Chapter 21 #2
I nod and step around him, kickstarting us both into action.
Once the bathroom door closes behind him, and I hear the shower turn on, I unbutton my sleeveless blouse, kick off my thongs, and toss aside my denim shorts.
I can’t wear a bra with this dress, so that goes too, before I step into the slinky green fabric.
I reach around for the zip, contorting my arms to get it up the length of my back, only making it halfway.
“Oh, come on,” I grunt, switching my arms to reach from over my shoulder, but I still can’t get it.
I look to the closed bathroom door, chewing my lip as I realise I might need help with this. I fasten the tie that sits between my breasts, then reach for the perfume in my bag, and give myself a final spritz.
I send a selfie to Aurora and check in with how she’s doing. She sends me a photo back of her and Callie walking along the beach with Patch.
AURORA:
We want a photo of both of you, too!
ME:
Why? We’re not a real couple…
AURORA:
But, you’re friends right? Bet you guys look super cute heart-eyes-emoji
I shake my head, amused by my daughter, when all at once, intrusive, panicked thoughts set in.
We are friends, I think. It was always the plan to settle in Heart City, but our life before now was all about laying low.
A few months in, and already, we’ve got brunch dates, sleepovers, and fake boyfriends.
We’re letting people in. We’re getting complacent, and that’s when things go wrong.
I pull up a different text thread.
ME:
Still nothing?
Then, I message the only person I’ve ever been able to talk to openly.
ME:
Am I being delusional? Thinking we can actually have a normal life here?
We have to stay for Aurora’s scholarship, but she’s getting so comfortable here, she’s making friends, she’s happy.
And it’s all I’ve ever wanted for her, but what if we have to pack up again without notice? It’s gonna break her heart.
Instead of a text, my phone lights up with Presley’s name. I run over to the door and step outside so I can speak without Westley hearing.
“Hey.”
“What’s going on, babe? Where’s this coming from?” Presley says sternly, in the way only a best friend can when they’re getting ready to drop some hard truths.
“I’m away for this wedding with West. Aurora’s with his sister, walking his dog. She asked me for a photo of the two of us.”
I can hear Presley take a deep breath through the line. “Babe, you did the right thing. There was no way you could have stayed there after what happened. And Aurora? She was only a baby! But it’s been so long. You don’t have to keep running forever. You can stay put for once.”
I start to pace back and forth. “I could have done it the legal way, though. Royal gave me the option. I could have let someone else take her and give her a completely new life with people who were ready to be parents.”
“Almost no one is ready to be a parent. And you still would have worried about her every day, hoping she didn’t somehow end up back with them.”
I close my eyes, leaning against the door as I start to feel light-headed.
“They’re not coming for you, babe,” Presley says gently. “Royal always has ears on the ground, and he’d let you know if there was a reason to worry. I fully believe you were never able to get out sooner because you were meant to wait for Aurora. To take her with you.”
Tears begin to gather, but I’ve just done my makeup flawlessly, and I won’t threaten the aesthetic with my stupid emotions. “Do I tell her the truth?” I whisper. “What if she wants to find them? What if she hates me?”
“She’s a smart girl. I bet she’ll only love you more for everything you’ve done for her. Now, tell me what else has you so panicked, because I know it’s not just Aurora.” I look behind me through the window to our room, where the bathroom door is still shut.
“The fake dating thing is… hard.”
“Yeah, I bet it is.” I can hear the self-satisfied look on her face.
“I was talking about emotionally, not physically.” I drop onto one hip, and even though she can’t see my glare, I do it anyway. “Besides, it’s been a while, but it’s not like I’ve been celibate over the years.”
Presley snorts. “I wasn’t talking about dick. I was actually talking about the fact that you’re inexperienced in showing people your real feelings. You need to loosen up a bit. It’s good for the soul.”
“I think I like him.” The confession falls from my lips as a whisper, but it echoes loudly through my heart.
“Mmm, I’m gathering you mean more than just tolerating him as a neighbour and the guy doing you a favour?”
Presley’s never been one to beat around the bush. She’ll say and do the hard things, and always with the best intentions. “Yes.”
“Then go have fun, babe. You know, that thing people are allowed to do every once in a while.”
“Thanks, Pres. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never have to know, babe. Also, when you send that photo to Aurora with you and your nylf, I’d like a copy.”
“What’s a nylf?”
“Neighbour you’d love to fuck. I was a little bit talking about dick before.”
“Oh my god. Byyeeee.” I hang up, laughing, and head back into our room.
I push open the door when my phone vibrates in my other hand.
ROYAL:
Slight hiccup. Your dad was released early. Good behaviour. Task force is keeping an eye on him, but I’ll dig deeper. Will let you know if there’s anything to worry about, or if he visits your mum.
It feels like the blood vanishes from my veins.
“Everything okay?”
I jump for a second, surprised by West’s voice, but then it becomes my turn to stare, rendered speechless at the sight of him in his suit.
His dark hair is pushed back, the slight waves looking soft and effortless, and oh so tempting to run my fingers through.
His beard has been slightly trimmed, but it’s still thick as it lines his square jaw and frames his lips.
His round shoulders fill out the beige linen suit jacket to perfection, and his broad chest looks even fuller where it stretches out the pale blue shirt.
The top button is undone, and I can see just a hint of his chest hair. He cleans up nice.
“Mae? You okay?”
“You look good.” Oh dear god, I think drool just slipped out.
I run over to my bag, collecting my clutch for the night and tossing my phone inside. “Ah, yeah. Everything’s good. I was just chatting to Presley.”
Warm hands land on my hips, and my heart nosedives.
“Your zipper’s not all the way up,” West says over my shoulder. “Did you need help?” My stomach clenches because he doesn’t say it in a cheesy, pick-up line kind of way. He asks it sweetly, like he just wants to help and take care of me.
“You’re always like this, aren’t you?” I turn my head so I can look up at him.
“Like what?”
That’s a good question. What are all the things that make Westley him? “Kind. Considerate.”
“I try to be.” He chuckles. “Your zip?”
“Yes, please. If you wouldn’t mind.”
His hands move behind my back, and I feel the fabric pinch together. “Not at all.”
The slow, dragging sound of the zipper fills the room along with my pulse as it floods through my ears. The warmth of Westley’s chest is so close against my back, and I have the desperate urge to sink into it.
“All done.”
I turn around, smoothing a hand over the skirt of my dress.
“Do I look okay? This isn’t too much, is it?
I should probably have mentioned earlier that I’ve never been to a wedding before.
” My fingers fiddle with my bangles, and my stomach swirls.
“You’re probably starting to think I’m kinda weird.
There’s so much I haven’t done that feels so normal for so many people. ”
Westley stops the runaway train of thoughts spewing from my mouth with a hand under my chin, tilting it towards him so he can look me in the eyes.
“You’re perfect.” For a moment, it feels like the whole world stops and fades into nothingness. Like the sun is orbiting around Westley and me, binding this moment in history.
I’m not sure what’s going on. All I know is that when Westley’s thumb runs back and forth along my skin, it doesn’t feel like he’s leaving a mark upon it, but beneath it.
When we made this arrangement, it was meant to be fake. Temporary. It wasn’t meant to mess with my head. It definitely wasn’t meant to feel like this.