“The moment she whispered, ‘Oh, great. The stinky country girl is here,’ I knew tonight was going to be interesting,” I thought, heart pounding. I stepped closer, smiling at Sloan Whitmore, who had no idea I owned the hotel. “You really shouldn’t underestimate people,” I said quietly. And as her face paled, I realized this was only the beginning. By the end of tonight, she wouldn’t just regret the words—she’d regret every decision she ever made.
The moment I stepped into the Monarch Hotel ballroom, I heard her. Sloan Whitmore, my brother’s “perfect” fiancée, leaned toward her bridesmaids, a glass of champagne in her manicured hand. Her words cut through the chatter like a blade. “Oh, great. The stinky country girl is here.” The giggles that followed made me feel smaller…