Chapter 74 74. Boyfriend
Tabitha’s POV
He’s so close, I can just lean in a little and I’ll get to taste those lips that I have been fantasizing about for the past week…
“Tabi? You okay there, girl? You’ve been in there for a while. Do you need some help or something?”
Evelyn’s voice cuts through the haze in my head. I jolt as if waking from a trance, frantically pushing Jace back and rushing to the door.
Oh my god. That was so close!
My heart is still racing, and I can feel the flush burning up my neck. I fix my hair as quickly as I can before forcing a smile.
“H-hey,” I manage, hoping my voice sounds normal. “I’m okay.”
“Oh good!” Evelyn smiles, looking relieved. “Sorry, I had to step out to take a call. Well, you look good in that dress! See? I told you it’d suit you.” She pauses, glancing around. “Anyway, have you seen Jace? He just disappeared—”
Her words stop when Jace suddenly appears behind me. The color drains from Evelyn’s face as her eyes dart between us, realization slowly forming.
“H-He just came in to help me!” I say quickly, forcing a laugh that sounds far too bright. “The dress got caught on my heel, and I couldn’t move, so he helped me fix it.”
Evelyn frowns for a moment, then gives a small, awkward nod. “Oh. I see. Well… I’m glad you worked that out.”
“Yeah,” I say, still avoiding Jace’s gaze. “All good now.”
I’m not sure if I sound convincing enough, but I hope she believed me. But even as Evelyn turns away, my pulse refuses to calm. I can still feel where Jace fingers had been, ghosting over my skin like a secret I shouldn’t have enjoyed.
The rest of the shopping trip passes in a blur. I try to act normal, to pretend that nothing happened inside that cramped fitting room, but every time Jace walks past me, my mind replays the warmth of his touch like a cruel reminder.
By the time we leave the store, Jace is loaded with every single shopping bag we bought. Not one is left for Evelyn or me. He surely takes his assigned role as our personal bag carrier seriously. He carries them all without complaint, both arms weighed down but his stride still smooth, as if the mountain of clothes and shoes means nothing.
Meanwhile, Evelyn keeps chatting beside me, still riding on her post-shopping high.
I try to listen, I really do, but my eyes betray me. They drift toward Jace, to the way his sleeves stretch around his arms as he shifts the bags. The fabric pulls tight across his biceps, and something hot sparks under my skin.
“We got a nice haul today!” she says, her voice bubbling with excitement. “That blue dress I found is going to look insane with the sapphire heels I got. And that jacket? Ugh, I knew I shouldn’t have hesitated. Maybe I’ll go back for the other color too. The cream one had such a clean cut. I think it’s perfect for brunch. Or maybe a casual date? Whatever, I should’ve bought it.”
“Uh-huh. Yeah, you should totally go back for that jacket,” I manage to blurt out despite getting distracted at Jace. My eyes trace the fine lines of his biceps and the way his muscles flexes beautifully as he effortlessly carries all those shopping bags.
I blink and snap my attention back to the floor. What the hell is wrong with me? I mentally scold myself, forcing my gaze forward. Do not look at him. Not even once! You’ll only regret it.
“So,” Evelyn says, glancing between us. “Where do we eat? I’m starving.”
“I’m fine with anywhere,” I reply.
Evelyn hums thoughtfully. “How about barbecue?”
“Yeah, sure,” I say. My stomach growls in agreement.
“Perfect!” Evelyn beams and hooks her arm through mine. Then she turns to Jace with a teasing grin. “You heard her. You’re not allowed to complain. We already decided.”
Jace only smiles. “Wouldn’t dream of it. You girls lead the way.”
We start walking through the mall. I’m not exactly sure where the barbecue spot is located but Evelyn seems to be leading us that way so I just let her. I try to stay focused on the stores we pass, on anything that keeps my mind from wandering back to Jace. But it’s impossible. His quiet presence presses against my awareness like gravity. Every time he walks beside me, my body remembers the way his breath felt against my neck.
Evelyn suddenly slows down. Her gaze sweeps the open atrium before she brightens. “Oh, hey! That’s El! I didn’t know she was coming to the mall today.”
I follow her line of sight. Across the open space, near a café, stands Elsie Sharpe. She’s laughing at something. I realize she’s in the middle of an animated conversation with a man. My lips part in surprise when I instantly recognize who that man is.
It’s Reed!
Evelyn catches the direction of my stare and smiles wider. “Ah, I see. She’s having a date with her boyfriend.”
My heart stutters as I turn to Evelyn, looking dumbfounded. Boyfriend?
Then, my eyes dart back to Reed, who leans closer to whisper something to Elsie. She laughs again, brushing her hair back with the kind of comfort that only comes from something more than friendship.
Boyfriend. Reed is Elsie Sharpe’s boyfriend?