Page 34 of Broken Rivalry

I find Eva lounging on her bed in sweatpants, her hair in a messy bun. “The car’s almost here, right?” I note, spotting snacks and a paused episode of The Office on her laptop, but no dress in sight.

“Yep,” she pops the p with a carefree flick of her wrist, sending a kernel of popcorn into her mouth. Her eyes, however, betray a flicker of something deeper, a momentary lapse in her nonchalant armor.

Nessa and I exchange a glance, then turn back to Eva.

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry for lying to you, Pops, I really am, but I never planned to come.” She lets out a laugh, nestling more comfortably in her pile of pillows. “There was never a scenario in which I would have even considered going, but I could see you were dying to go, and I knew I had to pretend for a while.”

“But the dress. Ethan…” My voice trails off, questions unspoken.

She laughs. “I returned it the next day. The extra eight hundred dollars in the food jar? That’s from the dress.”

Nessa exhales dramatically, her attempt to lighten the mood obvious. “Oh, thank God! I was half convinced that one of you sold your body or something. And if so, it was a bargain,” Nessa tries to joke, lightening the dense air around us.

My mind whirls, caught between admiration for her audacity and the guilt at leaving her behind and also the awkwardness when we’ll get there without her.

The buzzer sounds, a timely interruption to the spiraling thoughts. “It’s probably your car,” Eva murmurs, her eyes returning to the screen. “Have fun; seriously, you both need it.”

As we grab our bags, Nessa smirks. “I like this version of Eva. Her craftiness is humbling.”

I nod, but as I descend toward the limo, thoughts of Eva dissolve, replaced by a stampede of broncos in my stomach. Despite my internal denials, tonight unmistakably morphs into a date.

The limo glides through the city, the bright lights from towering skyscrapers casting fleeting shadows inside the plush interior. My fingers dance nervously over the keys of my phone, composing a message to Ethan.

We’ll be there in 10. I hesitate briefly before pressing send, the tiny “sent” notification somehow amplifying the fluttering in my stomach.

Nessa, perceptive as always, shoots me a knowing look, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. “Nervous, Pops?” she teases, her fingers lightly tracing patterns on the back of my hand in a silent offer of comfort.

I offer a half smile, my gaze drifting to the window, where the cityscape blurs into a cascade of lights and shapes. “Just… a lot on my mind,” I admit quietly, the reflection of my anxious expression ghosting back at me through the darkened glass.

The limo slows, pulling up to the opulent facade of the luxury hotel. My heart leaps into my throat as the driver opens the door, the sounds of laughter and distant music wafting into our secluded space. Nessa steps out first, her posture radiating a confidence I desperately wish I could mirror.

Taking a deep breath, I follow, my heels clicking against the cobblestone as we make our way toward the entrance. Ethan, Liam, and Cole stand there, an almost surreal vision of elegance as they look like they escaped from a magazine in their designer tuxedos.

My breath catches in my throat as my eyes lock with Ethan’s, his gaze holding a warmth and intensity that sends shivers down my spine.

He steps forward, extending a hand, but before my hand can touch his, Cole’s sharp voice slices through the moment.

“Where the fuck is Eva?” His eyes, burning with irritation and an undercurrent of something darker, flick between Nessa and me, demanding an answer.

The spell is broken. Ethan’s hand drops back to his side, and I’m abruptly yanked back to reality. “She… uh, she couldn’t make it. She’s sick,” I manage to stammer, the lie bitter and heavy on my tongue.

Cole’s eyes narrow, a storm brewing behind them, but before he can unleash it upon us, Ethan intervenes, his voice calm yet firm. “It’s alright, Cole. Let’s not ruin the evening over this.” He shoots me an apologetic look, the unspoken words hanging heavily between us.

Cole’s jaw tics, and his gaze is concentrated on the glass doors behind us, narrowing every so often as if he were calculating.

He turns abruptly and leaves, his pace rigid.

“What’s up with Small Prick?” Nessa asks with a frown. “I’m sure he only needs to snap his fingers to have ten desperate girls at his feet.”

Amusement dances in Ethan’s eyes. “I thought I was Small Prick.”

Nessa smirks, her gaze shifting to Liam. “You’re all Small Prick, except you. I honestly hope you’re not.” Liam, unfazed and ever the flirt, extends his arm, a devilish grin playing on his lips. “One way to find out.”

A small smile crosses my face as I dismiss the thought.

“Shall we?” Ethan’s voice is soft, his hand extended toward me, an invitation hanging in the air.

My heart stutters, caught on the edge of a precipice. Friends don’t hold hands like this; don’t stand suspended in a moment charged with unspoken promises. But I do it anyway, and as my skin touches his, the way his pupils dilate and my skin burns is anything but friendly, and as we follow Nessa and Liam into the luxurious room, I know one thing… my heart is in far more danger than I predicted.

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