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Chance Encounters
Six months went by. During that time, Candice and AJ had officially gotten back together - after a bit of coaxing on his part. Trish and Randy were finally consummating their marriage, and Lisa Marie had still not bedded John Cena.
As for me, I was enjoying the single life. I could do whatever I wanted, when I wanted, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Over breakfast one morning, Lisa invited us all out for a huge party in The Hamptons. One of her oldest clients had finally broken big and was having quite the bash - along with fifty-to-one hundred guests.
I liked the idea of getting away for the weekend. Trish whined a little, not wanting to be away from the hubby, and Candice was reluctant to leave being a lawyer for two days behind.
In no time, it was settled, and the two skeptics were convinced. So, that Friday afternoon, we set off in Lisa's convertible for a trip to The Hamptons.
The house was gorgeous. But I didn't understand how a woman who had only now broken big in the entertainment business had been able to afford such luxury. Lisa Marie explained that Roxanne Hartwell had been a doctor prior to her newly found fame as an actress.
"Wow, that's quite a transition!" Trish breathed, in awe.
"Yes, it is," Lisa quipped with a wink. "Roxy was born to be in movies."
"So," I said, "when do we get to meet this starlet?"
"In a minute," the Public Relations Manager said, a smile spreading across her face. "There she is now!"
We climbed up the few steps to the deck, where a beautiful brunette was sunbathing in a blue bikini. The woman squealed with delight as she spotted Lisa, who ran over to her.
"Roxanne Hartwell, these are my friends - Candice Beckman, Trish Orton and Amy Dumas. Ladies, I give you Roxy."
"It's wonderful to meet you all," the actress said. "You are my guests this weekend, so please make yourselves at home."
Candice and I quickly exchanged glances. It wasn't that Roxanne Hartwell wasn't nice... She just seemed to have an extremely large amount of phoniness to the niceness. Trish didn't seem to notice, and Lisa Marie clearly adored the woman, so we let it slide for the time being.
"You must be excited!" our blonde friend said with much enthusiasm. "Your big break, becoming a star... Tonight's party!" She grinned and cast a glance my way.
"Oh, darling, it's absolutely the most amazing feeling!" the brunette agreed.
"Lisa Marie tells us you were a doctor," Trish said. "What kind?"
Roxanne smiled as she led us all into her house for a tour.
"I was a pediatrician."
Candice and I again exchanged glances. I didn't offer any response this time other than a smile, but my outspoken, cynical friend made a remark.
"And you didn't find that to give you an amazing feeling?"
Lisa Marie shot her a look.
Roxanne glanced Candice's way but didn't dignify her with an answer. Instead, she smiled at us and made a grand sweeping gesture with her hands.
"Well, ladies - enjoy yourselves. I have an appointment with my stylist at one." She cast Lisa a gaze. "Lisa, you know your way around."
My friend nodded.
*
Later, the party was every bit as extravagant as expected. I saw many celebrities in attendance, some that put me and the girls in great awe. I was enjoying myself with a Cosmopolitan and some mingling when I spotted one very familiar face, one I most certainly had not been expecting.
"Oh, my God," I whispered. I tore my eyes away and faced Trish without really looking at her.
"What? What's the matter?"
I gently grasped her wrist and tried to be as subtle as possible - though I probably failed miserably.
"Edge... He's here," I mumbled.
"What? He is?" the blonde asked, glancing all around in a very unsubtle manner.
I felt positively mortified and wished the floor would somehow open and swallow me whole. I chanced a glance back up, only to see that he was heading over to us, to me. Trish murmured, "There he is," as she finally saw him.
"Hello, Amy."
I straightened up and faced him, forcing a smile on my face in spite of myself. My heart was thundering like a kettle drum.
"Hello yourself," I said.
"Hi, Trish... Good to see you again," Edge said genially.
"Hi."
"How is Randy?"
Trish shifted her gaze briefly to me before she focused back on my ex-boyfriend.
"He's good," she replied. I could tell by the terseness of her demeanor that my friend was very uncomfortable. And then, her next words confirmed that. "I'm gonna..." She pointed a finger elsewhere, but at no place in particular. And with that, she scurried off.
I sighed resignedly, wishing Candice or Lisa Marie had been beside me when Edge came over. I knew they would have stuck by me instead of running and leaving me alone with him.
"So," he said, and I could hear the awkwardness in his voice, "funny we should meet up here, huh?"
"Yeah," I agreed with a nervous laugh, "small world. So... you know Roxanne."
"Not really."
It was at that moment that a gorgeous young blonde bounced over to us... to him, more aptly. She was all smiles and wearing a strapless mini-dress decked out in silver sequins. She didn't look a day over twenty-one and grabbed hold of my ex's arm like she owned it.
"Hi," she said breezily.
I simply stared at the girl, and at Edge.
"Hi."
"Um, Amy... This is Barbie Blank," he said, and I could see a sort of humility in his green eyes. "She's the one who knows Roxanne."
Barbie... The name was a perfect fit for this very young woman.
"Oh, yeah, she's great!" the girl quipped. "Are you a friend of Adam's?"
I looked directly into her eyes and slowly nodded.
"Yeah... You can say that." I glanced back at him, finding it suddenly a difficult task. When I gained back a bit of my bearings, I forced a smile and asked, "So, how... How did you guys meet?"
"Oh, I was modeling in Tokyo and met Adam at a bar one night! He was there on business... He bought me a drink, we talked, and the rest is history," Barbie said. She smiled as she gazed adoringly up at Edge, then pressed a lingering kiss on his lips.
I couldn't take anymore.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Barbie. Would you excuse me? I've got to..." I made a gesture with my free hand and then rushed away. I ran past Candice, who was talking with a couple, left the deck altogether and hurried out onto the beach. I stopped once I reached the low waves.
"Amy! Amy, wait!"
Candice had gone after me. I faced her as she caught up, noting the look of concern on her face. She reached out and touched my arm, asking me what was wrong... And that was when I lost it.
My friend bent over to hug me as I stood there, stooped over and crying. My sobs were harsh and brutal as I somehow managed to tell her what happened.
"Edge is here... Not alone," I choked out. "He has a new girlfriend who... very young. I can't-" I couldn't continue.
Candice gathered me in her arms and held me as I wept.