“It wouldn’t have been a surprise if I’d told you,” he laughed.
I leaned in and hugged Aaron, who squeezed me tight. “Looking good, Fern.”
When I stepped back, I clapped excitedly as we all took our seats.
“So, how is operation ‘win the Myth Maker back’ going?”
I sighed. “Still radio silence, but I’m ramping things up tonight.”
Aaron laughed. “Oh yeah? What have you got planned?”
I winked. “I’m going for more old school romance.”
I lifted my glass and took a sip of the champagne, hoping that it calmed the nerves in my stomach.
We all chatted for a while before Marshall pressed his hand to my shoulder. “It’s showtime, Fern.”
Chapter 40
Charlie
“You need to come with me,” Fox whispered.
“Why?”
He tugged my arm. “Stop asking questions I can’t answer.”
“I can’t do another Fern thing, Fox. Please.”
I hadn’t told them, but Jennifer had been texting me more and more. Sending me explicit photos, telling me how unhappy she was with my dad and how he didn’t compare to me.
Her constant reminders of what she did were making me feel physically sick and I couldn’t bring myself to share how dirty and ashamed I felt about my past, even to my best friends.
“How about if I promise this will be the last time we meddle… I mean, you promised to speak to her and you still haven’t, so really you owe us.”
I huffed. “Really? I said that like two days ago. I’ve been busy.”
“No, you haven’t. You’ve been miserable and quiet and you’ve stopped bouncing and demanding attention and it’s not even because you’re… you know… doing the thing.”
He stared down at my crotch, knowing that I’d not worn my cage since Fern and I broke up. No matter how much I loved it, I knew it wouldn’t bring me the same silence; it would just give me more space to flood with thoughts of her and I was already drowning.
“You’ll let it go after this?”
“If you don’t forgive her after this, then… actually, I’m going to shut up. You do you, man. But come with me.”
We walked through the room while I kept my head down, not in the mood to make small talk with random celebs.
Fox guided me through a corridor where Marshall was waiting at the end. He nodded and opened the door before Fox slapped me on the shoulder.
“Less anger, C. It was one sentence said in the heat of the moment. She was wrong, but is it worth blowing up your future for? Just give her a chance before she stops trying and you lose her for good.”
I stepped into a room as he closed the door behind me. The ceiling was strung with hundreds of fairy lights, and the floor covered in flower petals.
Fern stood in the center of the space, looking like a goddess, her silver hair glowing, spilling down over her stunning dress. A giant silver boom box that looked like it had come straight from the 80’s was next to her, playing Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose” quietly.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi.”
