Page 70 of Not So Happily Ever After (British Bad Boys)
Don’t think about giving him a hug, either.Even if I do think he’s completely adorable.
“No,” Jake says, waving his hand at Violet to get her attention, and she reluctantly pulls back from Lucas. “It was when Mac and Will came round the other night. Gave me the idea for all this. I thought, Jake, my man, go big or go home.”
“Huh,” Lucas glances at us. “You didn’t tell me you had to go see Jake again.”
“Guess I don’t tell you everything,” Will responds.
“I only called Mac,” Jake says. “I don’t know whyheturned up as well.”
“That’s because it was nearly ten at night. Did you even look at the time before you rang her?”
Will sounds mad, and my insides melt at his sweet but misplaced protectiveness.
“Wait. Were you two together at ten at night?” Lucas laughs like he knows he’s got the wrong end of the stick somewhere. A spark of irritation flares through me. It’s none of his business if we weretogetheror not.
“Catch you later, guys,” Jake says, before zooming across the floor on his flaming chariot.
“Good job we were,” Will tells my brother. “Otherwise she would’ve gone round to see him by herself. I’m the bodyguard, remember?”
“Ouch.” Lucas shoots me a glance. “You weren’t meant to tell her that. How come we’re both still standing?”
“I’ve already told Will what I thought of that. Do you really want me to give you a lecture right here, in the middle of the party?”
“You’re giving me a choice?” Lucas melodramatically staggers back, and Violet laughs. “You’ve mellowed in your old age.”
“Don’t push your luck. I could still change my mind.”
Lucas and Violet are swept into another celebrity-studded cluster, leaving us alone. The urge is great to hook my arm through Will’s and lean my head on his shoulder, but I manage to resist. Not that I care if anyone sees us. But this is our last weekend together. I don’t need my brother giving me any grief. Regret burns through me, and I heave a sigh.
“I’m going to miss not hanging out with you.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. There’s no reason we need to split up this weekend. We’ve got a good thing here. Why mess with it?”
A strange pain twists through my chest. The whole point of this crazy relationship was so I’d get him out of my mind. It’s damn sure not worked, but God knows I tried.
“That’s not what we agreed.” My voice is hoarse, and I focus on the fiery spectacle of Jake across the room so I don’t have to look at Will. The last thing I want is him guessing how badly I wish things could be different.
What the hell am I thinking?When I go back to Uni, I need to focus one hundred percent on improving my grades. There’s no place in my life for a relationship. Especially one as all-consuming as this is with him.
“Oxford’s not far. We can get together every weekend. I could even make it up there during the week sometimes.”
Every weekend?Andduring the week? Even though it’s an impossible dream, I want that so much it hurts.
For someone who’s been told how clever they are since the day she learned to read, I sure am a complete idiot when it comes to Will Hamilton.
“I can’t do that.”If only I could.My brothers have no problem balancing great careers with committed relationships, but I can barely scrape through my classes even without the added distraction of dating.
He tenses, and there’s no sign of his usual carefree smile or warm gleam in his eyes. “You’re telling me you want to end this? What, tonight?Now?”
A scary suffocation crawls through my chest and squeezes my throat. I don’t want our final goodbye to be here, in the middle of a party. But how would it be any better at his flat?
The end result would be the same.
“Why are you so mad? We discussed this. Besides, are you honestly saying you want a relationship after what happened with your ex? And while you’re trying to set up your business?”Why am I even asking him this?
“Why does it have to change? We don’t need to get serious. Would it really be so bad?”
My chest aches, and it’s crazy because it’s not like I’m looking for anything more. Not with Will. Not with anyone.
