AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not completely, but Mom said we’ll be coming back in a few weeks to get the last of it,” I explain, and she gives a small nod.
“I-I can’t believe you’re leaving.” Her lower lip quivers, a clear sign that she’s not doing much better than I am. She wipes a tear before it has a chance to fall, and I wince.
“Don’t be like that, D. I’ll visit every summer. And we’ll FaceTime all the time. This isn’t goodbye.”I reach for her hand, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.
“Right.” She sniffles, nowhere near as comforted by my promises as I was hoping she would be.
“Anyway, where are the guys?” I ask Finn, making quick work of studying the Richards’s backyard. I saw Lacey flirting with one of the waiters on my way in, spotted Brie and a few cheerleaders taking selfies by the chocolate fountain, yes, they have a chocolate fountain, and ran into Axel in the driveway. His suit was messed up, and he looked terrified as he got into his sports car and bolted.
“Fuck if I know.” Finn shrugs. “My guess is, Theo’s raiding the wine cellar and Xav is—”
“Right here,” a deep voice says behind me.
My heart propels itself forward, dead set on breaking out of my chest, and I spin, coming face-to-face with my biggest weakness. He looks so damn perfect I’m tempted to poke his cheek to make sure he’s real. I analyze his attire from head to toe, memorizing every inch of him.
Brown hair slicked back.
Coal-black suit.
Hands tucked in his pockets.
This.
I want to remember him like this.
“Hey, man,” Finn says, and Xavier acknowledges him with a quick flick of his chin before pinning me with a look that makes every nerve ending in my body tingle.
Dia clears her throat. “Baby, weren’t you going to show me something earlier?”
I turn to stare at Dia, my widened eyes screaming, “Don’t you dare,” but she completely blows me off.
“What thing?” Finn doesn’t follow.
“You know, the thing over there by the…” She pauses. “Thing.”
Xavier bites back a laugh at how obvious she’s being.
Still confused as hell, Finn plays along, “Right… the thing.”
“Catch you guys later.” Dia traps me into a quick hug.
“I hate you,” I half joke in her ear before she pulls away and she flashes me a satisfied “You’ll thank me one day” grin. Finn whisks his head back seconds before they dissolve into the crowd. “Oh, and Vee, nice ink.”
I offer him a smile. “Thanks.”
As soon as they’re gone, Xavier scoffs a mocking “And the award of subtlety goes to…”
I suck in a breath, meeting his eyes. I don’t have an inkling of how to say goodbye to him.
It was nice falling in love with you.
Sorry we’re a lost cause.
See ya?
Not sold on my previous ideas, I opt for a simple “Hi.”
Xavier’s lips pull into a sad smile. “Hey, Harper.”
