Page 47 of Aria

She couldn’t mask the ghost of a smile on her lips. “And I resent you being a pig.”

I tossed the pillow back at her. “A charming pig.”

Chelsie huffed, catching the pillow and tucking it under her arms. She glanced at me through timid eyelids, her smile waning. “Seriously, though… I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

Not in the way you’re thinking.

“Not even a little,” I opted for. “And that’s what I like about us. You can pass out on my lap and there’s nothing weird about it.”

Chelsie nodded. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way.” She paused, pulling her brows together in contemplation. “Do you think it’s weird that it’s not weird?”

My eyes narrowed as I debated the question, then I shook my head. “I think it’s awesome. I can honestly say I feel more comfortable with you than I have with any other woman in my life.”

Her eyes widened, her wheels spinning. She approached with caution. “Even… Ruby?”

The sound of Ruby’s name procured a physical reaction from me, causing my jaw to tense. Normally, I would try to change the subject right about now, but I decided it was time to tell Chelsie about the mother of my child.

Hell, I knew all of Chelsie’s darkest secrets… it was only fair.

“Especially Ruby,” I admitted, averting my gaze to the opposite side of the room. My mind swam with dark memories. “I held that woman up on a pedestal since I met her eight years ago. It was a toxic fucking relationship, and I don’t think I was myself with her for even a single second. I always felt this need to play a part—to show her I was this perfect guy she couldn’t live without.” My heart was pumping with nervous beats as I released my ghosts. Chelsie sat still and silent, clutching the pillow to her chest. Her eyes roamed my face with curiosity. “Our relationship was… unhealthy,” I continued. “Ruby was beautiful and exotic. She would walk into a room and all eyes would be on her, and she ate that shit up; she loved it. At first, I felt pretty damn good having the most beautiful woman in the room on my arm, but then it became… a burden. Ruby paid more attention to the men falling at her feet than she did to me. It felt like a competition every time we’d go out. And then she just started going out without me. We fought all the time, there were secrets and lies… it was ugly. But I was a lovestruck fool. I thought I needed her.”

Chelsie held eye contact with me, her voice quivering as she asked, "What happened?"

"She cheated on me. All the time," I answered bitterly. "The last straw was the pregnancy, especially after a test confirmed it was my baby. She continued to party. She continued to drink. I couldn't be with someone who had such disregard for our child."My teeth ground together, my blood swimming hot through my veins. "It's a miracle Sam is such a healthy kid. She could've killed him."

Chelsie’s eyes were wide with disbelief as she soaked it all in. “Did she even want Sam?”

“Ruby only cared about herself. I don’t think she wanted anything that took away from her freedom,” I said. “She signed off on custody when Sam was only two weeks old, and I never saw her again. I figured she’d come crawling back once my name hit the spotlight, but she never did.”

Chelsie absorbed everything in silence, sliding over next to me on the couch. Her mouth parted to speak. Words touched at her lips, but they dissipated as she rested her head against my shoulder, her warmth giving me comfort. Calming me.

Her unspoken words hovered between us, and that was enough.

It was all I needed.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

CHELSIE

The rest of the day dragged by until it was finally time to partake in my birthday festivities. I paced back and forth near the bar, fidgeting with the straw in my watered-down rum and Coke. I found myself more interested in chewing the piece of plastic to calm my growing anxiety than the cocktail itself.

My cell phone buzzed from inside my purse, and I snatched it up so quickly, it toppled to the bar floor. Groaning in frustration, I bent over to grab it—but when I stood back up, I collided with a waitress who had unsuccessfully tried to dodge me. All three lemon drops fell off her tray.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry," I apologized, crouching down to help pick up the mess.

"Don't bother," the waitress barked.

"I'm really, really sorry." I held back tears as the woman stepped away from the scene. Sighing, I remembered the notification on my phone and glanced at it. More disappointment.

Still no word from Devon.

It had been six hours of radio silence, and I was beginning to wonder if Devon would ever contact me.

"Anything?" Julia returned from the bathroom, sensing my increased panic. "Still no Devon?"

I stuffed the phone back into my purse. "Nothing. And to top it all off, I just pissed off our waitress and she's probably going to spit in our next round of drinks."

"Oh, Chels," Julia commiserated. "He'll be here. Don't worry."

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