Page 57 of Aria

“Hey, stud.” She wrapped both hands around my arm and pulled me over to a chair.

My eyes met with Chelsie’s again, and she arched an eyebrow. I responded by swinging Julia back around and planting a kiss on her crimson lips.

“I didn’t know you two were a thing,” Chelsie muttered as she sipped her sparkling wine, her eyes fixed on the display.

I pulled away with a shrug.

“I think it’s great,” Devon added. “You guys make a sexy couple.”

Julia beamed, taking a seat and flipping her dark hair over one shoulder. “We know,” she quipped. “Can someone pass the champagne?”

I sat down next to Julia, which was across from Chelsie. Her gaze was still pinned on me, so I shot her a smirk and clapped my hands together. “You know I don’t do that bubbly shit. Let’s get some whiskey over here.”

Miles raised his empty glass in agreement. “Shit, yeah. Bottle of Blue Label would be nice.”

I gave the server a quick nod, beckoning her to our table. When she approached, Miles leered at her half-exposed breasts as she pulled out a notepad.

I kicked him.

Lisa shifted in her chair. “I’m so happy we could all get together tonight. Chelsie, I feel like it’s been forever since we spent quality time together. How did the move go?”

Chelsie sipped her champagne, her feathery earrings fluttering against her face as she addressed her friend. “Devon was amazing. We cleared out the apartment in less than two hours. I can’t wait to get settled and start this new chapter.”

New chapter built on lies by omission.

I was feeling on edge, and I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the growing resentment that Chelsie had barely spoken to me in weeks. Or maybe I was envious of the fact that Devon seemed to have his shit together, while I had never felt more lost. Or maybe it was simply that I saw my whiskey coming, and whiskey always brought out the grit and vigor in me.

My gaze trailed back to the woman across from me as the amber liquid was poured into my glass. Chelsie was illuminated by the rooftop string lights and a subtle glow from the moon. Her bracelets jangled as she laughed at something Lisa said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

It was difficult not to stare, just as it was difficult not to regret being such a dick to her at the start of it all.

Maybe things would be different.

Maybe she would be more than my imaginary tabloid girlfriend.

Wait.

I couldn’t possibly havefeelingsfor Chelsie Combs. I was incapable of feelings ever since Ruby. I was fractured; an empty shell. A single dad with a chip on his shoulder.

And Chelsie was my front man’s girl.

But,goddammit, when she looked at me—I felt it. Thatthing. That thing people felt when they realized they’d met their match. I felt it when she read bedtime stories to my son, and when she argued with me over movies. I felt it when her eyes glowed bright with unwavering affection whenever she engaged with me. I felt it when she called me up out of the blue to get ice cream.

And I felt it the fucking most when she didn’t call me at all.

Here she was… sitting two feet in front of me, oblivious to my fucked-up revelation. She was smiling—again—because she did that. She was always smiling with her sparkling white teeth, dimples, and rosy lips, unaware of the effect she had on men.

Maybe that was part of it: her complete and utter ignorance to her own perfection. And now she was looking at me—again—because she fucking did that, too.

I didn’t look away this time.

No, I continued to drink her in, from her furrowed brow, to her eyes twinkling with confusion, to her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

She was the opposite of Ruby in every way.

And maybe…

Maybe that was why I was falling for her.

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