Even if it was true.
I collapse on the couch and focus on the television, realizing all at once the movie playing is one I know very well. Pretty Woman.
Part of me wants to exit out, choose something else, because it’s too close to home. But the minute I see Julia Roberts’s smile as Richard Gere drives up in his expensive car, I can’t take my eyes off the screen. Their chemistry was so good, so believable. I know that’s the job of an actor, but a part of me likes to think that maybe there was some truth there, too. Their fondness for one another professionally lent itself to beautiful, on screenmoments. The trust it must have taken to film some of those scenes, speaks to their connection.
Or maybe I’m just a romantic, a dreamer. Someone who looks too much into things and sees things that aren’t there.
So I curl up on the couch with my oversized cup of coffee and I watch. I watch and smile as my heart breaks because everything reminds me of Aaron and I love that as much as I hate it.
A tear rolls down my face as I watch him smile at her like she’s the only one he sees in a room full of businessmen. How her smile puts everyone else at ease and makes them likehimmore.
And then I hear the knock on my door. I pause the movie, even though I know I should stop it all together and get back to what Ishouldbe doing—calling Foxy and getting my schedule set back up since I’m back early.
But part of me isn’t sure I’m ready to dive back into things so quickly. One glance at my phone tells me it’s nearing noon already, which means I’ve been camped out on my couch for a good three hours already. I note a few texts from Noah, but nothing major. Just memes and TikToks.
I groan, figuring my lack of response has prompted hiswelfare checkand so
I take the moment to answer the door, not really in the mood to deal with Noah hovering, but when I open the door, my eyes widen in surprise.
“Hey,” Aaron says, his dark hair falling across his chocolate brown eyes. I can barely see him over the enormous arrangement ofroses.
“Hey,” I say, nearly breathless, because holy fuck, he’s here.
I blink twice to make sure I’m not hallucinating, my heart rising steadily in pace because he’s here. On my doorstep. With flowers, looking better than I could have ever imagined.
“Can we—” He clears his throat. “Talk?”
I blink again, nodding, because words are hard right now. I step aside, letting him into my apartment.
Aaron Everett is in my apartment. He wants totalk.
Surely I can find the ability to speak…
I shut the door and take in the sight of him, standing in the foyer, dressed in nothing but dark jeans and a hot pink polo and some tennis shoes. He looks…
Hot, as usual, but he also looks… like aregular guy.
Because he is. Sure he might have more money than most, but I know there’s more to him than that. Aaron is so much more than just his last name, his legacy of wealth.
He’s everything.
He looks around my space and I realize it’s still quite messy because I got distracted and haven’t finished cleaning yet and my cheeks heat.
“Uh… sorry for the mess. My brother was staying here while I was—”
His gaze meets mine and I don’t finish my sentence.
“No, it’s not a mess, it’s…” He licks his lips. “It’s lived in.”
My heart races like a freight train as I hold his gaze, tears wanting to make themselves known.
“These are for you,” he says, thrusting the flowers at me like they will bite him.
I grasp them with ease, though my body feels like a live wire right now.
“Um…thanks. I think.” I say as I hurry to the kitchen to set them down if only so I can remember how to use my legs.
“So um… can I get you anything? Coffee? Soda?”
