Chapter 1
The Christmas lights twinkled like stars against black velvet skies. Lola Yvonne Joseph used to love Christmas. Emphasis on used to. These days Christmas was merely a marketing tool for her husband, Jonathan Michael Joseph. He had turned his software company into the second largest electronic gaming company in the world. Was Lola proud of her husband? Of course. His dreams were coming true, but he’d seemingly forgotten about his wife. And she was tired of it. Not just tired of it, but sick and tired of spending Christmases in rooms full of strangers dressed in formal wear, eating bacon-wrapped shrimp, then playing video games while Jon smooth talked investors and buyers for money and shelf space. And what did Lola do? Listen to cackling wives complain about tipping hairdressers and nannies. Dull. Boring. Annoying.
Not this Christmas. She wasn’t going to do the week-early exchange of gifts. Nope. Well, kind of—she had a gift for Jon. Divorce papers.
Her best friend, Tashmir Jones, thought Lola was certifiable when she told her the plan.
“Lo,” she’d said, as they sipped peppermint lattes at The Heartbeat Café that Tashmir owned. “You’re going to serve him divorce papers for Christmas. And your reason is he works too much?”
“Yes,” Lola had replied, brushing an auburn curl from her smooth brown face.
Tashmir shook her head. “So, let me get this straight, the man is not cheating on you, beating on you, or disrespecting you. . . .”
“Neglect is the first cousin to disrespect. I love Jon. Love him so much, but my husband thinks I’m a steel column, that I’m just going to always be there. Everybody has a breaking point and I’ve reached mine.”
“But why divorce? That’s forever, Lo. You and Jon are everything to each other.”
Lola had rolled her golden brown eyes and groaned. “JMJ Sports is everything to Jon. I’m arm candy.”
It had been Tashmir’s turn to roll her eyes. “Now you’re just being stupid. You’re not that hot, Lola,” she quipped.
“Still hotter than you, heffa!” She’d stood up and shook her hips. “And I know you aren’t talking about me ending my marriage when you dumped a guy over a bottle of water.”
“Yes, a college boyfriend. Someone who I had not exchanged marriage vows with or stood before God and promised to love and cherish forever and ever, amen. Besides, throwing a marriage away over your husband’s work schedule is stupid!”
“It’s more than that. Are you going to Aspen with me or not?” Lola had downed her drink and focused her determined stare on her friend.
“Sure, maybe I can talk some sense into your crazy ass. Are we taking Jon’s jet? You got me spoiled, I don’t do commercial flights anymore.”
“Why would I take his jet? I don’t want him to know where to find me. He can spend Christmas much like I do. Alone.”
Tashmir simply shook her head and agreed to the trip. Part of her had wanted to call Jon and tell him what Lola had planned. But girl code forbid those things. “Well, I hope you plan on making him pay for the spa and the hotel.”
“Maybe. I have to go and tell the staff when to take the decorations down.”
“Lo, you’re making a huge mistake. I just want to go on record and say that.”
“Your objection is noted, but I don’t care. I’m tired of Jon ignoring me and I’d rather be alone than forgotten.”
The blaring horn behind her brought Lola back to reality. Miami was no place to spend Christmas. There was no snow, just alcohol and women wearing furs when it was still over eighty degrees some days. She had to meet with her lawyer and sign the papers. Today was the day. Her marriage to Jon was going to end. A single tear slid down her cheek. She may have been sad and twisted about her decision, but there was no other way.