Chapter Thirteen #2
“Hayden.” His voice is stern, but also… concerned?
“Hmm?”
“You will have plenty of space for yourself here. Don’t look into other spaces. Do you need assistance packing up your apartment?”
“I, um…”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Hold on, please. Someone’s at the door.”
With my mind a muddled haze from embarrassment at Darcy learning the truth of my apartment situation, I fan my face and then open the door.
“Stella!”
“Hayden!”
We jump into each other’s arms with delighted squeals. That’s when I notice Lucas behind her.
“And you brought your sweet, southern hunk.”
“Good to see you, ma’am.” Lucas tips an invisible hat.
“Bring it in,” I say, breaking free of Stella and embracing Lucas with a big hug. He awkwardly taps my back a few times, then he steps away.
“I’m all here for the surprise, but what in the world are you two doing here?” I ask, glancing between them.
“I heard there’s a wedding Saturday, and you’re the star of the show.” Stella steps around me, letting herself into my place. “And apparently we’ve got some cleaning and packing to do.”
That’s when I remember I’m holding the phone and Darcy is on the other end of it. I drag it to my ear. “Oh, well, Stella and Lucas just showed up. I think I have enough help.”
Darcy clears his throat. “Okay, then. I’ll let you go.” He hangs up, and I’m left wondering why he sounded off. Maybe he heard the mention of the wedding? Hearing it from Stella made it seem too real to me. Maybe it did for him, too?
“Who was that?” Stella asks.
“Oh, it was Darcy. Just checking to make sure I had everything ready to go.”
Stella and Lucas exchange a grin, and I don’t like the look of it. Stella speaks first. “How sweet of him.”
Then Lucas, “This is going to be the realest ‘fake’ wedding ever.”
Stella and I give him a confused look, but he shrugs and pulls out a beat-up iPhone that has to be a single digit model.
My heart sinks. “I know it’s a televised wedding, but it’s not going to be huge. Only the people who need to be there for political face are coming. You didn’t need to come all this way for that. Especially for a fake marriage.”
“You’re signing papers. It’s real, Hayden,” Lucas says, following Stella inside. Now I’m standing in my own doorway while they scrutinize the condition of my apartment, talking back and forth about the best methods for cleaning and packing my place up.
I watch them, my chest tightening and sweat rolling down my spine.
Did the room start spinning? I’m not one prone to anxiety attacks, but I can’t help but feel a little on edge knowing my best friend and the love of her life are going to witness me make a decision that is the equivalent of selling myself out.
Realistically, I know they don’t see my decision in that light, but my internal monologue hurls insults at me saying that I’m going against my morals, desires, and standards.
Nobody knew I wanted to marry for love. Not even Stella. Since I was a girl, when someone would bring up the idea of marriage, I would cringe and tell them, “No way.” Around twenty-three, I changed my mind, but for some reason, I couldn’t admit it out loud.
I still can’t.
The world tells me wanting marriage and love is for the birds. I should chase my career and excel. So that’s what I’ve been doing, all while secretly pining for some handsome prince to come sweep me off my feet.
My stubbornness is once again biting me in the rear end. If Stella knew my heart, she’d persuade me not to marry Darcy.
But it’s my secret, and I’m still not bold enough to admit it aloud. Darcy will take care of me, regardless of his snippy comments and frosty exterior. I’ve seen the man behind the mask, and he isn’t that bad. He just needs some love, like a hurt puppy.
And he wants this, too.
He chose me.
Me.
The girl who has always been disposable.
He trusts me enough to take on the responsibility of becoming his wife, and he wants it to be me. He dismissed so many other women.
The thought thaws something in my chest I didn’t know was iced over.
“Earth to Hayden. Where are your spare boxes? I know you keep the packages from your online ordering.” Stella places a hand on her hip and cocks her head at me with a smirk. “Are you already lost in the idea of sharing a bed with Darcy?”
“You can leave now,” I deadpan, motioning outside the door. She laughs, a carefree, joyful sound, and another bullet rips through my heart. I want that. I want to be as happy as she is now that she has Lucas. I want my forever person.
“Just kidding. But for real, what are the sleeping arrangements like?” Stella asks. Enough. I have to stop wallowing in my circumstance. It is what it is.
“I’ll have my own room across the mansion from Darcy’s room.
” At least I hope it’s far away from his room.
With the amount of rooms that estate contains, I’m sure it will be no problem for me to tuck myself away unnoticed unless it’s working hours.
“Okay, Avengers. It’s time to assemble.” I place my hands on my hips and tilt my chin to the air.
“This apartment isn’t going to clean itself. ”
Stella and Lucas chuckle, but then they follow me to my hoard of boxes and—being the blessed souls that they are—help me pack up my home.
Five hours later, panting and collapsing on the floor, I wheeze out one word: “Finished!”
Stella groans as she crumples beside me. “How did you accumulate that much stuff over four years in this apartment?”
I shrug. “Just happens. I’m a sucker for a sale, after all.”
Joining us on the floor, Lucas harrumphs. “You both are.”
“Soul sisters,” Stella and I say at the same time, then we give each other a high five before falling to our backs on the bare, wooden floor.
Without warning—or my permission—tears prick the corners of my eyes.
This little apartment holds so many memories.
Stella and I lived in this complex together, right next door to each other.
We’ve spent Christmases, Thanksgivings, and birthdays here, just the two of us.
I discovered my love of coffee here—prior to Stella, I never drank the stuff.
I’ve laughed, cried, celebrated, and sulked in these very walls and on this very floor.
Apartment 11H is the first place that truly felt like home to me.
“It’s a new page, Hayden. And it’s okay to mourn the closing of this chapter.” Stella’s hand finds mine and our fingers intertwine. I hear Lucas walk out of the room, giving us some much-needed alone time and privacy.
I squeeze her hand as tears roll down my cheeks and off to the floor. “We had so much fun here, didn’t we?”
“The most fun.” She sighs, her nails drumming against the floor. “I miss New York, not going to lie.”
I prop myself up onto my elbow, taking my hand back. “Already? I thought marital bliss would prevent that from ever happening.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love Lucas more than anything and would always choose him, but I do miss the hustle and bustle and convenience of the big city. And how everyone ignored me for the most part. I can’t go anywhere back home in Dasher Valley without being stopped for an hour-long chat.”
“That must exhaust your introverted self,” I say.
“Yes and no. I do love people, but I also need some time to walk alone on the street without someone stopping me to ask how my mama is doing.” Stella sighs again.
“But enough about me. I’m very lucky to be back with my family and friends, and of course, the love of my life.
Let’s talk about you and how you’re coping. Because it’s not great, apparently.”
Family. Friends. Love of my life. The words ricochet from my heart to my brain, leaving bruises with each bounce.
It’s not Stella’s fault. She doesn’t know everything about me, despite being my best friend.
Some things are too embarrassing, too difficult to say aloud even to the person you trust and love the most.
“I’m just sad about leaving,” I say, attempting to hide the shakiness in my voice. “Like you said, it’s the end of an amazing chapter of my life.”
“No matter what,” Stella pats my thigh, “I’m always with you. A plane ride or phone call away.”
“I know,” I whisper. I bring myself to my feet, and she follows suit. “Let’s find out what I’m doing with all my things.”
We look around the bare room littered with packed boxes and other miscellaneous items strewn across the wooden floor.
“Do we bring this to Darcy’s, or…”
I swallow. “I don’t know. Which means I need to call him.”
“Oh, I’m excited to see y’all interacting as an engaged couple. Well, I guess you were technically on the phone with him when I got here, but still. I didn’t see or hear the entirety of it.” Stella waggles her eyebrows.
“Don’t get too excited. It’ll be more bickering as usual.” With a big breath of confidence, I whip out my phone, scroll to his contact—accurately labeled Killjoy—and press the call button.
As it rings, Stella hits my arm repeatedly and tells me in a hushed tone to put the phone on speaker.
Per usual Darcy etiquette, he answers at the last possible second. “This is Darcy Marshall.”
I know, my brain mocks him while using his stern, no-nonsense tone of voice.
“I have my things packed up, and I was wondering when I could bring them over?”
A pause.
“Oh, so you do need my help after all?” His voice is… teasing. That’s a teasing lilt, right?
I swallow, feeling embarrassed that Stella is hearing this. “Yeah, I guess I do.”
“I’ll send a vehicle over to help you move. It should be there in an hour.”
My heart thumps at the earnest tenderness in his voice, and I chastise it internally. “Thank you, Darcy.”
His voice lowers to a whisper. “You’re welcome, Hayden.” Then he clicks off.
My heart seethes. Why wasn’t he cold like usual? What’s wrong with him? How dare he treat me like this in front of my best friend? Like he actually cares or something. “See, nothing eventful. Same old Darcy.”
Stella laughs. “Yeah, right. That man was definitely teasing you and was kind to you. You’re already breaking through his walls. Oh, this is going to be so much fun to witness.”
“Why do you get so much pleasure from my misery?” I mumble.
“Because I truly don’t think you’ll be miserable for long. That’s how these marriages of convenience go in romance books, at least.”
“Stella, my life is not a romance book, and I am certainly not cut out to be a heroine.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s what they all say.”