Page 104 of Check the Halls
“Then it’s mine to make.”
The silence stretches, thick and final. I see it—the exact moment something in him gives up. His eyes dull, the fight draining from his shoulders.
“Madness,” he says softly, stepping forward.
I take a step back.
His face crumples, and he stops. He nods, jaw working like he’s trying not to scream. “Fine,” he says at last, voice flat and lifeless. “Have a nice life, I guess.”
Then he turns and walks away.
The door slams behind him, and the sound rips through me like shrapnel.
My legs give out. I fall to the bed and bury my face in the pillow, the sobs tearing from somewhere deep, somewhere I didn’t even know could hurt this much.
A warm weight lands beside me—Cheshire, curling against my ribs like he can hold me together with fur and purring. I pull him close, shaking, broken.
I made the right choice. For both of us.
So how come it hurts so much?
NOW
“Are you on Crack?” Ivan asks without a hint of judgement.
“Excuse me?” I sputter.
“Crack. That supplement all the models and starlettes are on? Collagen, Retinol, Antioxidant, Vitamins C & K. You know, CRACK.”
“No, Ivan. I’m not on any form of Crack. Why do you ask?”
“You’re radiant, that’s all. Glowing. I thought maybe you were upping your beauty routine before the Gala.”
I purse my lips to keep them from curving upward and fix my gaze straight ahead as we walk through the hotel lobby. I’ve noticed it as well. My skin looks brighter. Mysmile, too. But it has nothing to do with a trendy health fad and everything to do with the company I’m keeping.
Being with Ben again is a remedy to an ailment I’ve been ignoring for far too long. I’ve never felt so loved and supported. So wanted and valued.
As the week got busier and work demands became more hectic, having Ben in my corner was everything. Whether it was stopping by my office with a chai latte, listening to me vent about the latest thing to go off the tracks, or simply reminding me that I’ve got this and the event is going to be great.
He also supplied me with so many orgasms, I’m not sure if my body is even capable of producing cortisol. That’s how stress-free I’m feeling.
We approach the towering double doors of the ballroom. I reach out and pull one open, motioning for Ivan to go ahead of me. As we step inside, the space greets us with the faint echo of our footsteps against marble floors and vaulted ceilings. The stage is set just as I envisioned—lights hung, backdrop secured, and monitors in place—but the rest of the room is still mid-transformation.
Stacks of banquet chairs line the perimeter, leaning like dominoes against the tall cream-coloured walls. Round tables—some bare, some draped in half-placed linens—are scattered across the floor in no discernible order, as though someone hit pause halfway through a setup.
“This looks…” Ivan murmurs, trailing off as his gaze sweeps the controlled chaos.
“There’s plenty of time,” I assure him with a calm I don’t entirely feel. “The event doesn’t start for anothertwenty-eight hours. And the stage looks great. That’s all we really need for the run-through.”
I head toward the center of the room, scanning for the stage manager. After spotting her near the podium, clipboard in hand, I begin confirming that everything’s in place—sound check, lighting rig, scripts. With Alyssa out sick yesterday and again today, it’s just Ivan, Keely, and me. Strangely enough, everything is running smoother than usual. It’s almost peaceful without Alyssa hovering behind me, second-guessing every direction I give.
I’m mid-discussion with the lighting director, running through cue timing, when Keely arrives, her heels clicking briskly against the floor, followed closely by Annika Lei. Annika’s clutching a tote bag and brushing her hair off her face as she hurries toward the stage.
“Sorry I’m late!” she calls up, slightly out of breath. “Traffic was insane.”
“No problem at all,” I reply, glancing at my watch. It’s 4:10—ten minutes past the requested arrival time for the hosts. Not terrible.
Ben’s still not here. He’s likely caught in the same traffic that delayed Annika. Rather than go through everything twice, we decide to hold off until he shows up. Ivan takes Annika for a quick tour backstage, pointing out the entrance cues and green room location, while I stay up front to finish final notes with the lighting director.
