Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHLOE
N ow I’m the one waiting at the airport, eager with anticipation.
“Ashley!” I squeal when I see her. I wrap her in a big hug, overjoyed to see her. “Thank you for coming. I missed you,” I say as we step back.
“Almost two months, lady! That’s too long,” she chides, shaking her head with a playful smirk before letting out a giggle. “Alright, let’s go grab some fish and chips or something.”
“So, you’re not over him,” Ashley states matter-of-factly as she pops a fry into her mouth. The pub buzzes with the energy of the lunch crowd.
I can't help but laugh, caught off guard by her bluntness. “You don’t waste a second, do you?” I reply, my eyes dropping to my plate where I idly poke at the fried fish.
“Chloe,” she says, fixing her gaze on me as she takes a sip of her ale, “you’re great at dodging the subject, but I know you too well.”
I exhale deeply. “It’s complicated,” I admit, struggling to explain my lingering thoughts about Liam. “I think I made up all these feelings... and sometimes, the fantasy is nice.” I shrug, acknowledging the part of me that isn’t ready to let go.
“Okay, well I’ve got the perfect distraction,” she smirks, changing gears.
“It’s a trailer screening?” I ask, slightly bewildered, as I follow Ashley toward a charming boutique cinema tucked away in a cul-de-sac. The setting sun casts the sky in hues of pink and purple.
“Ten new, never-before-seen movie trailers. We can thank Zak for the tickets,” she says with a grin, referring to some new cinematographer she’s dating. As we head inside, marquee lights blaze under the overhang, casting a warm, romantic glow.
“So, we aren’t seeing an actual movie,” I confirm, just to be sure.
“No,” she laughs, as if I’m silly for asking.
Inside, the theater is quaint and intimate, with a grand arched ceiling. The red curtain up front matches the plush, squishy seats, which are nearly all occupied.
“Guess this is a thing,” I comment, noting the crowded space.
“I told you.” Ashley winks.
We find two seats at the end of one of the middle rows. Ashley slides in first, leaving me on the aisle. The last time I was in a theater this grand was with Liam. A pang of sadness hits me, but I push it aside quickly.
“What kind of trailers are these?” I finally think to ask, curious about the genre. I had assumed it would be a mix of all types, but I don’t know for sure. I silently hope it’s not a series of horror films.
“They’re, uh… romance trailers,” she replies nonchalantly, taking a sip of her soda.
“You brought me to watch ten different love stories?” I ask, incredulous. My heart is still mending. She thinks I’m ready to watch others succeed in love when my own love life is a dumpster fire?
“They’re only three minutes each. You’ll be fine,” she reassures me.
“Is this some kind of radical post-breakup therapy?” I demand, trying to understand what the hell she’s thinking.
Ashley turns to me, her expression serious now. “Yes, actually. How else are you supposed to get your hope back? You can’t do that by avoiding life.”
Her accusation stings, and she notices my wince, her expression softening.
“Look,” she says more gently, “Zak got us these tickets, so let’s just watch and have a good time.” She offers a gentle smile.
I sigh, giving in. “You’re buying me the biggest drink after this.”
“That’s the spirit.” She beams.
As the lights dim, I brace myself. I’m trying hard to ignore the fact that Liam is still under my skin, and I’m convinced this will not help me. The last thing I want is to be reminded of the fairytale I created in my head, as fleeting as the images on this screen. But here I am, strapped in for the ride.
The first trailer lights up the screen. It's a classic friend zone scenario. The guy, slightly nerdy but undeniably attractive, vies for the girl’s attention. Their kiss at the end of the trailer feels like a knife twisting into my stomach, but I survive it.
I look away from the screen to the sticky theater floor, spotting an ancient, hardened piece of bubble gum cemented near my shoe. It strikes me that Liam is like that gum—stuck to me, seemingly permanent and impossible to remove.
Did I fuck things up? He said he loved me…
My discomfort grows as the screening rolls into a friends-turned-lovers tale followed by a couple of boss-employee romances. I loathe Ashley for bringing me here. My memories of Liam are too fresh, too raw. I’d rather pretend love doesn’t exist at all than continue to sit here and remember us .
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, contemplating an escape, but Ashley’s hand firmly grasps my arm.
“Just wait, it’s almost over,” she urges.
Reluctantly, I settle back as the next trailer begins. It opens with a scene of wealthy young men at a driving range.
“It’s hard to find anything real in this town,” one of the men comments before taking his swing. The camera pans to another man?—
My breath catches. It’s Charles Day—Charlie—as Liam would call him. I’ve been a fan since high school, and recognizing him lightens my spirits, reminding me of simpler, starry-eyed times. I didn't know he was in a new film. I sink back into my seat, reassured that perhaps not all romance is lost to me.
“So, buy something really nice and fake. You’ll never tell the difference,” Charlie quips, hitting a perfect drive.
His character exudes a cool detachment, which I anticipate will thaw in typical romantic fashion.
The scene shifts to Charlie and the leading lady, Lana Hartt, stepping out of a limo at a Hollywood event.
They’re stunning—a perfect pair. They’re good together , I think, recalling Liam’s words. I feel a pang of sadness even as I try to focus on the screen.
Charlie drapes his arm around Lana. Lightbulbs are flashing, paparazzi everywhere.
It looks eerily familiar.
Charlie pulls Lana close and murmurs, “Smile.”
My stomach turns upside down. It can’t be.
The film cuts to a party scene where the couple is socializing, exchanging lingering glances amidst the crowd.
Then, they’re alone in an elevator. “I don’t want to feel bought,” Lana says.
My heart seizes. This is us—scenes ripped right from our life. Adrenaline courses through my veins, but I'm frozen in place, unable to move.
“You’re not bought,” he reassures her.
“Then what am I?” she presses, her gaze intense.
“Ashley—what is this?” I whisper frantically.
“Just watch,” she hushes me, patting my hand. Ashley knew about this. Did Liam sell our story? I grip the armrests, flooded with questions, as the trailer continues.
Lana and Charlie stand barefoot in the surf, the sky painted purple and orange. She playfully splashes him with her toes before darting off along the shore. He chases her, catching up quickly, lifting her into the air, and spinning her around.
That happened at Catalina. We did that…
Next, surrounded by flickering candles, they lie on a blanket near the water's edge, kissing under the stars. He pulls back, looking at her with adoration. “You’re perfect,” he murmurs, gently stroking her hair. Then he yelps, leaping up. “Uh—crap—crab. Oh, crap!” He flings the crab away in a comical panic.
I stifle a laugh, remembering his dramatic reaction to a harmless shore crab.
Lana bursts into laughter. Charlie scoops her up again, declaring, “I’d better save you! You’re next!” She giggles uncontrollably as he carries her away.
He did exactly that. A lone tear escapes down my cheek.
The music shifts to something more dramatic and poignant.
An older woman confronts Charlie. “You take risks on everything else, why not this?” she chides.
His mother, I realize.
The scene switches back to his golfing buddy at the course. “Her world is falling apart and you profess your love on television?” he scoffs, shaking his head in amusement. “I could have told you that was the wrong move.” He laughs.
My heart tightens, tears welling up. The pain of everything rushes back. He must have understood why I left.
Charlie throws his golf club in frustration. “Fuck!” he shouts.
He was this torn up about us too? He wanted me to know this.
The next scene shows Charlie, pained, sitting in a café across from a curly-haired blonde. “She’s a million miles away now because I couldn’t say the right thing, but it’s not what she thinks,” he explains earnestly.
He regrets how it ended . The tears overflow.
It cuts to Charlie’s companion—Ashley.
Oh, my God. I let out a choked laugh through the tears.
“So, find a way to tell her,” on-screen Ashley advises simply.
I turn to the real Ashley beside me. “You were in on this?” I ask, though it's obvious now. She had been part of this all along. She even had a scene with A-lister Charles Day. My head spins.
The trailer ends and title cards flash “Based on a True Story” and “Coming Soon.”
“It was incredible, wasn’t it?” Ashley gushes, squeezing my arm. “Can you believe I actually had a scene with Charles?” Her excitement is palpable.
I rise from my seat, my eyes sweeping over the dispersing crowd as the theater lights brighten, searching for Liam.
“Ashley, where is he?”
I hurry through the exit door beside the large screen, my heart beating wildly. The cool night air fills my lungs as I step into a small courtyard garden behind the theater. The garden is enchantingly lit by the soft illumination from movie posters along the theater’s outer wall. During the day, I’m sure it bustles with people, sitting at the wrought iron tables, sipping coffee, and nibbling on croissants around the grand, ornate fountain.
Now, it’s empty. The fountain is silent, and the area is tranquil except for the distant sounds of the town beyond the encircling buildings.
Liam is nowhere to be seen.
I walk towards the silent fountain at the center of the courtyard, puzzled.
He has to be here. How could he not be?
Feeling bewildered, I sit on the edge of the fountain, surveying the lonely courtyard.
Maybe it was just an apology , I muse . Perhaps nothing more. His apologies could be as elaborate as his efforts to appease his mother. Not that he owes me any apology—our arrangement was as much my doing as his.
I exhale, trying to quiet the thoughts and questions churning in my mind as I gaze at the treasure trove of pennies and dimes gleaming on the bottom of the fountain. So many wishes cast into this water.
My heart has one wish now, one I don’t dare acknowledge for fear it won’t come true.
Suddenly, drops disturb the tranquil surface of the fountain's water, rippling my reflection. I glance up as more droplets fall—a soft, unexpected rain begins to patter down. I stand, confused, as water kisses my face, looking up at a star-filled sky with not a cloud in sight.
Then I notice the tall black poles dotted around the courtyard's perimeter—rain towers, used on movie sets to create rain on demand.
It’s raining . My astonishment gives way to a rush of mixed emotions as my heart races.
“Chloe.”
At the sound of my name, I whirl around, wiping water from my lashes, and there he is.
Liam strides through one of the arched gateways into the courtyard. His dark navy button-down shirt is perfectly tailored, accentuating his broad chest and strong arms. Charles Day pales in comparison to Liam Wright. My breath catches. He is stunning, and his intense gaze holds me captive.
He pauses at the edge of the patio, silently observing me as we both stand in the rain, our clothes becoming damp from the cool droplets. My nerves are on edge, wondering what he’s going to say.
“Chloe,” he begins, his voice lifting over the soft drum of raindrops. He shakes his head and a long silence follows. "I had everything planned out to say to you," he finally admits. "But now, looking at you, I've gone blank."
I offer a tentative smile, uncertain if his admission is sweet or troubling. “Did you really throw a golf club?” I ask, hoping to ease the tension.
He chuckles. "Yes, I did," he confesses with a sheepish grin before slowly making his way towards me. My stomach flutters nervously at his approach.
“How’d you convince Ashley to help?” I blurt out, desperate for something to distract me from the fact that he is here, real and tangible, and I don’t know how to act or be.
He lets out a dramatic sigh, as if that was the most difficult part. "Persistence," he declares with a smirk. "She's not easily convinced, even with the promise of screen time with Charlie."
I can't help but laugh at the thought of Ashley stubbornly standing her ground.
He comes to a stop in front of me by the fountain and I look up at him, my nerves on edge as our bodies are just inches apart now.
“I didn’t know what to think after the press interview, I’m sorry,” I shrug, my clothes clinging damply to my skin. My world was in chaos, and I hit the self-destruct button—on everything, on us.
Now, seeing him again, every instinct screams that leaving was a mistake.
“No,” he shakes his head, gently dismissing my apology. “There’s so much I should have said,” he confesses, his expression tightening as rain runs off his wet brown hair, creating tiny streams down his handsome face. "I know there was a lot of make-believe, but my feelings for you are true, Chloe. They always were.” His eyes are warm and tender. “I should have told you before I lost you.”
His eyes hold a warmth and tenderness that reaches deep within me. “I should have told you before I lost you.”
He stands there, opening up in the way I had always hoped he would—vulnerable, honest, as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
My heart swells with the reassurance that it was real.
“You didn’t lose me,” I tell him.
He looks at me, as if in momentary disbelief. His shirt, soaked, clings to his torso. I hold his steady gaze, assuring him wordlessly that my heart is his.
Then, Liam closes the distance between us and kisses me. His warmth cuts through the chilly rain, enveloping me, and I feel dizzy with bliss. My instincts take over as I kiss him back with equal passion.
When he finally pauses, his face just inches from mine, he gazes at me through the veil of rain. “I love you, Chloe,” he murmurs, brushing the wet strands of hair from my face.
“I love you, too,” I respond with a smile, feeling the weight of our past lifting.
Liam's lips meet mine again, his fingers tangling in my wet hair.
Just then, a loud boom interrupts our moment, and we look up to see a vibrant display of red and white fireworks lighting up the sky.
“Fireworks too?” I laugh, a mix of surprise and delight as bursts of color light up the sky.
He holds me close, his gaze searching mine for approval. “Too much?” he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“No, it’s perfect,” I smile. “Though, they could lighten up on the rain a little,” I admit, squinting as the rain whips around us, driven by a shifting wind.
Liam chuckles and retrieves a small, black two-way radio from his back pocket. “Barry, it’s turning into a monsoon out here,” he says into the device.
“Copy, turning it down. You wanna kill it?” a gruff voice asks from the radio.
Liam looks at me, raising an eyebrow in question. I grab his hand holding the radio and press the button. “Just one more kissing-in-the-rain take, Barry.”
“Copy that,” the radio crackles in response.
Liam grins and tucks the radio back in his pocket. Reds, yellows, and blues wash over us as the sky booms.
I weave my fingers through his damp hair, pulling him closer. His lips on mine make everything feel right and it's undeniably real. We share a perfect kiss in the rain.
And it’s better than any Hollywood ending.