Jessie's POV
"Oliver!" I startle when I hear a female voice shout, "Oliver," again.
Oliver turns with a huge grin. "Lucy," he says as I see a slender, tall girl who could pass for a model jump on him for a hug. I stand as a third party, watching their interaction.
He smiles dumbly.
Oliver takes a step back. "Lucy, this..."
"Why are you so pale? I have been away, but not that long," she interrupts him.
"Cara, tell me that it is just in my head," Lucy says to Cara as she joins us.
"It is probably because he doesn't like the sun, always locked up at La Cooper," Cara replies.
I look at Oliver and realize his body is starting to reveal the sickness inside him.
"I am fine, both of you. I will hydrate and sunbathe with my wife." He catches me off guard by pulling me to his side.
I see Lucy raise an eyebrow. "Wife?" she asks tersely, averting her eyes.
"Lucy, meet Jessie Cooper, my wife." He speaks, and how he confidently introduces me warms my heart.
Lucy's eyes stare at me unblinking, her mouth open slightly, then shuts. "Damn you, Oliver," she says and storms away.
Even her angry walk seems like a catwalk on a runway.
Oliver turns to me with a weary look. "Excuse me, I will be back," he says and follows Lucy.
I don't know how long I stand, watching my husband run after another woman. When I look up, I find Cara staring at me. I hate how she looks at someone, studying them carefully and then silently making a conclusion without giving you room to defend yourself.
"Who is she?" My words come out low.
"An old friend and nothing to worry about," she casually says.
I watch the direction they disappeared to, and the scene just keeps replaying in my head. It doesn't seem like nothing.
"I thought you were going to annul your marriage," she says.
"It is complicated," I state.
Again, her eyes scrutinize me silently, waning my confidence with each sweep.
"I am glad you came. Let's go say hi to my family," she says.
I follow her and realize that I have underestimated the size of the manor. She leads me to what looks like a ballroom; it is huge, with a high ceiling and chandeliers.
"Babe," she calls out, her voice soft but clear, catching the attention of the tall figure standing with his back to us.
He turns slowly, and it's like I'm seeing him for the first time. Much like the manor, I had only a partial view of Quinn Nickel at my weddingâjust a fleeting glimpse. But now, up close, I can truly take him in, and the effect is... striking. I hadn't realized how handsome he is.
"You look damn good," he says, pulling her close, and it's like I cease to exist.
They start to kiss, and I look away, embarrassed... and with a longing to feel that way again.
"Babe, you remember Jessie," Cara says once they have had enough of each other.
"How can I forget?" Quinn takes my hand in greeting.
"Congratulations on your PhD," I say.
"Thank you, but don't do it. You see here," he points at his head, "it once had hair." He jokes.
"Pay him no attention; follow your dreams," Cara interjects.
He smiles warmly at her. Then I see Quinn raise his head, his eyes concentrating on something. I turn to see Theo. He looks out of place, his clothes rugged and his steps uncoordinated. Is he drunk?
"Excuse me, and enjoy the party," Quinn says, going after Theo.
"Is everything okay with Theo?" I ask.
"Nothing to trouble you," Cara says, watching her husband. "Let me show you where you can sit," she says.
"Have you seen Theo?" Gina approaches us.
Cara looks at me, then back at Gina. "He doesn't need to be disturbed now," she says.
Gina narrows her eyes at her but says nothing. "Fine," she mutters, leaving us.
"You should be careful of her if you are going to live with her," Cara warns.
And for the first time in the night, I find out we have something in common: our dislike and distrust of Gina Cooper.
"Do you mind if we have lunch next week?" I find myself seizing the opportunity. I don't know, but I want to impress her and maybe talk more about Gina.
"I will check my schedule and call," she assures, finding me our table.
It is in the first row with our names on it. I sit, and after I am comfortable, Cara leaves.
Oliver's POV
"What was that all about?" I ask Lucy once I get to her.
"You tell me, Olly," she turns with so much force that her long hair almost touches my eyes.
"You just stormed off and made it seem like I had done something wrong," I state.
She tucks her hair behind her ear and licks her lips. "I am pissed. Can you take a guess?"
I can take a few guesses, but I don't want to assume.
"Why don't you make it easy and tell me?" I say.
"You kissed me; you told me you wanted to see where this could lead. We take it slow, then you go and marry a total stranger?" My guess was correct.
I shake my head.
"I said that, but I never implied that we were dating, Lucy," I reply, my voice steady, but there's an edge to it. "I wanted timeâtime to figure out if there could be something more between us. But things... changed."
Her eyes narrow, disbelief and hurt flashing across her face. "Changed how, Oliver? You kissed me, and I thought... I thought that meant something." She crosses her arms, a defensive shield against the truth she's not ready to hear.
I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. This conversation is spiraling. "It did mean something, but life doesn't always follow a straight path, Lucy. Circumstances changed."
When she kissed me, and my body ached just by being turned on, I knew there was something wrong, and it was the same day my diagnosis started.
"How long have you known her?" she calmly asks.
"A month or so," I say.
"But not enough time to love her," she says. "Like how we have known each other," she adds.
I know her stubbornness, and I have an idea where she is steering the conversation.
"Lucy, you know me too well to know that I don't double-play people in my life," I state.
"But do you love each other?" she asks.
"That is not important now, and we can learn to," I state.
"What I am hearing is no. I won't give up, Oliver. We made a pact," she says.
"Lucy..." I call her name as a warning. Her relentlessness knows no bounds.
"See you around, Olly." She says and walks back to the party.
I take a deep breath before following the direction she took. This is not how I imagined the day would go, and now I have to come clean with Jessie.
Chapter 44 is now available at Inkitt. Follow me