Levi's POV I return to the living room to find Hailey by the door, slipping on a pair of vans. She is dressed in simple brown cargo shorts and a white tank top that hugs her body perfectly, highlighting the volume of her supple breasts. I force my gaze away when she straightens up. 'Focus, Levi.' "You ready?" I ask. "Yeah," she responds, then pauses. "Are you okay?" I raise a brow. "I mean, you seemed tense when you got the phone call earlier..." Realization dawns on me. The call had been from my Dad. The call had been from my dad, letting me know that my cousin's wedding was moved up to this weekend. Since he knows I’m married, he skipped the usual, “I expect you to bring a girlfriend,” speech. Small blessings, I guess. Still, it stung that even after doing what he always wanted, it didn’t seem to matter. The call yesterday should have been enough, but it wasn’t. I expected at least a word of acknowledgment - some sign that I’d done the right thing. But no. Nothi
Levi's POV The only sound that fills the small, nondescript, cream-colored office is the relentless ticking of the clock on the desk. It's so loud and grating that I'm starting to think that it was put here specifically to test patients' patience. The room itself is sterile, designed to feel welcoming but failing miserably. Everything is white, except for the desk, chairs, and bookshelf. Technically, the bookshelf is also white, but I don’t count it - at least the books add some color. "So you claim you don't have any feelings for her?" My therapist asks, breaking the silence. 'Why does she keep asking me that?'She's been fixated on my relationship with Hailey ever since I slipped up and unintentionally blurted out how insufferable she is. What she doesn’t seem to grasp is - why would I use that word if I actually had feelings for her? She watches me over the rim of her tiny wire-framed glasses, waiting. I lean into the arm of the chair, meeting her stare. She sighs, removin
Hailey's POV "Uhm..." Levi hesitates. "How do I say this?" He exhales. "I want both of us to go out for dinner," he pauses, then his gaze sweeps over me. "Together." I sit up so fast that I nearly choke on my water, coughing violently. "What?!" Why the fuck would he startle me like that? I expected a heads-up or something. He'd come back from his outing a few minutes ago, while I lay on the couch, scrolling through my phone. Then he said he had something to tell me, but I wasn't expecting... this! Levi scratches the back of his neck. "I want us to go out for dinner." "Like a date?" I ask, my voice still raspy. His expression turns awkward. "Not really... But if you want it to be, you can think of it that." I raise an eyebrow. "Why would I want that?" "I just thought that's what you wanted to call it," he shrugs. "No. Why do you actually want us to go out?" Levi sighs. "I want us to get to know each other. My family would probably ask a lot of questions.
Hailey's POV Levi holds the car door open for me as we arrive at a modest-looking restaurant. I step out, still irritated about the compliment he'd given me earlier. I don’t thank him, maintaining the same silence we had on the drive over. The valet takes his keys, and as we approach, the doorman pulls the entrance open for us. For somewhere Levi has described as "not too fancy," the place certainly gives off that extremely fancy vibe. With tables set for two, a live band playing soft music in the corner, and guests who look like they each have at least one yacht to their name. The men wear tailored suits, while the women glide through the room in elegant dresses, their hair styled to perfection like they’ve just stepped off a magazine cover. Gold balloons fill the empty spaces on the floor and walls, making it clear there's something else happening here... like a celebration of some sort. My stomach tightens.And once again, I find myself facing the consequences of trusting
Hailey's POV I stay silent, staring out at the passing cars until a new waiter brings our food. As soon as the waiter leaves, Levi exhales. "Hailey, I planned this so we could get to know each other. If we can't even talk, what's the point?" He pushes back his chair, getting ready to stand. "We should just go back. I'll pay for the food." Before he can move, I stop him. "Quit being so dramatic, Levi," I roll my eyes. "Just sit, and I will try to be more civil." He hesitates, watching me carefully, then sighs and lowers himself to his seat. "I'm sorry for the way I acted," he mutters. "It's fine." A beat passes. "I'm also sorry for blaming you," I admit. "I was just upset with how you handled things. I wish you'd found a better way to control the situation instead of trying to intimidate the poor waiter. He was only doing his job." "I'll do better next time." I shake my head. "Oh, no. Let's hope there's no next time." An unreadable look crosses his face. "Why? You do
Levi's POV I pull into the garage and step out to open the door for Hailey. She fell asleep almost as soon as we started driving back. I’d expected the conversation to continue, maybe even get to know each other a little more. Instead, things ended abruptly, and I let myself get too comfortable - making things awkward in the process. I sigh and shake her shoulder lightly. "Hey, we’re here. Wake up." She mumbles something incoherent, shifting to her side - then promptly smacks me in the face. I huff, rubbing my jaw. "Hailey, we're home." 'Home.' Sounds kinda nice. I've never seriously considered settling down - outside the pressure from my father - but I guess the thought of starting a family and having a home with someone I love, is strangely appealing. She stirs slightly, her lashes fluttering open before her eyes squeeze shut again. "Go away, Jake," she mumbles, swatting at my hand. I freeze. 'Jake.' If I remember correctly, her mum mentioned the name th
Hailey's POV The room swims into focus moments after I open my eyes. With a groan, I roll out of bed but immediately regret it as the now-familiar ache pounds in my head.Not long after, a wave of nausea hits me, sending me rushing to the bathroom. I barely make it in time before emptying the remnants of last night's dinner into the toilet. 'I really need to start accepting that my meals won’t last long these days.'Even when it seems like there's nothing left, I stay on the floor for two extra minutes —just in case. Eventually, I flush, freshen up, and head back to my room to get dressed.I slip into a short brown skirt and a black turtleneck, layering the matching jacket over it. A black purse and loafers complete the look. One habit I've developed over the years is ensuring my outfits always match in color and shade. My love for coordinating colors once made me consider a career in interior decorating, but I had to put my family's business first.Once I’ve gathered everything I ne
Hailey's POV Matt picks on the second ring. "Babes, you got married to your baby daddy and you didn't fucking bother to tell me?!" He whisper-yells to me over the phone. Whispers because he's probably at work, and doesn't want to call attention to himself. I fetch my plate from the microwave and get the coffee I'd been brewing, then walk back to where'd been sitting. "I was going to tell you, but everything just blew over. It was meant to be a secret, but we both don't know how it got leaked, " I reply, picking up my phone from the table. Matt frowns, then shakes his head slowly. "Still, you should've told me immediately after it was out. I know we haven't known each other for long, but I expected a certain level of loyalty, babes." I feel a pang of guilt, for not telling him and making him feel like I don't consider him a close enough friend. And because I'm still keeping something away from him. I sigh, taking a sip of my coffee. "I'm sorry. If I had any control o
Hailey's POV The day had been going so much better—until now. I’d been enjoying the little bubble of self-deception Levi and I had created for ourselves. But of course, his dad had to burst it.From his explanations, I couldn't quite tell if his intentions were as noble as he claimed. What I could tell was why Levi resented him so much. The man doesn't know where to draw the line between business and family. He thinks business logic works for family matters. I hope Levi doesn't turn out like him. Still, in those brief moments, I caught a glimpse of their similarities—their knack for claiming good intentions while their actions suggested otherwise.As I step back into the main hall, a hand slips into mine."Come on, they're waiting," Levi says, tugging me toward the tables.He doesn’t ask what I talked about with his dad, or how the conversation went. Part of me feels relieved. Another part feels... a little hurt by his lack of concern.I stop, holding onto his hand. "What's the rus
Levi's POV I leave Hailey for a moment to grab her a cup of apple juice from the buffet, but a hand claps down on my shoulder, halting me. I follow the hand up to find Elliot grinning at me. "Lev," he says, pulling back. "We haven’t talked since you got here. What's up with you?" A stab of guilt hits me. He’s the groom—he should be basking in attention, not chasing me down. I should’ve swallowed my pride and congratulated him first. I sigh, resisting the urge to rub the back of my neck. "Not much," I reply. "Congratulations, man. I should’ve said it earlier." He waves it off. "It's fine." Typical Elliot. Never holds a grudge, never takes things too personally. I’ve always admired that about him. If the roles were reversed, I'd still be keeping score. Hell, I am still keeping score—and he doesn’t even seem to notice. And even if he notices my reservations toward him, he still plays it easy—even sent a congratulatory email for my wedding, despite the way everyone found out. He’
Hailey's POV I feel like I'm on cloud-fucking-nine, and as much as I hate to admit, it's all because of Levi. He's been all over me today, and I love it so much. I guess Chloe was right... but that's not the point. The kiss at the lake? It felt magical, like a scene straight out of a romance novel. I loved it. And I hate that I loved it, and am still loving it. Ugh... This trip has my feelings mixed up. We’re at the after-party now, in the hotel’s event room. Levi’s been glued to my side most of the night—except for now. He went to grab me a drink. Can you believe that? The hall is decorated beautifully. Midnight blue streamers drape the walls and ceiling, glinting under the soft party lights and flashing cameras. Yes, cameras. Feels like this party was thrown more for the paparazzi than for the couple. Honestly, I had more fun in the other events that took place during the day. "I still can't believe Levi's actually in love," Christina says with a chuckle. For some
Hailey's POVThey couldn't have chosen a better day, time or venue for the wedding. Everything's just so beautiful. The weather's cool, the sun mild, and there are no signs of coming rainfall either. The time for the reception is perfect. Three o'clock in the afternoon, giving everyone time to celebrate with them, probably go home and change up for the after party at the hotel later. And they couldn't have chosen a better spot for an outdoor reception. In front of a private lake house, owned by one of Elliot's associates. If the couple wants, they can listen to an impulsive urge to go swimming. The church wedding was also perfect. Alicia's only nephew was the little groom. He arrived with his mum last night, a few hours after the picnic. And little Daisy, Levi's niece, was the little bride. The couple's vows were sweet and genuine, I even shed a few tears.Everyone had happy smiles on their faces, and the happiness is still very much present. It's been a good day so far, and I alm
Hailey's POV After I put on my dress, the make-up artist adds finishing touches to my makeup and then leaves the room to go to someone else. We'd decided on using just three rooms for the preparations, so no one had to go around to different rooms just to get what they needed. About five of us are in a room - mine and Levi's room, precisely - and I haven't had time to calculate how many are in the other. But since Alicia's the bride, she gets to do her own makeup and dress separately. "Oh my," Chloe gushes, coming over to me. "You look breathtaking." I smile at her reflection in the mirror. "So do you," I say. And I mean it. The women in Levi's family are really beautiful. They all have their own unique, striking features that make them stand out. Chloe's hair is immaculately styled in a high ponytail, the blonde highlights peeking out. Her makeup is done to perfection and the green eyeshadow brings out the color of her green eyes. She looks perfect. The door clicks ope
Levi's POV Hailey lets her robe fall, sending it pooling around her legs. She's completely naked. Her hair tousled, her skin glowing with sweat, her eyes wild. My heart skips a beat. So many surprises in one day... my heart can't take it. She's gone from giving me the silent treatment to flirting, to stripping for me - all in one day. I take my time to admire her body. Her perky breasts and hard nipples, calling for my attention. Then my eyes trail down to her stomach. I've always been with models and actresses, and their flat stomachs seemed like the deal for me. But seeing the beautiful woman in front of me, the curve of her belly—soft, real, perfect. I immediately rethink any kink I thought I had. A low groan escapes me. I wish I could take a picture, just to make the moment last longer. She starts to shrink back, her confidence dissolving. She's misread my silence. Before she can do anything crazy - like put her robe back on - I get up quickly and catch her han
The women stumble into the lobby, laughter and chatter lighting up the place. We'd been hanging around, waiting for them, and contrary to what I told Hailey, there was no bachelor party. Just a group of family men sitting around, talking about business and reminiscing. Though I hadn't stayed down here for long. I left when Hailey called and began sex talking to me. I knew it was part of a silly game they were playing, but it didn't stop the blood from flowing down to my crotch. I had to excuse myself to...handle the situation she caused. As if on cue, Hailey walks in behind the others, looking as stunning as ever. She still seems as sober now as she did when I last saw her earlier in the day. I doubt she joined them in drinking... she couldn't have, for not-so-obvious reasons. She's deep in a conversation with Jess and doesn’t even notice me watching her. Seeing her blend in so easily with my family does something to me. It makes me feel like she really belongs here, like all
Hailey's POV She covers the speakers again, so her voice comes out muffled. "They're coming. I'm scared, please send help quickly," Sam cries into the phone and ends the call without waiting for the officer's reply. She puts down her phone and begins laughing. We don't waste a moment in joining her, going into a laughing fit. "Okay, that was really good acting," Cindy chuckles. "Could've fooled anyone." "The station's probably in panic mode by now," Alicia adds. Samantha makes a mock bow. "Thank you, thank you." "Where did you learn to act so well?" Cindy asks. "Mum made us take acting lessons when we were younger," Samantha replies, glancing at Aunt Rose, who has a smug grin on her face. "You hated it, but see how well it's worked out for you," Aunt Rose says. Sam rolls her eyes. She rubs her hands together, leaning forward excitedly. "So, my turn to spin the bottle." Christina passes it to her, and she spins. I watch in anticipation and dread, praying th
Hailey's POV Most of the ladies cheer in excitement, while I just watch them, smiling to myself. I hear the sound of a car approaching where we are, and I turn in its direction. It soon comes to a stop close to our picnic spot, where the limos had been earlier. Three women come out of the car and begin walking toward us, each wearing smiles on their faces. Alicia notices this and stands immediately, running toward them with an excited grin on her face. They must be her friends. I'd wondered why they hadn't shown up yet, because Levi mentioned something about the picnic being for her friends and family too. They hug her back with equal excitement, but I don't miss how one of the lady's expression darkens when she glances my way. 'weird.' Alicia happily drags them over to the cloth, and they take their places beside her. "I know you all have met my friends - well, aside from Hailey," Alicia says to the other women, before turning to me. "Hailey, these are my best fr