Page 58 of The Expiration Date

Natasha looks down at her feet. “He’s fine. He’s on location filming a movie on his days off from the show. I don’t know. I don’t really have butterflies anymore in my stomach. It’s not exciting anymore for me.” Is that what happened between us? She didn’t feel the butterflies so she decided to search for them in someone else? “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Aidan.”

“But it happened anyway, didn’t it.” I plaster my hand to my face and drag it down. “Look, it’s not my problem that you don’t feel butterflies anymore. You made it that way the moment you broke up with me, Nat.” I finally make my way around Natasha’s barricade and open the door, hoping Haley isn’t right behind that door. Luckily, she isn’t.

“Haley’s on her way here. I really need you to leave. Our relationship is in the past, Natasha, and I have no interest in going back.”

Natasha scoffs as she grabs her purse and starts walking out the door. She finally turns around in the hallway and says, “I don’t understand what you see in her. She’s a fucking nobody, Aidan.”

Unfuckingbelievable.

“She’s sure as hell a somebody to me. As a matter of fact, she might just be my everything. Goodbye Natasha.” I close the door on her shocked face.

I know that I will have to see Natasha in the upcoming months with all the premieres, and we’ll potentially be cast alongside each other in movies or TV shows in the future. Our paths will surely cross, but for the first time since Natasha walked out on me, that reality does not hold much weight. The only person who matters right now in my life is the woman I am waiting on right now.

I hear my phone ding and head over to the couch to look at my screen. My heart drops slightly when I read the text from Haley.

Sorry. Something came up. My stomach started bothering me. Probably should stay away. I’ll see you in a couple days on set.

32

My stomach is in knots. And not the good kind. I haven’t seen Haley in four days and it’s making me anxious. Ever since she texted me that she wasn’t feeling well, I have been in a constant state of worry. She caught a “bug or something and don’t want to spread it to anyone” as she put it. I even offered to bring over some soup, but she said Rachel was taking care of her. I sent some anyway.

When I walk into the studio, I’m not expecting to see her back at work. She’s by craft services, getting a croissant and a banana, with a couple of coffees next to her on the table. I thought she would’ve let me know she was coming in.

“Good morning, Hales.”

“Morning.” Without looking at me, she hands over my coffee. What the hell is going on?

“Here is your call sheet. You have a lunch meeting with Samantha again today. You have a night shoot tonight and tomorrow night. I have a few calls to confirm some things in Europe for your press tour…” She starts walking fast in the direction of my trailer.

I have to jog a bit to catch up with her. “Wait, Hales, slow down. You’re talking a mile a minute.”

“Do you need me to send this information to you in an email or voice memo? Because I can.” Her tone is short. Clipped. Professional. She hasn’t looked at me once, which is unfortunate because she is looking extra beautiful today. Her look is effortless. Her hair is in a ballerina bun with a pen through it and a light gray cardigan. Classic Haley. Her soft look does not match her hard demeanor towards me. It’s killing me that she isn’t looking at me.

When we finally reach my trailer, I grab her hand and pull her inside. I shut the door behind us a little more forcibly than I should.

“Okay, what’s going on?” I press.

“What do you mean?” Haley continues to type on her phone and avoid eye contact. She is wearing her blue-light glasses, obstructing her beautiful brown eyes. Damn those glasses. I want to rip them off and break them in half.

I put my hand over her phone screen and lower her phone down. Haley sighs and finally looks up into my eyes. Her eyes are really puffy and red, confirming that something is definitely off. She has, in fact, been crying. “Hales, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just didn’t sleep well last night. I’ve been sick, remember?” she sniffles.

“Bullshit. I don’t think that’s what it is.”

“Then why did you ask me?” she retorts, her tone clipped.

Okay, she is definitely pissed and hurt. What the hell happened between a few days ago and today? I need to tread lightly here. “I’m sorry…it just looks like you’ve been crying and I want to know what’s wrong.”

Haley sniffles and her voice is a little shaky when she says, “Maybe you should ask Natasha.”

I shake my head out of disbelief and confusion. What does Natasha have anything to do with this? “Wait, what?”

Tears start rolling down Haley’s face, but she is still as stoic as ever. All of her walls are up again. All the walls I have been trying so desperately to take down. “When I was pulling into your driveway, I saw Natasha and you…kissing. Then she went into your house, still kissing you, and I just…”

My heart plummets. “You assumed something happened between us?”

“Didn’t it?”

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