Chapter 76 The New Glass
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” he continued, his voice steady but softer than usual as his thumb brushed my knuckles in slow circles.
I just sat there, speechless.
“I don’t want a casual friendship anymore, Joan. I want to be the man who gets to hold your hand in public. The man who makes you laugh when you’re tired and the man who gets to kiss you goodnight, good morning, and every messy moment in between.”
My breath hitched.
I couldn’t even look away from his eyes. They looked sincere, dark, terrified, and hopeful all at once.
“I’m asking you, Joan Cole once again,” he added, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“Will you be my girlfriend? Just you and me… figuring things out together.”
I didn’t say anything.
Maybe I didn’t know what to say yet.
Every heartbreak I had experienced started rushing back into my memory.
I remembered every night I had cried into my pillow and Lena’s shoulder promising myself I wouldn’t let anyone close enough to hurt me like that again.
But Dave… he was definitely not Alex. He was steady, he listened, he showed up and he kissed me like I was something precious.
Tears stung my eyes.
I didn’t know why.
Perhaps it was because I was scared, or more likely, because I was happy.
One thing I was sure of was that there were butterflies in my belly.
“Yes,” I whispered.
He smiled.
And that was the most beautiful and relieved smile I had ever seen.
“Yes?” he repeated.
“Yes,” I laughed through the tears.
He stood, rounded the table two times, and pulled me into his arms.
I went willingly and wrapped my arms around his neck as he kissed me deeply and slowly as if he was sealing a promise.
When we broke apart, he pressed his forehead against mine and whispered against my lips, “Thank you for saying yes.”
I smiled, blinking my eyes to stop tears from rolling out.
“Thank you for asking,” I replied.
We stayed like that for a long minute, wrapped up in each other.
“Jane will be so happy to hear this,” he said.
“I know, right?” I retorted.
And we both laughed.
After a few minutes of talking, laughing, and dining, we set out to leave.
He held my hand and we both walked to his car.
The drive back to my place was so peaceful.
His hands rested on the gearshift between us, close enough that every time he shifted, his knuckles brushed my thigh, though not intentionally.
I kept stealing glances at him, and his lips would curl into a small smirk at intervals.
Every few minutes, he would reach for my mind, squeeze it softly, and let go to shift again, each touch sending a soft current through me.
Neither of us spoke.
We didn’t need to.
Soon, he pulled over in front of my place. The porch light was on. That was undoubtedly Lena’s doing.
Dave parked the car, but he didn’t move to get out; instead, he turned towards me.
“Thank you for tonight,” he said quietly.
“For saying yes.”
Then he leaned over the console and kissed me… slowly.
And when he pulled back, his forehead rested against mine.
“I love you, Joan,” he whispered.
“I… I love you too,” I replied.
That sounded easier than I had expected.
He smiled against my lips and kissed me once more, before nodding towards the house.
“Let’s get you inside before Lena and Theo send a search party.”
He hurriedly got down, opened the door for me, and gestured for me to step out.
I laughed softly, grabbed my clutch, and stepped out slowly.
“Goodnight,” I said softly, my cheeks getting warm.
“Goodnight sweet,” he replied and planted a kiss on my forehead.
He waited until I reached the porch, waved, then walked into his car and drove off.
I stood there, watching his taillight until it disappeared.
I opened the door and slipped inside quietly. I met Lena curled up on the couch in sweatpants and one of Theo’s oversized hoodies, scrolling through her phone.
She looked up immediately when she heard the door shut.
“Welcome girl,” she said, her voice tired and sleepy.
I kicked off my heels, dropped onto the couch beside her, and let my head fall back against the cushion.
“I’ve been waiting for you… did you enjoy the date?” she asked, the once sleepy eyes widening.
“He asked me to be his girlfriend,” I muttered, keeping my face as straight as possible.
Lena gasped dramatically.
“He what?!”
She sprang up and her hands flew to her cheeks as if she had just witnessed a miracle.
“Wait… you are telling me that Dave Wilton is now your boyfriend?”
“How did it happen? How did he say it?”
I didn’t want to laugh but I couldn’t help it.
“Calm down,” I said.
“Tell me… be quick,” she muttered, tapping her thighs impatiently.
“It was at a rooftop restaurant, after a chocolate torte with a rose on the table. You know the whole cliché package,” I grinned.
Lena let out a scream that probably woke up the whole neighborhood.
“I’M SCREAMING… I’M LITERALLY SCREAMING. Wait… did you cry? What happened after? Did he kiss you?”
“I wanted to cry but I didn’t,” I admitted.
“My best friend is officially off the market,” she held her chest like she was about to faint.
“To a man who brings roses and gifts… To a man who is nearly richer than the president of this country. This is too perfect,” she added.
“I didn’t say yes to him though,” I said, letting my smile fade.
“Are you kidding?” she said, her voice dropping.
“I’m not… I’m not ready for another heartbreak,” I muttered, my face blank.
“Wow! Joan Cole! Are you actually serious? I thought we talked about this,” she said, her eyebrows pulled together.
“I just want to give it time.”
“What time? This man loves you! I’ve seen how he looks at you… Like you are the only thing in the room worth seeing,” she retorted, looking so serious.
“I’m just pulling your leg,” I laughed so hard that I almost snorted.
“I said yes!”
“You scared me for a second,” she softened instantly and hugged me.
“Congratulations girl,” she grinned from ear to ear, as if she was the one who was asked out.
The door to Theo’s door opened, and he peeped through the small opening.
“Why are you guys so loud?” he asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Your sister is now a wealthy man’s girlfriend,” Lena said happily before I could say anything.
“Mr. Wilton? That’s great,” he muttered, still sleepy.
“How did you know?” I asked, my eyebrows slightly raised.
“It’s obvious,” he replied.
He shrugged, already turning back.
“I’m happy for you, sis. Good night.”
Then he closed the door.
Lena looked at me, her eyes suspiciously shiny.
“Your little brother just gave his blessing.”
“Spilled milk is officially cleaned up,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” I whispered back.
“And the new glass is looking pretty full.”
ALEX HART’S POV
The past few weeks had been a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes, the memories of Joan would flood my mind, but I couldn’t even reach out to her.
I dared not.
But I secretly and sincerely hoped she was happy.
That day, when I pulled into the driveway, I noticed that the house was too quiet.
The lights were off, but I didn’t think too much about it.
Maybe Cassandra wasn’t home.
So I thought.
I got out of the car, shut the door softly, and walked up the steps.
I tried to open the door, but the door was unlocked.
“What? Why would she leave the door unlocked?” I mumbled under my breath, anger swirling within me.
I pushed it open and moved towards the living room.
The light was off but the television was on, the faint blue glow from the muted night talk show spilling across the floor.
That was when I saw Cassandra on the floor in the center of the living room with her face up, eyes closed and her arms lifeless beside her.
One of her legs was bent at an odd angle as if she had fallen mid-step.
A glass of red wine also lay beside her, the contents spread on the cream rug like spilled blood.
My heart started pounding.
And I didn’t even know when the suitcase and car keys I was holding fell onto the floor.
“Cassandra!”