“Okay, well, you know where I’ll be,” she says softly, and I slip away from her.
The second I reach the large outdoor balcony, I suck down the cool air. I head down the set of stairs and perch on a wooden bench, my back facing the manor.
I sit for a while, drowning in my own thoughts. Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and rest my elbows on the table.
How can I not overthink this when my mate has a stunning woman on his arm?
I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t care.
Fuck my life.
I care too much. And I don’t want to.
“Can I take this?” A voice startles me away from my thoughts.
My gaze flicks up to the man who stands in front of me. Hazel eyes smiling with softness. Dark brown hair in a similar style to my curls. I stare at him for a few moments until he clears his throat.
“The glass?” He motions to the cup in front of me. “Can I take it?”
I snap myself back into reality. “Sorry,” I murmur. “Take it, it’s not mine.”
The waiter nods before picking up the glass from the table.
“Are you having a good night?” he asks politely.
I glance up at him and blow out a breath, leaning away from the bench slightly. “Not sure that’s how I’d describe it,” I admit.
“Oh.” He frowns. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to?—”
I shake my head and force a smile even in my shitty mood. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Are you okay?” he asks gently, and it stuns me.
“Uh…yeah.” I clear my throat. “It’s a bit too much for me in there.”
He studies me. “I’m due to finish in a bit. You wanna hang out? Only if you want to, of course.”
The confidence that radiates from him is alluring.
“Really?”
“Sure,” he chirps. “I’ll keep you company if that means not going back inside.”
My heart thumps heavily. “I’m Evan.”
“Charlie,” he says with a smile.
“Well…I’ll be here.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in a bit.”
He turns around and walks back into the manor. My eyes glance over the people standing on the balcony and inside the building behind the windows. That’s when I spot Caleb’s tall stature. He’s staring at me through the glass, and I freeze.
My eyes narrow before I turn away, facing the garden instead.
I need to push him to the back of my mind. I need to forget. I need to moveon.
He already has.
