AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She sat back, a small smile playing on her lips. “That could all seem like a coincidence. But. Get this. Yesterday, he asked me what my favourite precious stone was. To wear. As jewellery. So, it kind of got me adding everything up in my head. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking…” She trailed off.
“Oh, Aves. It does sound like marriage is on his mind.” I clapped my hands in excitement. “I’m so happy for you guys. And you know what? Even if everything you’ve told me turns out to be a random coincidence, I know that marriage is on the cards. Whenever it may be. You’re hashtag couple goals.”
“Did you just say the word ‘hashtag’?” Avery asked faintly.
“Yep.” I grinned. “Sorry.”
Avery shook her head in mock-disgust. “Please, never say that again.”
“I can’t make any promises.”
She rolled her eyes, draining the rest of her drink. “Come on, let’s go back to mine. You can stay over if you want?
“Will Ethan mind me crashing?”
“Course not. He’s got a lot of work on at the moment, so he’ll be shut in his office most of the night, no doubt. I know he’ll appreciate you keeping me occupied. We can order food and watch Netflix?”
“It’s a deal.”
23
Luke
Gasping, I shot up in bed. The covers tangled around my body, and I struggled to untwist myself. I made a grab for the pint of water standing on my bedside table and sent half of it sloshing out of the side in my haste. Taking a long gulp, I tried to slow my racing heart. It was just a dream.
The same dream that had been recurring ever since my feelings for Olivia had intensified.
A nightmare.
I’d dreamed that Liv had told me she was leaving me, and I’d walked into the conference room at work to find her kissing another man. My dad was in the room as well, for some reason, always sitting at the conference table, and when he saw me catch sight of Liv with the other man, he started laughing uncontrollably. Liv would always break away from the man at this point and glare at me. Then she’d grab the man and kiss him again, deliberately.
I rubbed my eyes tiredly. Everything felt like it was spinning out of control. This whole situation with Olivia was messing with my head. We were meant to be friends with benefits, but the lines were becoming more and more blurred. I’d made it worse by taking her out on dates, telling myself that it was casual. Who was I kidding? I could tell that she was falling for me, and as for my feelings?
I was fucking terrified.
On the surface, to an outsider, things between Olivia and I were going well.
Underneath? The cracks were beginning to form.
“You okay?” Olivia stared at me, concern in her eyes.
“Fine. Just swamped with work at the moment.” I picked up my mug and turned to leave the kitchen.
“Luke?” I turned my head to see her biting her lip uncertainly. “Do you want to grab lunch together today?”
“I’m sorry. I’m too busy to take a lunch break. Tomorrow, yeah?” I mustered up a smile.
Hurt flashed across her expression, but she quickly masked it. “Okay. I can bring you some food if you like? One of those sha-whatever things you like so much?”
“Thanks. That would be great.” This time my smile was genuine. I took a step back towards her, dropping a kiss on her head. “I’ll catch up with you later, alright?” She nodded, giving me a tiny smile in return.
Sitting at my desk I stared, unseeing, at my computer screen. I jumped when a hand slid a brown paper bag in front of me, so caught up in my worries that I’d completely tuned out the rest of the world.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you jump. I brought your lunch.” The smell of the piping hot shawarma made my stomach rumble.
“Thanks.” I smiled up at Olivia, and she returned my smile, gazing into my eyes as if I was the most important thing in the world to her. She leaned down and placed a featherlight kiss on my cheek.
My palms grew sweaty, and my heart started pounding faster. I clenched my fists. These feelings…I couldn’t deal with them. I had to get away.
