Page 176 of Almost Ours
Her grip on my hand tightened. “I know.”
I froze, my chest tight, my heart hammering in my ears.
She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “I didn’t let you,” she continued, her voice soft. “I know you tried to talk to me about it. I kept avoiding it because… it’s just… it’s hard to be around you.”
Her words landed like a blow, and I swallowed hard, my thumb brushing over the back of her hand in an almost desperate attempt to hold on to something, anything.
She let me hold it for a moment longer, but then she pulled away, slipping her fingers free.
“But I know now,” she continued, her eyes meeting mine with a quiet intensity. “And it sounds like an incredible opportunity. I’m happy for you… really.”
Her words were kind, but her expression betrayed her. There was sadness in her eyes, a weight that she was trying to hide, and it twisted inside me.
“It’s only two months,” I said quickly, as if that would somehow make things better. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
She nodded, her throat working as she swallowed. “I know.”
The silence stretched between us, thick and heavy, as we both carried the weight of everything we weren’t saying.
She let out a small humourless laugh, breaking the tension just slightly. “I do know everything now, right?”
I forced a smirk, shaking my head. “No more secrets.” Then quieter, “Can I tell Connor myself?”
“Of course,” she said immediately, her lips curving into a faint smile. “He’ll be so excited for you.”
I nodded, relief mingling with the lingering tension. “Thank you.”
She gave me a small nod, then turned and kept walking, her shoulders squared as she pulled herself together. I followed a step behind, my chest aching with every step we took away from each other.
When we reached the truck, Shane leaned against the hood, his arms crossed and a grin on his face. “Finally,” he drawled. “Thought you two got lost or something.”
“Or something,” Nina quipped, smirking as she opened the passenger door.
Kyle stayed quiet, but his eyes flicked between Harper and me as he rolled up to the back door.
I climbed into the driver's seat, taking the keys from Shane, who handed them over with a smug look. Harper slid into the backseat beside Kyle, the skirt of her dress brushing against her knees as she adjusted herself.
As she settled in, Nina glanced back, her gaze lingering on Harper for just a second–silent, questioning. A wordless check in.
Harper met her eyes briefly and gave a small nod, so slight it would have been easy tomiss. Nina caught it, though. Her expression softened, just for a moment, before she turned back around, making some teasing comment to Shane as if the moment hadn’t happened.
The car filled with chatter as we drove toward the karaoke bar. Shane was in full form, belting out an off-key rendition of whatever song came on the radio, Nina laughing at him and egging him on. Kyle joined in with dry commentary, cracking jokes at Shane’s expense.
Through it all, I kept glancing in the rearview mirror. Harper was laughing at Shane’s antics, her face lit up in the dim glow of the streetlights, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
That shadow in her gaze–subtle, but there–pulled at something deep inside me.
I wanted to reach out to her, tell her everything I couldn’t put into words earlier. But instead, I just kept driving, stealing glances at her reflection.
Her laugh was beautiful. Her smile was everything. And even though she wasn’t mine anymore, I didn’t think I’d ever stop trying to earn it back.
The karaoke barwas alive with energy, the crowd buzzing as Nina hit the final note ofBefore He Cheats. She bowed dramatically to a wave of cheers and whistles, sauntering back to the table with a victorious grin.
“You’re welcome,” she said, plopping into her seat and taking a sip of her drink.
“Thank you for blessing us with that performance,” Kyle deadpanned, raising his glass. “Truly unforgettable.”
Before Nina could reply, Shane stood up and clapped his hands together. “Alright, folks, it’s time for the main event!”
