Isabelle
We're an hour into the gala, and up to the main course of the fancy three-course meal we're being served. There's been several speeches and presentations, and out of respect for the speakers, it's been fairly quiet at our table. Even Hilary hasn't said much, to my surprise.
I cut a piece of my steak and put it into my mouth, trying to listen to the woman on the stage who's currently giving a speech about the power of leadership in business. But I keep spacing out, I'm restless and my mind is elsewhere.
I'm thinking about Jackson.
And trying my best to resist the urge to glance at his insanely attractive side profile every couple of minutes.
Okay, every couple of minutes is a lie. I'm trying to restrain myself from looking at him every few seconds.
I can still feel his touch on me, and every word he's said to me tonight lingers in my mind like a melody I can't forget.
It's him. It's all him.
"And now it's time to announce the winners of tonight's awards," Nancy, the host of the gala suddenly says, causing a round of cheering in the audience.
The first award is Beauty Business of the Year, with Hilary's business, Topaz Beauty taking the accolade. Polite applause echoes in the room as Hilary saunters onto the stage to collect her award and flashes a toothpaste commercial worthy smile at the audience whilst giving her speech—specifically, at Jackson. Jackson, however, looks like he couldn't be more indifferent.
We go through several other award categories and then it's time to announce the winner of the Professional Services Firm of the Year award, the award Jackson's company is nominated for.
I peer cautiously at him, but he doesn't look nervous at all. I'm not surprised—the Jackson I know always thrived on his competitive spirit. Nevertheless, I reach forward to give his right hand a tiny squeeze for good luck. He instantly turns to glance at me, a dimpled smile spreading across his lips as he laces his fingers with mine.
"...congratulations to Carter Marketing Solutions!"
A round of applause immediately erupts in the room, and I glance at Jackson with a proud smile on my face. "Congratulations."
"Go Jackson!" I hear Hilary squeal in the background at the same time.
Jackson's brown eyes twinkle with tenderness as he stares at me, and he leans forward, before pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Thank you, Bella."
The touch of his lips instantly causes a tingly feeling to radiate through my body, but I remind myself for perhaps the one thousandth time today that he's only acting lovey-dovey in front of Hilary.
Then, I watch as he promptly stands up and straightens his suit, before making his way over to the stage. As usual, he walks confidently and assertively, as though he was born for this moment.
People are getting up from their seats and giving him a standing ovation, something that hasn't happened with any of the previous award winners tonight.
Jackson takes the award plaque from Nancy and speaks into the microphone. "You can all sit down now," he jokes, glancing around the audience. "Someone once told me that I have a big ego so you don't need to inflate it any further."
Some chuckles resound in the room and I let out a tiny smile, knowing that he's probably referring to me.
"I know everyone's probably keen on dessert so I'll try to keep this short and sweet, pun intended," he continues. "Thanks to the award sponsors and judges for this honor. As some of you may know, Carter Marketing Solutions was something my late dad built and it's a fantastic honor to be carrying on his legacy." He pauses momentarily as if to reflect and then takes a deep breath. "I know that he'll be proud of us tonight."
The smile on my lips widens at his words. I don't doubt that Jackson's dad would be incredibly proud of his son and the man he's grown to be.
"Thank you to my incredible team for your endless and tireless work, Aaron, Wendy, Marcus, Donna, Andrew, and everyone else, you all know who you are," Jackson smoothly adds. "You guys make the late nights bearable and I couldn't ask for a better team. A big thank you must also go to our clients for your trust and confidence in us. Your ongoing support is the reason we're standing here today."
Flashbacks of Jackson giving speeches in high school in his role as Student Council President replay in my mind. As much as I hated to admit it back then, he was always a confident and eloquent public speaker, and that definitely hasn't changed.
There's some more cheering in the crowd and Jackson flashes another charming smile as he waits for the audience to settle down.
Then, his gaze suddenly lands on me, and his expression softens. "There's also someone else I want to thank."
I can feel my heart skipping a beat. Hang on a minute. Is he about to thank...me?
Okay, stop acting overdramatic, Isabelle. You're his "girlfriend" tonight, so even if he is, that shouldn't come as a huge surprise.
"She's the most amazing woman I know," he says in a soft voice, his brown eyes still locked with mine.
Oh my god.
"Is it me?" Hilary suddenly pipes up.
"Her name is Isabelle," Jackson continues as he speaks into the microphone. "I want to thank her for being here with me tonight and for all her support. She makes me want to be the best version of myself, and whenever I'm with her, I'm reminded of how beautiful life can be."
"Woo! Go Isabelle!" a random person in the audience calls out, but I'm distracted. My mind is racing with a million thoughts, my heart is pounding like a bongo drum, and I think I might melt into a puddle and disappear under the table.
I'm not okay.
Because what he's just said...did he mean all of that? Or did he only say that to further throw Hilary off?
Jackson pauses for a moment, before taking a step back. "Thank you all again, have a great evening."
Another round of applause erupts from the audience as he makes his way down the stage and back to his seat. I try to search his face for clues, however, it's hard to tell what's running through his mind right now.
But then, as Nancy announces the next award winner, Jackson places his hand over mine and shoots me a tiny smile, his brown eyes shining with a look of affection. Warmth seeps through my body at his touch, and regardless of whether he meant what he said in his speech just then, somehow, it's enough.
An hour later, the formal part of the gala ends, and chatter across all tables fills the room. An impromptu dance floor is set up near the stage, with people dancing and letting themselves loose after a long night.
I nudge Jackson teasingly on the shoulder. "Are you going to get on the dance floor?"
He turns to me with a smirk. "Only if my girlfriend joins me."
I roll my eyes playfully. "I need to use the restroom first."
"Okay, but you have to dance with me when you're back," he teases. "And then I'll be one very happy and lucky man."
"We'll see about that." I shoot him another playful smile and stand up from my seat with my purse in my hand, before heading to the restroom.
Just as I'm about to begin retouching my make-up, I hear the sound of a woman crying in one of the stalls.
"Hey, are you okay?" I gently ask, walking over to the source of the voice. Aside from the two of us, the restroom is currently empty.
There's a loud sniffling sound, and then a familiar voice speaks. "Go away."
"Hilary?" I say despite her words and hesitate for a moment. This may or may not be a good idea, but I ask anyway. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"
A long and awkward silence follows. Well, okay, she probably just wants to be left alone.
Just as I'm about to walk away and resume minding my own business, the bathroom stall suddenly unlocks. Hilary steps out, her eyes red and puffy, and mascara running down her face.
"I look terrible," she sniffles. "I'm going to wash my face."
Letting out a nod, I walk with her in silence toward the bathroom sinks. I work on re-touching my make-up while she splashes water on her face.
"Here," I say, passing her a packet of tissues from my purse.
"Thanks." She lets out another sniffle and blows her nose. "Unrequited love hurts."
"I know, heartbreak sucks," I softly say. "I've gone through it too."
Hilary stares at me pensively. "I met Jackson at a business conference a few months ago and instantly fell in love with him," she confesses. There's an immediate look of adoration in her eyes when she says his name. "He's hot, smart, funny, charming, handsome, tall...he's basically everything I've ever wanted in a man."
She's definitely not the first person to say that about Jackson. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't agree with all those characteristics she's listed about him.
"And he has dimples too," she adds.
I'm unable to contain the small smile that forms on my lips. "Yeah, blame those dimples."
"I did everything I could to get him to notice me but nothing worked," she continues. "Then, I thought that maybe if I pulled away and acted distant, maybe he'd miss me, so I stopped contacting him. I had been looking forward to the gala all month, only to realize that he's in a relationship now. I feel like such an idiot."
Whilst I still don't support Hilary's method and stalker-ish behavior toward Jackson, I find myself feeling more empathetic toward her after what she's just said.
"I believe there's someone special out there waiting for you, Hilary," I say, and genuinely mean it. "One day, you'll cross paths with them, and everything will make sense. That person will make you feel supported and appreciated, and your interactions won't feel forced, they'll feel natural."
A beat of silence passes. "Does it feel natural?" she then asks. "When you're with Jackson?"
"Yeah," I find myself answering without hesitation. "It does."
The Isabelle from just a few weeks ago would have given a different response, but lately, I've been enjoying—and dare I say it, craving—Jackson's presence more than I care to admit. His words, his touch, all seem to be having some kind of effect on me and those fluttery feelings I appear to be getting whenever I'm around him are becoming more and more frequent.
It's as if there's something ever so slowly drawing, pulling me toward him.
Hilary glances down and bites her lip. "I saw the way he looked at you. He's completely in love with you."
Mixed emotions swirl in my stomach and I glance at her, trying to form words in my mouth.
"I just want someone to look at me like that one day," she adds in a tiny whisper, a pained look crossing her face. Another teardrop trickles down her cheek. "Is that too much to ask for?"
"It's not," I gently assure her. "You deserve that, Hilary, as much as anyone else."
"I even put together a list of Jackson and mine's future baby names but I guess I won't be needing them anymore," she adds.
My eyes widen in shock. "You did what?"
A look of excitement suddenly taints her face. "Actually, do you want them instead?"
"I'm good, thanks," I politely decline.
She lets out a frown. "Oh."
I clear my throat. "Well, I should get going, but it was nice to chat, and congrats on your award, Hilary."
A small smile forms on her lips. "Thanks, Isabelle."
As I exit the restroom and make my way down the hallway, Hilary's words repeat in my head, forcing me to come face-to-face with all the pent-up emotions within me from tonight.
"I saw the way he looked as you. He's completely in love with you."
I'd spent the majority of tonight telling myself, convincing myself, and repeating to myself that Jackson and I are only faking it all, but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up. It's as though I can't even decipher the difference between what's real and what's pretend any more—and not knowing what's real and what's not feels like pure torture.
Taking a deep breath, I remind myself to get it together. I'll deal with my thoughts and emotions later; for now, I'm just here to support Jackson throughout tonight's gala.
"Hey, Isabelle?"
Snapping out of my thoughts, I see the guy from the Maple Leaf Cafe earlier today standing in front of me. Like many other men at tonight's event, he's also well put together and wearing a nicely-fitted tuxedo, but I'm feeling completely indifferent when I stare at him.
"Oh, hey, Callum, was it?" I ask, flashing him a courteous smile.
"Caleb," he corrects.
"Ah, right, sorry," I apologize, feeling bad for forgetting his name. "I didn't realize you were attending the gala."
"That's all good," he smiles, before hesitating for a moment. "Hey, this is random but I wanted to shoot my shot and ask if you might want to dance with me?"
I'm about to open my mouth to politely decline his offer, but then feel a pair of hands wrapping around my waist from behind, coupled with a familiar scent of spicy cologne drifting in the air. "I missed you, Bella."
Jackson.
His words and touch leave a trail of goosebumps on my skin, and I slowly crane my neck to glance at him. "Oh hey, I wasn't gone for that long, I think," I joke.
He rests his chin on my head, and his arms around me tighten. "I still missed my girlfriend," he murmurs.
A look of surprise flashes across Caleb's face as his gaze darts to Jackson. "Girlfriend?"
Jackson lets go of his arms around me and takes a step forward so that he's standing right beside me. Then, he circles one hand around my waist and pulls me closer to him. "That's right, Isabelle is my amazing girlfriend."
"Oh, I didn't realize she was your girlfriend," Caleb says. "You didn't mention it when we were at the cafe earlier."
An evident smugness underlines Jackson's face when he speaks. "Well, now you know. And, I regret to inform you that my girlfriend will only be dancing with me."
I shift my gaze between the two men, slightly amused but also not completely sure about what to make of this exchange. What is happening right now? Is Jackson jealous?
Caleb lets out a chuckle. "Okay man, I get it. She's your girlfriend. Just trying to make friendly conversation but I'll back off." Without another word, he walks off.
"Hey, you were gone for a while," Jackson then says to me, his expression softening once Caleb is out of sight. "I was getting a little worried."
"I'm okay," I assure, and blush at the thought of him being worried about me. "I was just having a chat with Hilary actually."
Something which looks a little like protectiveness flashes across his face. "What did she say to you?"
"Don't worry, it's just girl talk," I quip. "We had a nice conversation."
Jackson looks like he's about to ask something else but gives it up, and I take the opportunity to ask him about Caleb.
"Were you jealous just then?" I prod.
A sulky expression marks his face, and it's kind of hilarious seeing the usually confident Jackson act like a toddler. "I'm not jealous," he insists.
I cross my arms and let out a playful smirk.
"Jealous would imply that I think that Caleb is a threat," he adds.
Then, he takes another step forward and wraps his arms around me, before burying his face in the crook of my neck. "And he's clearly not a threat when my baby can't even remember his name," he murmurs.
"My baby". Oh god. I think I'm going to scream on the inside.
Okay, breathe, Isabelle. Breathe.
I clear my throat as he lets go of his arms around me. "So...uh...did I miss anything exciting back in there?"
His brown eyes glimmer with mischief. "Your favorite song is about to play."
Excitement bubbles in my chest. "No way. Enchanted?"
A proud smile tugs on his lips as he surveys my reaction. "Yes."
"Is it Taylor's Version?" I check, and he lets out a nod to confirm.
"Well, I definitely wouldn't want to miss that," I smile.
With an endearing look decorating his face, he grabs hold of my hand and we walk back inside the room, arriving just in time for the current song to stop playing.
Then, he turns to me and tucks a strand of stray hair behind my ear, before gazing into my eyes. It's that same look he gave me earlier tonight when he saw me step out of the elevator. Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to recover from this.
"Bella," he then says, his voice breathless.
My breath hitches. "Yes?"
"Dance with me," he whispers.
The thought of dancing with Jackson does me feel a little too giddy on the inside, as though I'm a teenager in high school again. But it also makes me nervous.
"It's been a while since I've danced, so my dancing might be a little...rusty," I admit.
He slowly traces a finger down my cheek. "Then we're going to have to change that."
My heart flutters, and I don't want to find an excuse anymore.
I want to dance with Jackson Carter. I want to dance with him in my favorite dress, to my favorite song, to my favorite artist. I want to dance with him and forget about all my worries, problems, and responsibilities. I want to dance with him and pretend, even for just one night, that I'm living in a fairytale.
"Okay," I whisper.
A content smile spreads across his lips, and without another word, he grabs hold of my hand, before leading me to the dance floor.
And with that, I find myself happily and voluntarily following the man I once thought was the biggest jackass in the world.
Author's Note
Any thoughts??
In the next chapter, we have another Jackson POV and Isabelle's surprise will be revealed 👀
Thanks for reading!