The Pinnacle Summit had finally arrived. Harriet exhaled deeply as she settled into her seat next to her family. Her eyes darted to the table beside themâthe one reserved for the Reeds. Her heart skipped a beat when she met Vivian's glance, Sophie's mother. With a respectful nod, Harriet acknowledged her, and Vivian returned the gesture briefly before looking away. Harriet's gaze then shifted to Sienna, Riley's ex-girlfriend, who was seated with her family.
Running her fingers through her hair, Harriet chuckled softly to herself, trying to shake off the tension. Nyx leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "So, what happened between you and Zoey?"
"Stop being nosy, Nyx," Harriet muttered, glancing around the room. "Nothing happened between us."
Nyx clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Nothing? Really? You're so slow, Harriet."
Rolling her eyes, Harriet nudged her sister. "Shut up. Not everyone is a player like you."
Nyx laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "What can I say? Girls... women... they come to me. Who am I to turn them away?"
Harriet cringed, the corner of her mouth lifting in a smirk. "God, you're gross. You know, once your wife finds out you're still like this, she's going to kick your ass."
At the mention of her wife, Nyx's boldness faltered. She gulped, her usual confidence wavering for a split second. Despite all her playful antics, Nyx was head over heels for Vera, her wifeâa fact that Harriet still found amusing.
"Well, she won't find out unlessâ"
"What won't I find out?" A familiar voice cut through the conversation, causing both Harriet and Nyx to freeze. They turned around slowly, only to find Vera standing behind them, looking as stunning as ever.
"Vera..." Nyx muttered under her breath, as if she'd seen a ghost.
Harriet couldn't help but burst into laughter. "So much for 'she won't find out,'" she teased, watching Nyx scramble to pull out the chair for Vera to sit.
Nyx quickly composed herself, guiding Vera to the seat beside her. "That meant nothing! Harriet and I were just talking, right, Harriet?" she said, nudging her again, though Harriet was still laughing.
Vera greeted their parents before taking her seat, her gaze fixating on Nyx. The playful glint in Nyx's eye faded, replaced by a rare look of submission. Harriet marveled at how easily Vera could tame her sister.
With a shrug, Harriet sighed, glancing around the room once more. The night was just beginning, but she already knew it was going to be an interesting one.
Harriet watched as Riley walked into the room with Zoey by her side, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in Riley's appearance. She had changedâmaybe more than Harriet had anticipated. But her gaze didn't linger on Riley for long. When her eyes fell on Zoey, her breath caught in her throat. Zoey's eyes met hers, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, they held each other's gaze. Harriet was the first to look away, her heart racing.
"Wow, baby Riley is no longer a baby," Vera remarked, her voice light with amusement. Nyx, however, clicked her tongue, clearly displeased.
"And since when did Riley become your baby?" Nyx shot back, sounding more than a little jealous. Harriet leaned her head back, staring at her sister in disbelief.
"Oh my God, Nyx, stop being so cringey," Harriet couldn't help but chime in, shaking her head at her sister's antics. Vera's laughter filled the air, clearly enjoying the playful banter, while Nyx's possessiveness over Vera was on full display.
Just then, Harriet nudged Nyx as Riley and Zoey approached their table. "Hey," Riley greeted, offering them a small bow. "Long time no see," she added, pulling out the chair for Zoey to sit beside her.
Harriet's attention, however, shifted to Sienna, who was watching Riley with a familiar intensity, her gaze fixed on her ex-girlfriend's back. Harriet sighed inwardly, wondering if Sienna thought Zoey was Riley's new girlfriend. The idea made her chuckle softly to herself.
"Welcome back," Harriet said, smiling warmly at Riley. But despite her attempt to stay focused on her sister, her eyes couldn't help but drift back to Zoey. She looked stunning, effortlessly so, and Harriet found herself smiling like some proud girlfriend, even though that wasn't the case. Clearing her throat, Harriet looked away, only to catch Zoey's eyes once more. This time, she held her gaze just a little longer, her heart betraying her calm exterior.
"You keep looking at me," Zoey said softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she scooted her chair closer to Harriet. "It feels... weird."
Harriet's heart skipped a beat when she heard Zoey address her directly. She glanced at her, gulping nervously. "Ah, sorry," she muttered, feeling the weight of her own awkwardness. "Actually... can we talk?" she asked, trying her best to steady her voice despite the nerves threatening to betray her.
Zoey raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp. "What's there to talk about?" she replied, her tone distant. Harriet could feel the subtle tension between them. They both knew exactly what was lingering unspokenâtheir shared memory of that night, still vivid and raw.
Harriet hesitated, her words faltering. "Just, at least..." she trailed off, but the thought suddenly felt too heavy to express. She sighed, forcing a chuckle, trying to hide her vulnerability. "You know what, never mind."
Why was she even trying to explain herself? Clearly, it didn't matter to Zoey. Maybe it was just her who had been holding onto that moment.
Zoey sighed, mumbling under her breath, "Can we just forget what happened? Act like nothing happened?" Her fingers fidgeted nervously in her lap, betraying her unease.
Harriet cleared her throat and leaned in, close enough that she could feel Zoey stiffen beside her. The tension was palpable. Harriet smirked, tilting her head just slightly. "What if I don't want to forget what happened?"
Zoey's breath hitched, her heart racing in her chest. Too close... too close. "Harriet," she mumbled, trying to steady herself as she felt her pulse quicken. She forced herself to meet Harriet's gaze, summoning a flicker of confidence. "Just... what the hell are you doing?"
There it was againâthose hazel eyes. Zoey cursed inwardly. Why did it always feel so different with Harriet? Why was it so hard to maintain control when it came to her?
Harriet laughed softly, backing off just enough to sit upright again. "Nothing," she said casually, though the teasing edge remained. "Fine then, I'll act like nothing happened that day. Happy now?"
Zoey glanced away, her lips pressing into a thin line. She nodded, avoiding eye contact, grateful for the distance, yet still unnerved. Don't look at me like that, she silently pleaded, willing Harriet to stop. Just be cold. Act like your normal self. That, I can manage. But deep down, Zoey knew Harriet had already undone her resolve.