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Now, most of our guests were dancing. The sun was sinking into the ocean, casting pink and orange streaks across the sky as the rays spread through a thin layer of cloud on the horizon. Jay was dancing with his best friend from high school while I took a short break. I’d discarded my silver heels an hour ago and had been enjoying the cool feel of the dance !oor on the soles of my bare feet. Now, I stretched out and admired the pale pink polish on my toes, peeking out from under my wedding gown. I sipped champagne, loving the slightly tipsy feeling and
this absolutely perfect day.

Bella, my maid of honor, was dancing with my dad. My mom and her best friend, Katherine, were standing by the bar, whispering, sharing their secrets, and laughing as they had all their lives. How had I gotten so lucky?

My life hadn’t always been so perfect. I’d left my job under horrible circumstances, but that had led to something better—my decision to go to law school. I’d had to take a break from school following my accident and I couldn’t wait to get back to
classes once Jay and I settled into our new condo after the wedding.

The song ended. I saw Jay reach into his pocket and pull out his phone. I couldn’t imagine who might be calling him. Nearly everyone we were close to was right here. We’d discussed having a no-phones policy but in the end, we decided it might be o!-putting to some of our guests. Too controlling and judgy.

He left the dance floor, taking long strides, giving the impression the call was urgent and he needed to get quickly to someplace quiet. He pressed the phone hard against his ear, drawing attention to his freshly trimmed dark hair, the tiny curls I loved that had grown at the back gone so that he looked sharp for our wedding photos. No matter what he did with his hair, Jay was gorgeous. My heart beat slightly faster watching him walk toward the patio where wicker chairs and tables and a koi pond provided a comfortable setting for quiet conversation.

As he turned to step out of the path of a server carrying a tray of champagne flutes, the expression on his face startled me. He looked worried, or something else. Frightened?

I sat up and smoothed my dress over my legs as I watched him disappear onto the patio. I picked up the tiny purse that held my lip gloss and phone. Despite my brief desire to have a phone-free wedding, it was hard to let go of that always available device. In my heart, I knew I’d want to post a photo or two on social media. How
could I resist? Jay and I looked our absolute best. And not just because of his tux and my strapless gown with its three-foot train, my cascading curls and perfect makeup, carefully applied by Bella. Our happiness was spilling out of our eyes and shimmering in our smiles.

I hurried after Jay, ignoring my shoes in my rush to catch up.

As I drew closer, I couldn’t quite hear what he was saying above the hum of voices around me, and the next song starting up, but the tone of his voice was clear. His words were sharp. Maybe he was annoyed that someone had bothered him at our
wedding with something trivial. It must be a work call.
But there was something else. A note of anxiety.

I pulled out my phone, texting him as I walked.
                      Everything okay?

I thought he might turn to see where I was, but he didn’t. Instead, he continued walking, faster now. I stared at my phone waiting for a response, turning to skirt the edge of the koi pond. I felt a sharp jab to my upper arm as I crashed into someone who seemed to appear out of nowhere. My phone !ew out of my hand and splashed into the pond.
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I gasped, watching it sink into the dark water. Immediately, four large orange and white "shed rushed to investigate, blocking it from my view. I wanted to grab it out, but the thought of sticking my hand into the midst of those fish with their mouths opening and closing, convinced that someone had tossed them a delicious treat, made me hesitate.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry, Chelsea. What a klutz I am.” I looked up to see my mom’s friend, Katherine. “I guess neither of us were looking where we were going. These phones. Right?” She laughed, waving her own phone. “I’m really sorry. Let me get it for you.” Without a hint of squeamishness, she plunged her arm into the water past her elbow. The fish scattered.

She grimaced. “I can’t reach the bottom. I didn’t realize it was so deep.” She pulled out her arm, dripping with water. I took a step back, pulling the skirt of my gown close to my body.

“I’m so, so sorry,” Katherine said. “I’ll replace it, of course.”

I glanced toward Jay. He was no longer on the phone. He started toward us, smiling as if everything was absolutely fine, as if he wanted to convince me that I’d misread his hurried departure, his tense shoulders, his sharp tone.

He came toward me and kissed me.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“You rushed out. You were on the phone.”

He slid his arm around my waist. “I didn’t rush out. Let’s dance.” He kissed the edge of my ear.

As he guided me smoothly toward the dance floor, he was moving with the same determined strides with which he’d left the reception room moments earlier. I felt rushed. I felt as if he wanted me to stop asking about the phone call.

I felt an unwelcome thought puncture the fizz of champagne bubbles inside me. Who was on the phone and why was Jay lying to me? Maybe my mother was right. Were there things I didn’t know about my new husband after all?