[Complete]
Chloe's world is shattered when her parents' long-standing marriage comes to an abrupt end. Determined to shield herself from the pain of love, she vows to never allow her heart to be entangled, even if it means severing ties with Henry...
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"I'm sorry, you told her what?" Leah exclaims, a burst of laughter escaping her lips.
"Shh," I hush her, glancing around to ensure no one else heard, "I had zero control over the words that came out of my mouth. It was like word vomit. I didn't even realize I said it until after the fact," I confess, feeling the heat of embarrassment creeping up again as we make our way back to the hotel from the venue, with Henry and Jason walking a few feet in front of us.
"Clearly," she quips back at me, amusement dancing in her eyes. "I'm not even sure I've ever seen you jealous before," she adds, casting a glance my way.
I roll my eyes. "What was I supposed to do? Just stand there while she practically threw herself at him?"
"I'm pretty sure she just touched his arm," Leah points out as we walk up to the front of the hotel. "And you could have said that his sister was looking for him."
"Well, it looked like a lot more than just a touch," I remark.
Leah smirks at me, her gaze curious. "Why does it even matter anyways? Isn't this all just supposed to be fake to you?"
"Whatever, Leah. You try fake dating Jason and then tell me how smoothly it goes," I retort, playfully scowling at her.
As we reach the entrance, Henry stands there at the door with a warm smile, holding it open. Leah walks through, and then I follow suit as Henry gently places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me inside.
"Thanks," I say, my smile widening as I meet his gaze, and he intertwines his fingers with mine.
After blurting out what I said to Savannah earlier this evening, the wedding went well. Besides the occasional glare from Savannah and her friends, Henry and I had a great time. We've been virtually inseparable all night—him pulling me to sit on his lap, me holding his hand, him planting kisses on my shoulder.
But as the night draws to a close, a sense of uncertainty starts to creep in. I can't shake the worry that everything that's happened in the last twenty-four hours might revert to how it was before. Not that I think this entire night has been an act, but it was part of our agreement, right?
We make our way through the lobby of the hotel, and Jason reaches for the elevator button. The doors glide open, and we all step inside. Just as the doors begin to close, Hadley deftly slips in beside us.
"Hey," she says, her voice full of cheerfulness.
I manage a smile, but I can feel my patience wearing thin. I swear to god, if Hadley ends up interrupting Henry and me one more time, I might just lose my fucking mind.
"Y'all leave tomorrow to head back to New York," Hadley asks Leah, engaging in small talk as the elevator ascends.
But my focus remains squarely on Henry. I can't help but steal a glance at him, wondering what he's thinking, and hoping he won't let go of my hand as soon as everyone else leaves. He catches my gaze through the corner of his eye, and a subtle smirk plays on his lips, making my heart race even faster than it was a second ago.
