Chapter 20 He Belonged In My Dreams
Mia's POV
"I cannot wear this, Josh. This is too daring," I said, staring down at the soft fabric resting in my hands. It felt too small and revealing, like it belonged to someone braver than me.
Josh let out a slow breath, clearly losing patience. "Mia, you have a perfect body, and trust me, you will look beautiful in that," he said, his voice firm, almost annoyed.
I shook my head. "That is not the point."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Do you want to see Liam or do you want my sister to steal him away from you?" he asked. My heart raced at the sound of his name.
"Liam has nothing to do with this," I said softly. Then I sighed. "Celine is beautiful, Josh. And honestly, I think they would look good together. Better than him and Chloe." I paused before adding, "I do not want her for Liam."
Josh grinned and nudged my shoulder. "Relax. Liam is into you, not Celine. My sister has been crazy about him for as long as I can remember. Even our mother told her to stop believing she could win Liam's heart, but of course, she never listens."
"My sister is stubborn and spoiled, but Liam always makes her do things she hates. It is kind of funny seeing her lose her composure, even though I love her. That is why I want her to stop fantasizing about him, especially now that he has found you."
His words made butterflies flutter in my belly. They made me feel a little better, though I hated to admit it. Still, the thought of Celine flirting with Liam made my stomach twist in an uncomfortable way.
"I am not interested in his love life, Josh," I said, trying to keep my voice calm and steady.
Josh laughed softly. "Liar. You cannot deny it to me, Mia. I see the way you look at him when you think no one is watching." He leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"But do not worry. I will never tell Liam. At least not for now. You are still my fake girlfriend." He smiled. "And do not worry, this is only temporary. I promised you."
I swallowed and looked away. "Josh, you really do not have to worry. I like being your fake girlfriend. Besides, I do not fit in Liam's world. I am way out of his league." The words hurt as they left my mouth, but they felt true.
Josh shook his head like I was being ridiculous. "Well, one thing is for sure. Liam will never stop liking you. And I am sure he will find a way to win you even if he thinks you are my girlfriend. Just trust me, Mia."
He winked, and my cheeks burned. I had no more excuses left. So I wore the bikini. And Josh was right.
The moment Liam saw me, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. It was not casual. It was not polite. It was the kind of look that made my skin feel warm and my heart beat too fast.
Josh stayed close to me the entire time, his arm always near, his presence constant, making our fake relationship look real to anyone watching. Especially to Liam.
I could feel the tension growing. I could see it in the way Liam clenched his jaw, in the way his gaze followed us, in the way his attention kept drifting back to me no matter how hard he tried to focus on Celine.
Liam made an excuse, saying he needed to discuss something important with his father, and left in a hurry. He walked away without another word and did not look back. Celine stood there, clearly frustrated, her smile tight and forced.
And I stood beside Josh, my heart pounding, knowing I was the reason Liam left, and hating myself for how much that realization hurt.
"Mia, my dear, I hope you can visit us soon," Josh's father said warmly as they said their goodbyes. "We will be expecting you with our son."
His words made me smile softly, though a part of me ached. Josh's family had been nothing but kind. Welcoming and gentle. The kind of warmth I had not felt in a long time. Except for Celine, who kept shooting me uneasy looks, probably because she had caught Liam staring at me too many times.
Still, I appreciated that no one asked about my past. No one questioned my background, my missing parents, or the kind of life I came from. They did not pry or look at me with curiosity or pity. That silence felt like kindness. A rare gift I did not often receive.
I had to admit, I truly enjoyed spending time with Josh's family. They made me feel welcome in a way that was warm and genuine, like I belonged there, even if only for a while. I laughed more than I expected to. I relaxed. I had fun.
But there was one part of the day that was hard to ignore. Liam.
Whenever he was near, everything inside me felt unsettled. I could not fully explain it. I did not know if it was nervousness, confusion, or something I did not want to name yet. I only knew that his presence made my thoughts tangle and my heart behave in ways I did not understand.
It was difficult to enjoy the moment when he was close, because part of me was always aware of him. I kept wondering what he was thinking, always feeling something I was not ready to face.
Josh's mother had pulled me aside before we left, her voice gentle, eyes hopeful. She asked me if I could help convince Josh to come back to their estate for good.
My heart clenched with guilt. How could I say no? But how could I say yes without betraying Josh?
It was not my story to tell. Not my pain to reveal. Josh had trusted me with his secret, and I was not going to be the one to break that. Still, I could try. I could talk to him. Maybe his family would understand. Maybe they deserved to know.
But right now, all I could do was nod and promise, "I will try." Even if it already felt like choosing between two loyalties I did not want to betray.
The yacht was already shrinking behind us when I finally let myself exhale. I sat beside Josh in the backseat of the taxi, my fingers tangled loosely in my lap, the scent of saltwater still clinging to my skin.
The ride was quiet, save for the occasional honk, the distant echo of waves, and the low rumble of the engine. Josh had offered to make small talk, something light and distracting, but I had shaken my head. I just wanted silence to replay the moments that haunted me the most.
I did not see Liam as we disembarked. He was nowhere during the goodbyes with Josh's parents, the polite smiles, or the final photos on the dock. I searched for him without meaning to, my eyes drifting over faces and shadows, holding my breath each time someone turned around. But he was gone. Or maybe he had been. Just out of reach.
I blinked slowly and turned my head, stealing one last glance through the rear window of the cab, the yacht glinting gold beneath the late afternoon sun.
And then, just for a second, I saw him. Liam stood on the deck, leaning against the railing, impossibly still. He was not waving, and not even smiling.
He wore sunglasses again, the kind that shielded his thoughts and turned his eyes into mirrors. His face gave nothing away, but my chest clenched anyway. Because even from this distance, even with all the space between us now, the sight of him still made my pulse skip.
I did not know if he was looking at me, and I never could, but it did not stop the ache in my heart.
Because there had been something in the way he looked at me last night, before everything fell apart, before I reminded him I had a boyfriend, before I crushed whatever unspoken thing might have been building between us.
And now, all I had was a memory. I looked away before my heart could twist any tighter. Josh glanced at me but did not speak. He did not need to. He knew. And I, staring out the window, hands still trembling in my lap, tried not to cry over a boy who had never even said the words out loud. But maybe I would not have believed them if he had.
Because I did not need a boyfriend. Not now, and not when my life was still in pieces I was desperately trying to glue back together. My world had already fallen apart once, I was not about to let someone else be the reason it shattered again.
Liam Alcaraz was a beautiful distraction I could not afford. He was distant and untouchable, someone who felt perfect in a way that made him impossible. He belonged in my dreams, not in my reality. And I had no space left in my heart for something that could never be mine.