Page 48 of Never Fake Date the Financier
After a few moments, Sariah breaks the silence. “Maybe you’re right. I have to admit, there’s something different about him. A different energy or something.” She leans back in the chair, sighing as she stares at the water.
I think I understand it. I had a completely different read of him when I first met him. Was that the side of him he was with Sariah? Cold. Intimidating. Aloof. Now that I’ve met Sariah, it’s hard for me to imagine her with him. Me too, if he remained the same after our first meeting.
She leans into me, bumping my shoulder. “He never looked at me the way he looks at you, that’s for sure.”
“Nooooo.” It comes out in one long, strained breath. But I can’t help the fluttering feeling in my chest, or the tingles radiating across my skin. “I don’t believe that. I don’t see Adrian getting into a relationship unless he’s all in.”
Sariah shakes her head and then turns to me. Her eyes are bright and clear, and I can feel her sincerity. “I never felt like he saw me. Like he was looking through me, looking at something else. Always distracted. Always thinking about something else. Always…” She pauses and then shakes her head, glancing back at the water.
I feel bad for Sariah. No one should have to feel that way. And it feels even more awful because I haven’t experienced that with Adrian. He’s so singularly focused on me that it’s almost suffocating. In the nicest way possible, of course. I like his attention. And I do feel seen by him. Understood.
She places her hand on mine. “There’s no question in my mind that he loves you, Gabriella. You captivate him. He’s been staring at you more than his phone, and that’s saying something. Work captivated him when he was with me. I always wanted to chuck that phone out the window. Smash it with a hammer. Burn it to—” She laughs. “Okay, I might have a little residual anger.”
I’m at a loss for words. I want to tell myself that she’s only saying this because she thinks we’re in a relationship. It’s a nice thing to say. It would be easier if that were the case because then I don’t have to deal with the reality of what seems to be happening between Adrian and me. Real feelings with real-world consequences.
“It’s true,” she says after a few moments. “And I’m happy for you. It took me a while to realize that Adrian and I just weren’t compatible, and I was trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Not everything is easy in relationships, but the difficult part shouldn’t be getting the other person to spend time with you.” She sighs. “His priority was work, not our relationship, and I ignored that for too long.”
“I’m sorry.” I can’t think of anything else to say.
“Don’t be. I learned my lesson, and I found the love of my life.”
She’s thinking about Max. It’s painted all over her face, and I can’t help but smile at how much she loves him. And a few minutes later, he joins us.
“I was wondering where you were hiding,” Max says, placing a hand on Sariah’s shoulder.
“My voice needed a break,” she says, nuzzling against his hand.
Max smiles at me. “You and Adrian had some moves on the dance floor.”
I laugh. “Thanks.”
“They’re about to play our song again, and I thought you might want another dance.”
Sariah slips on her shoes and grabs Max’s hand. “I do,” she says, leaning in to kiss him.
“It was lovely chatting with you,” Sariah says before heading back inside. “And I’m sure we’ll spend more time together after the wedding.”
Maybe.
I pull out my phone and text Olivia for the first time. This is the first chance I’ve had, really. I’ve been caught up in this wedding madness from the moment we landed.
Ella: I think I like him.
Surprisingly, Olivia responds almost immediately.
Olivia: About time. I’ve been DYING to know how it’s been going.
Olivia: And now I know.
Olivia: Congrats on getting laid… WOOOOO WOOOO!
Ella: What? No.
Ella: Why…
Ella: Nevermind. Back to my first point. I. Like. Him. I’m not supposed to. What do I do?
Olivia: Well, I only see one option: You sleep with him.
