She studies me for a moment, then smirks. “Our parents probably hear wedding bells already. We could play along, keep doing our own thing privately. They’d leave me alone if I were ‘settled’…”
“I get it. But the guy I’m seeing? He’s… possessive. Even a fake girlfriend wouldn’t go down well.”
She winks. “Can’t blame him. If I had you, I’d be possessive too.”
By now, we’ve reached the front door.
She hesitates. “We could still be friends, right?”
The flicker of vulnerability in her voice catches me off guard.
“Sure. On two conditions. One: stop touching me.”
She pouts. “But you’re so cute… fine, I’ll try. What’s the second?”
I open the door, grinning. “Never. Ever. Call meSebbyagain.”
I don’t even have to look back, she’s already gone. A silent exit. But something tells me this won’t be the last I hear from her.
I close the door behind me, exhale slowly, and head upstairs.
After changing into something more comfortable, I collapse onto the bed.
Last night was incredible, but I barely slept. My body’s aching for rest.
And I know what’s coming next.
A conversation I can’t avoid any longer.
CHAPTER 21
REMI
After getting back from brunch with Francis, I try to focus, catch up on overdue work, edit a few dissertations, and tick something off the endless list. But after an hour of staring blankly at the screen and rearranging the same sentences over and over, I give up with a sigh and slide my laptop back into its case.
Concentration is out of reach today. Completely.
And it doesn’t make sense. The meeting with Fran couldn’t have gone better,. He was supportive, encouraging, and everything I’d hoped for. Still, there’s this strange, persistent unease gnawing at the edge of my thoughts. Not quite anxiety. Not quite dread. Just… something.
Of course, there’s the usual mess with Maddie in the background, but this feels different. Deeper. Unfamiliar.
Normally, I have a handle on myself. I stay composed. I don’t let emotion cloud the picture.
But lately… something’s changed.
I’vechanged.
Since Sebastian came into my life, it’s like his openness, his unfiltered honesty, cracked something open in me. And through that crack, emotion has seeped in. Quiet at first. Then steady. Unstoppable. Impossible to contain or ignore.
It’s disorienting. Overwhelming.
And I don’t know what to do with it.
He’s only been gone a day, and already I ache for him.
I miss his presence, his scent, the quiet weight of his gaze, the way his eyes seem to see right through me without asking permission.
I want to touch him. Kiss him. Breathe him in. Hold him so close he still feels the imprint of my hands long after I’ve let go.
