I Do Not... Obey You

Chapter 1

Emily

“And now, you may kiss the bride.”

The groom swoops the bride off her feet and kisses her passionately as the little chapel erupts into boisterous applause. My ears ring from the intensity of the screams and well-wishes flying around. I’m sure if someone had a pistol, it would have been shot three times into the ceiling by now.

So many weddings, so many happily ever afters… for everyone except me. After a while, it gets tiring. I don’t want to be a damn bridesmaid anymore. I want to be the bride for once.

At the reception, I sit outside the hall on the staircase leading up to the main building. My small cup of red wine sits next to me, not looking as appealing as it did fifteen minutes ago. With my chin in my palm, I stare out at the orange and purple sky that overlooks this tiny town.

“Hey, honey!” Petunia plops down next to me, patting me on the shoulder while she downs her champagne. “Why aren’t you inside with the rest of us? The party’s just getting started.”

“I’m not feeling it tonight,” I reply gently, keeping my eyes on the ground. “Weddings just aren’t charming me anymore.”

“Ah…” Petunia nods slowly, resting the rim of her cup on her bottom lip. “I get you. Let’s see. Esther, Rosemary, Julia, Felicity…”

I hold back a sigh as she lists off all the women who’ve gotten married recently. One hand isn’t enough to keep track of them all.

“And now it’s Kayla! Looks like all the gals from high school are getting hitched. What about you, huh?” she asks playfully, nudging my arm. “When are you going to find the man who’s going to change your life?”

“I don’t know if he lives in this town.”

I’m one of the unfortunate souls that has not traveled around yet. In my 26 years of life, I’ve only gone as far away as Georgia. Being stuck in this tiny town in the middle of nowhere, North Carolina isn’t the type of life I wanted for myself.

No, I’ve imagined myself living better than this. I want lights in my eyes, the loud noise of traffic blaring around me in every direction. I want to stare up at skyscrapers and flashy billboards that show off all types of pretty people.

What do I get here? Grazing cows and chickens that yell their heads off at the crack of dawn. We have Main Street, with the post office and the market and a lot of other businesses that have been here since the town’s creation.

None of that inspires me, though. I want adventure. Here, I get monotonous days that bleed into each other.

The weddings remind me of a life I’ll never have. These girls are about to head off on luxurious trips to London, Paris, Vienna, all those amazing cities that you daydream about. By their sides, they have their gorgeous men who would do anything to keep them happy.

“Shit,” Petunia whispers, burping into a fist. “I’ve lost you. You’ve got that starstruck look in your eyes.”

“Sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind.” I brush out the wrinkles in my baby blue dress. Inside, happy screams can be heard as another champagne bottle is popped open. “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get out of this town?”

“All the time, honey,” she admits, leaning her elbows on the steps behind us. “I’m not sure I’m fit for the big city life, though. It takes a certain type of person to love that fast-paced lifestyle.”

“When you think about the city, what’s the first one that pops into your mind?”

“New York City,” she drawls before taking another sip from her cup. “Los Angeles is a close second. But c’mon. New York City is fucking New York City. It’s the city everyone’s trying to go to.”

A flutter of excitement suddenly emerges within my chest. I’ve got a cousin who’s living in New York City right now. I don’t know how she’s done it, but last I heard from her, she was in a beautiful condo in the heart of the city living rent-free. Rent-free!

Reaching for my wine, I gulp down the alcohol and feel the lovely sting course down my throat. The drink sends a buzz through my body, followed by an exhilarating thrill. My antsy fingers reach for my phone, scrolling through my contact list until I find her name. Jamie.

“Petunia, do you mind if I call someone real quick? It’ll only take a second or two.”

“Go ahead, sugar. I need some more champagne. But hey. Cheer up, will you?” Petunia lifts up my chin with her fingers. “I don’t like seeing you upset.”

Don’t worry. I think I’ve just found the answer to all my problems.

Once Petunia heads inside, I click the bright green button on my phone and press the device against my ear. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. I mean, Jamie might not even answer the phone. She might not even be interested in helping me at all!

What then? What will I do? How will I get out of this damn town if –

“Hello?”

I blink. “Oh, uh, hi. Hey, cousin. It’s been a while since I’ve last heard from you so I just wanted to check in.” The sun sets in the distance and a calm breeze wafts by, delicately kissing my skin and ruffling my curly hair. Feels like the start of a new beginning. “How are you, Jamie?”

“I’m doing alright. It’s good to hear from you, Emily. How’s Aunt Bailey and Uncle Pete?”

“Fine.” I glance over my shoulder, hoping that no one comes and interrupts this conversation. “Listen, I wanted to ask you about something. It’s been on my mind for a while, but I wanted to run things by you first.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“You live in the big city, and I’m sure it’s a wonderful time out there. I’ve been thinking about chasing some new horizons and heading out there myself. The only problem is that I don’t know where to go. I’ve got some savings to use for rent, but I need a place to crash. Do you get where I’m coming from?”

“Absolutely,” she says. She carries a smile with her words, I can hear it clearly. “How about you come to stay with me until you can get back on your feet? Don’t worry about rent and stuff like that, it’s covered. You’ll need all the savings you can to survive in a city like this, so I want to help you out as much as I can.”

“You’re serious about this, Jamie? You want to help me?” I stand up, feeling my heart race pick up. What the hell? Is my far-fetched idea actually working? “I owe you for the rest of my life, cousin! When I see you, I’m giving you a big kiss on the cheek, I promise!”

Jamie laughs. “When can you get here?”

The very next day, I’m packing my clothes and essentials into my dingy little car. It’s old and rusty, but it’ll survive the journey up to New York City. Lord knows I can’t afford the plane ticket right now, so this is as good as I can manage.

On a full tank of gas, I commence the journey upwards. I sip on my ice-cold water, I belt out songs to my heart’s content, and I dream of the new life I’m building for myself once I step foot in the big city.

The best part? I won’t be alone. Jamie will be by my side, guiding me throughout this rocky journey. When I’m rich and famous and have way too much money to toss around, I’ll make sure she gets a good chunk of it. She’s the reason why I’ve leaped onto this first stepping stone toward my destiny.

I arrive at her address after a good eight hours of driving. I triple-check it to make sure this is the right place. Skyside. The name sends a shiver down my spine.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” A white man dressed in black comes up to me, jolting me out of my daze. I’m in a trance staring up at this big skyscraper. “Would you like the valet to come park your car for you?”

“The what?” I blurt out. Then I gather my senses and nod eagerly. “Oh, yeah! Sure! Let me just grab my things, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

Hoisting two suitcases out of the car, I shake the man’s hand and hand him the key to my car. He stares at me in a strange way and quietly takes my car away.

“Huh,” I whisper, dragging my suitcases inside. I make my way toward the elevator. “Mom told me something about city people being mean sometimes. I hope she’s wrong.”

God, this place is fancy. Breathing in this air makes me feel as if my net worth just shot up a couple of thousand dollars.

The elevator dings open. I freeze, completely stricken by the sight inside.

In front of me is the most handsome white man I have ever seen. He’s tall with sandy brown hair and pretty green eyes that steal the breath from my lungs.

“Are you going up?”

It takes me a moment to register that he’s talking to me. He’s looking straight at me, and I fumble over my words, trying to think of the right things to say.

“Y-Yeah. I am. Um.” I laugh awkwardly, tugging my suitcases into the elevator as he holds the doors open for me. “Thank you.”

“Are you moving in?” he asks. His gaze flutters from the suitcases to my attire. Compared to him, I’m severely under-dressed. “Do you need any help?”

“I, um…” I scratch my neck, smiling wide at his kind tone. “I just came into town. I’m moving in with my cousin.”

At that, he smiles. My heart nearly stops. “What’s your name?”

“Emily.”

“Good to meet you, Emily. I’m Alfred. It’ll be a pleasure seeing you around here more often.”

Oh, man. I’ve just made the best decision of my life.