prologue

Six months earlier Coming home from work and finding Jamie in bed with her was the worst feeling in the world. I have done everything to that man, everything he asked of me. I gave him I tried so hard to be the perfect wife. I cooked, I cleaned, and I did the yard work so that Jamie could relax because he works hard for us. I never looked at the job I had was brutal. I worked eighty hours a week in the local hospital as an Allied health nurse, so being physical and working hard was nothing new to me, but coming home from a twelve-hour shift to Jamie screwing my boss well that ripped my heart out and stomped on it so what I do is grab my clothes and what is important to me and go to leave Jamie chases me and tells it was an accident like oh I'm sorry Rylee but I tripped and fell on to your boss’s v****a I don't stop I keep walking to my car with my pride intact and go home to my parent's house not ideal. Still, until I can find a place of my own, it will do my best friend, Alecia has been exceptional. She has given me the time to be angry and sad and let me express myself with music. Still, I'm sure she is getting sick of babysitting me over the past few days, so I throw myself into work and my patients, at least at work; I feel like I make a difference. Present Day I walk to my wardrobe and look at what I'm going to wear Alecia and I are catching up for coffee at the cutest little coffee shop just outside Flinders Street train station. I look outside, and it is the perfect spring day. I find my cute baby doll dress and throw it on my bed, then get a lacey pair of panties out of my draws. I may be single, but wearing lace bras and panties make me feel good. Once I have everything on, I put some light make-up on and straighten my hair. Since I left Jamie, I have let my hair grow out. It's light brown and mid-length, and naturally curly. Usually, I don't mind the curls, but today, I felt like having straight hair. I give myself a final look in the mirror and admire how good I look. I mean, I'm no supermodel, but God indeed did bless me with curves in all the right places. I head to the kitchen and give my parents a goodbye hug, and head to the car. I tossed my bag on the passenger seat and slid in behind the wheel, send Alecia a text telling her I'm twenty minutes away and then put on the music and pull out of the driveway. Usually, I have the music on as background noise, but today, for some reason, the P!nk song slut like you screamed at me let your inner slut out. I mean, why not? I'm single. Jamie got served with divorce papers three days ago so I can let my inner slut out, not that iv ever had an inner slut, but it seems to fit how I'm feeling after six months; I feel free and alive. I pull up outside the coffee shop and get out of the car. I see Alicia sitting in the coffee shop and that she has ordered for me, so I go to the table and take a seat. Alicea looks me up and down and whistles. “Damn, Ry, you are looking damn fine. I'm so glad you are out of the tracksuit pants and singlet’s I take it Jamie got the papers? And that's why you are dressing to impress?” oh shut up, Alecia, I felt good today, so I decided to dress up a bit. I'm not interested in impressing anyone. I mean, if I see a guy worthy of f*****g and chucking, then that's a different story, but there is no way I want to waste my time on another relationship, so today, I'm going to do something spontaneous! Alecia sips her coffee and considers what I have said. Then I see the spark in her eye. Alecia nods at me and grabs my coffee runs it up to the counter, and gets my coffee put into a takeaway cup. When she gets back to me, Alecia holds out her hand “come on, Rylee, let's go. I say we take a road trip where we end up for the night we stay and enjoy the night hit the clubs and check out the local wildlife er I mean men; we can, as you say f**k and chuck.” I chuckle and follow Alecia to my car. We get in and head towards Geelong. As we head to the freeway, I see the sign to the airport. I look at Alecia, who said we have to stay local; babes, maybe we could check out the wildlife in bris vegas! Alecia hoots, now that's my girl, let's go to the airport!! I turn off, and we set off to the airport; no clothes packed or any actual plans, just two best friends ready for a night out. When I pull up, I pay for parking, and Alecia gets out of the car and heads to the doors. I yell out, give me a few minutes, okay? I open up the glove box and grab my passport out and slip it into my handbag then run to Alecia. We go to the counter and pay for our tickets and wait for the flight. I call my mum and dad to tell them I won't be home and go to turn off my phone when a call comes in from my American Friend Ally. Hey, “Hey Ry, how are ya?” I'm good about getting on a plane to Queensland with Alecia. How are you, Ally? “I'm great when you say airport. I got a little excited and hoped you were going to visit me.” that is going to happen, Ally, soon. I promise I have to get time off work then I can come. I promise. “I'm holding you to that, Rylee have fun in Queensland talk soon, ok?” Talk soon, Ally. Love you when I hang up the phone; I turn it off and head to the bar. I need a drink. Alecia follows me, and we get a whisky each. I embrace the burn it gives me on the way down and then, Alecia looks at me. “Ry, I have booked us a room, and we are meeting up with Steph and Rach” oh good, I was wondering where we were staying. I down the rest of my drink and think about the phone call. What if I see Ally in America? It might do me good to get away for a while! I smile at Alecia, who is looking at me, looking worried. “Ry, are you okay?” I'm great, Alecia. I'm just over waiting for our plane now we hear it doesn't seem as fun Alecia nods and then takes my hand and leads me back to the waiting area as we get there our flight is called we board the plane and find our seats when the plane lands I notice Alecia has also booked us a hire car we get to the hotel then head to the club's Alecia picks up almost right away, so I'm left sitting at alone at the bar I few guys try to pick me up, and I look them up and down and give them a look that tells them to f**k off, and they get the hint I go find Alecia to say to her I'm going to the hotel, but she has her lips glued to tall dark and drop-dead gorgeous, so I scribble a note on a napkin and slide it into her bag then head out to the taxi area I get a cab back to the hotel and head to our room I spend the rest of the night checking my bank balances and organising time off from work I see Jamie had left a million messages on my phone, so I clear them out, but that cements it I send texts off to my friends in America who all say I can stay with them and then I call my parents and ask of they can look after my things while I'm gone my mum sounds worried on the phone but I don't let that bother me I go online and look at the next flight directly to Lax and book it I have to be back at the airport at 1am I look at the time and see I have two hours to burn so I head to the shopping mall and grab a few changes of clothes and a backpack I get a taxi to the airport and wait for the boarding number when its called I go check in and board the plan there is no turning back now America here I come!