"Can I get an old-fashioned and a martini with a twist, please?" I say to the bartender, and he nods in acknowledgment.
As I wait for our drinks, I turn back around to find Chloe standing right where I left her. She's absolutely stunning, dressed in that cobalt blue silky dress that brings out her piercing blue eyes, and with that slit that extends all the way up to her right thigh. Her blonde hair cascades in perfectly wavy curls. I try not to stare, but it's hard to resist when she looks so fucking breathtakingly beautiful.
The way she smiles, the way she moves, the way she kissed me – it's like something shifted between us today. She's looking at me with that familiar spark, and her touch feels just as it used to.
"Henry," I hear from the side, breaking me out of my thoughts. As I turn, I find Savannah standing there, her light hazel eyes looking right up at me.
"Savannah."
"Hi," she says, her smile soft and familiar as she tucks a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, "I was hoping I'd get a chance to see you. How are you?" Her voice holds a hint of nervousness, like she's not entirely sure how I'll react.
The last time I saw Savannah was just over a year and a half ago when she told me that she wanted to break up after years of being together. She had expressed uncertainty about our relationship and said that she needed time to figure things out, to decide if being together was truly what she wanted. It wasn't even two weeks later when I heard from a friend that Savannah was already in a relationship with someone else. The impression that I, along with everyone else, got was that she had left me to date him.
"Uh, hi," I say, trying to find my footing as the bartender hands me my old fashioned and sets down Chloe's martini. I take a quick sip of my drink, trying to gather my thoughts.
"Can I get you something?" The bartender asks Savannah.
"I'll have a tequila soda," she responds quickly to the bartender and then returns her attention to me.
"I didn't realize you were going to be here," I remark.
"Oh, well, your sister invited me a few months back," she explains and then pauses for a moment, "I came with Megan and Charlotte," she adds, pointing over to them across the way. I glance over, catching Savannah's friends smirking and giggling at the two of us. I offer them a small smile and a wave before returning my attention to Savannah.
"You look like you're doing well," she says, smiling at me as she studies my face, "I like the new haircut," she adds, reaching out to touch the tips of my hair but hesitating just before making contact, as she bites her lip and then smiles up at me.
"Oh, yeah, thanks. I've let it grow a bit longer on top," I reply, running a hand through my hair. It's a subtle change, but Chloe always seems to like it this way. "And how are you?" I ask, being polite.
"I'm good. Char and I just moved in together over on Liberty Street. You remember, that little coffee shop, Honest coffee, we always used to go to? It's just across the street," She looks up at me with a hopeful expression.
"Liberty, yeah, that's a nice area."
"Your momma mentioned you're moving back from New York at the end of the summer; that's real exciting. It'll be nice to have you around again. We've all missed you a lot," she says, and I let out a small chuckle.
"Did she now?" I say, curious to know what else my mom may have told her.
"She did," she says, a soft smile still lingering on her lips. "How have you been liking New York? You've been there for quite a while now." She takes a sip of her tequila soda, her hazel eyes locked onto mine.
"Yeah, I like it. It's been good. I'm actually in Florida for the summer though."
"Oh, you're in Anne Rose Beach? I had no idea. How are Anna Claire and Rem? I miss them."
"They're doing well. Rem's still working at Foghorns, and Anna Claire is, well, being Anna Claire. Getting into everyone's business," I say, a chuckle escaping me.
Savannah laughs as well and then touches my forearm. I look down at her hand, momentarily caught off guard by the gesture, and then back up at her. She removes her hand, and I sense a hint of hesitation in her actions, as if she's trying to gauge my reaction and understand how I feel.
She clears her throat, her expression turning more serious. "Well, Hen, I was hoping maybe we could hang out before you head back to Florida. Maybe tomorrow, if you're free?" Savannah says, biting her lip nervously. "It's real good to see you and..." she trails off.
"Savannah," I start to say softly, but before I can continue, Chloe's voice breaks through the moment.
"Hey, there you are," Chloe says, sliding her arm through mine and holding it firmly.
"Hey," I reply, looking down at her, feeling a rush of warmth from her touch. Then, I turn my attention back to Savannah.
She's looking back and forth between us, clearly puzzled by Chloe holding on to my arm. I clear my throat, feeling the weight of awkwardness settling in. "Um, Savannah. This is my girlfriend–" I start to say but Chloe interrupts introducing herself.
"Chloe, hi, nice to meet you," Chloe says a little too brightly, smiling at Savannah and extending her hand for a handshake. Savannah glances at Chloe's outstretched hand and then back at me, confusion is evident in her expression.
"Girlfriend?" Savannah says, clearly taken aback, as if it's impossible for me to have another girlfriend besides herself. "I didn't... I thought... Your momma said..." she stammers.
She pauses for a moment, directing her attention back to Chloe, and finally reaches out to shake her hand, forcing a smile. "Hi, Savannah, nice to meet you," she says, trying to hide her surprise.
"Um, Clo, I was just telling Savannah here that we've been in Florida for the last two months," I say, glancing between the two of them, as I hand Chloe her martini.
Chloe looks up at me and smiles, but there's something a little off about it. "Thanks, Calhoun," she says softly to me, and I furrow my brows slightly.
"Oh, I didn't realize you were in Anne Rose Beach together," Savannah responds, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Oh, yeah. He practically begged me to come with him. And since my family owns the whole place, I said, why the hell not!" Chloe says letting out a chuckle, holding onto my arm and shaking it playfully. "Isn't that right, Lewi?" She adds.
"Lewi?" I hear Savannah quietly questioning the name.
I chuckle softly, giving Chloe a nod as I hum in agreement, "Mm-hmm."
"Your family owns Anne Rose Beach?" Savannah says, clearly shocked by the revelation.
"Yes, they do," I say quickly, attempting to regain control of the conversation as I glance over at Chloe again, who is now taking two large gulps of her martini. "We've been staying at the house while I work remotely," I add.
"Well, Lewis, I don't know if 'working' is really the right term," Chloe chimes in, laughing nervously as she looks up at me while I take a sip of my old fashioned. "You know, between going to the beach, trying out all the cute restaurants, and then, well, all the sex we have on top of it all," Her remark, catches me off guard, causing me to almost choke on my drink.
Savannah's eyes go wide, clearly shocked by Chloe's blunt statement. Chloe then turns to Savannah and says, "I'm sure you don't need to be reminded how incredible Henry is in b—"
"Chloe!" I interject, a burst of laughter escaping me at the same time, cutting her off before she can finish her sentence. "You want to dance?"
"I'd love to," she says, and I take her hand, guiding us out to the dance floor.
As we arrive, I wrap my arm around her waist, and a subtle realization dawns on me that we may not be supposed to dance just yet.
"Clo, I don't think we're supposed to be dancing–," I start to say, but she cuts me off.
"Oh my god, I think I just blacked out," Chloe whispers, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment, and I can't help but chuckle.
She surrenders to the awkwardness by resting her forehead against my chest. "Did I really just say what I think I said? What did I just do?" She groans against me.
"You definitely did," I reply, stealing a glance at Savannah, who's now talking to her friends, Charlotte and Megan, most likely discussing what Chloe just told Savannah. "You said–"
"Wait, don't tell me. I don't want to be reminded," Chloe interjects, looking over at where Savannah is before returning her gaze to me, "I mean, did you see her face when you said I was your girlfriend?"
"I did," I say, looking down at Chloe and unable to suppress a smile at her embarrassment. "Sweetheart, are you jealous?" I tease gently.
She meets my eyes, and her cheeks turn a shade redder. She scoffs in response, "What? No! I'm not jealous."
A laugh escapes me, "Henry," she says, narrowing her eyes at me, attempting to maintain a serious expression, but it quickly dissolves into a smile, "I am not jealous."
I reach up, my touch gentle as I tuck a strand of her bleached blonde hair behind her ear. She meets my gaze again, her piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. "Sweetheart," I say softly.
"I'm not," she mumbles, looking away from me again. A soft chuckle escapes me, and I gently tilt her chin back up to meet my gaze.
I lean in, my lips touching her soft ones, and then I whisper against her lips, "You're jealous."
She releases a gentle sigh, finally giving in. "Okay, fine, maybe just a little bit."
A smile forms on my lips at her admission. I pull back slightly, my gaze locked onto her soft smile as she looks up at me. And just like that, those three words almost slip out of my mouth—the same three words that sent her running away from me twice before. But I hold them in, desperate to try not to let the same thing happen again.
"What was that all about?" Leah's voice comes from behind, as she and Jason make their way over to us. I release Chloe, turning around to face them.
"Nothing," Chloe responds swiftly, a hint of red creeping back into her cheeks. Leah raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "I'll tell you in later," Chloe mumbles, her voice quieter.
"I thought you two were getting drinks?" Jason interjects, and it dawns on me that, in my eagerness to distance Chloe from Savannah, we've left our drinks behind at the bar.
"Oh, right, we actually need to grab those," I say, glancing back at the bar to ensure Savannah isn't lingering there.
We begin to walk back towards the bar again, and as we do, Chloe's fingers intertwine with mine. I glance down at our joined hands and then back up at her. There's nothing artificial about this for me. And now, I find myself wondering how to make sure this doesn't change because I'd go to any lengths to have her as mine again.
Don't miss the next chapter because things are getting real spicy 🌶️
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