Chapter 1

13 years later

On the TV in the corner of my kitchen counter, the evening entertainment show played on the screen, as I sat at the table, drinking a cappuccino.

"And now, the news you've all been waiting for," the announcer was saying, "Jude Harrison is making her return to music. The woman, as you all well know, won the Instant Star contest back in 2005. She took a break from music for three years to act. And since her tragic miscarriage and divorce from her husband, fellow rocker Ryland Michaels, she has remained out of sight." He paused briefly before continuing, "Jude is making her grand return to music on Thursday, where she'll be reuniting with her producer, Tom Quin---"

I grabbed the remote from next to me and shut off the TV. I let my head fall back and sighed deeply. I was nervous about seeing Tommy again. It had been 10 years since I'd seen him which had been at my wedding, when we shared our last embrace and a slow dance that had brought tears to my eyes.

Real tears stung my eyes as my hand unconsciously touched my abdomen. The miscarriage that the announcers had mention had been the reason Ryland and I divorced. It had been hard on us physically and emotionally. I had been two months pregnant and I had been at home when I started to hemorrhage.

Ryland had to drive me to the hospital as I bled profusely in the backseat. There hadn't been time to wait for an ambulance. We ended up attracting the paparazzi when we had gotten a police escourted to the hospital. All of Canada and America bore witness to my suffering.

Ryland and I decided to divorce two months later, on civil terms. The love was still there, but it was so hard to be around him. Everytime I looked into his eyes, I could see all his pain and fear there…

My phone rang shrilly, breaking the silence. I wiped back the tears that had fell unconsciously, and got up, grabbing it from its cradle.

"Hello?"

"Salut, my darling friend." A chipper voice greeted me on the other end.

I smiled almost instantly. "Hi, Kat."

My friend was currently residing in France, hence the french greeting. She had hit it big in 2008 with her fashion designs, and is still one of the hottest designers. She and Jamie, who had started dating again after I got together with Ryland, moved to France where she opened a boutique in Paris. While Kat works fashion, Jamie is a reporter for Rolling Stone. Though, he is considered on vacation right now.

"Oh, my God, Jude! Jamie and I are getting married!"

"Finally!" I groaned into the phone, "It's been, what, uh…Holy Crap! Thirteen years!"

"Okay, Miss Drama Queen, stop exaggerating."

"Kat, honey, I'm not. You're already considered married by common law."

"Well, now we're going to be official with a ceremony and all. We're going to be back in Canada on Friday."

"Good! I've missed you. When's the wedding scheduled for?"

"Maybe next month."

"Wow!"

"I know."

"Wow."

"I know."

"W---"

"Will you stop that! How many cappuccinos have you had today?"

"Umm…as of now, 4."

"Sweetie, it's only…10:00 in Canada time."

"I am addicted. I can't help it."

"Soooo, I heard that you're working with Tommy again."

I winced. "It's true."

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

"Kat, I----"

"You do." She replied, "I know you."

"Well, that may be but it's not going to be like old times…"

"All that tells me is that you're not going to mooning after him 24/7."

I sighed deeply and shook my head.

"Don't you shake your head at me."

"How'd you know?"

"I know you. And that tells me that he's always been in a little corner of your mind."

"I can't deny that. He was my first slap-in-the-face, heart-racing, mind-numbing love."

There was a pause.

"So, does that mean you're going to seduce him?"

"Kat!"

"What?"

"This is Tommy. Like I could seduce him." I sighed, "Plus he probably doesn't even think about me anymore."

"Uhh. That's not exactly true."

Uh-oh. "Kat…what aren't you telling me?"

"Well, after you had your miscarriage, Tommy called me in a panic. He was worried about you. Trust me, he still thinks about you."

My mouth dropped open. "Did he tell you that he still even wants me?"

"Since you got engaged."

I felt unnaturally smug. "Heh."

"Enjoy that tidbit of information, girl. I'm sure you'll need it for Thursday." She replied, "But, I must go, Jamie and I have dinner reservations."

"Okay. Thanks Kat."

"You're welcome. Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up and did a little dance. It had been 6 years since my divorce and I led a nun-like life. And now, I knew it was time to move on again.