Joanne-
I pursed my glossy feeling lips and slowly gulped as Hardy walked closer to me and the Kaleb guy.
“Hardy Bensimon” Kaleb’s mouth flashed into a healthy smile.
No surprise he knows who Hardy his.
Hardy seemed quite popular among these wealthy people, considering how those two ladies behind me earlier, wouldn’t stop talking about him.
Well too bad he doesn’t know then , he is not one to befriend people.
Such an as-hole
“Kaleb Whyte” Hardy spat like the name was too heavy to pronounce.
Looks like he knew kaleb too. And why does he look so mad?
“It’s been ages, it’s so good to see you, you know I have been aski-
“What were you doing earlier with my fiancé?” Hardy growled .
Kaleb paused, glanced down at me before looking back up at Hardy.
And slowly looked down to look at me again.
“She is..” He took a deep breath. “Joanne is your fiancé?”
He sounded like it was the last thing he wanted to believe.
“And you’re already calling her by her name” Hardy grumbled a bitter chuckle in his chest.
“I could say Joanne and I are practically friends at this point… Am I right Jo?” Kaleb beamed at me, waiting for an answer.
I glanced at Hardy, who could burst any moment from now, for he was fuming in anger.
“I don’t know… I don’t think that’s how friendship works” I shook my head at kaleb.
“Really? I th-
“Step away from Joanne” Hardy ordered
“What? I was ju-
“Step away” Hardy seethed making Kaleb give up.
Weird he’s acting like those lame jealous husbands you rarely see.
“Fine” Kaleb took a step back.
Hardy walked closer to me and I arched a brow at him that was screaming. ‘What the hell was that cheesy fake anger’
He ignored my stare and turned to kaleb.
“We’re waiting for you to leave” Hardy sighed.
“That’s Harsh Hardy, at least introduce Joanne to me” Kaleb rubbed his temple.
“And you think wiping the corners of her mouth haven’t done more than introductions?” Hardy threw those thick brows up.
“Damn. You saw that” kaleb mumbled.
“Of course I did now if you excuse us and kindly-
“Don’t be mean Hardy he was being nice, I would have made a fool out of myself walking around with cream at the corners of my mouth”
Hardy looked down at me, and I could tell he was refraining from trying to glare at me.
“You walking around with cream on your lips would be better than another man touching you” He growled.
Oh acting like the protective caring jealous fiancé he can never be.
This fake image and unveiling Lisa’s death must be so important for him.
“I was being nice” Kaleb gave Hardy a small head shake before turning to me with a smile.
“I’ll see you around Joanne, I just want to respect a good friend’s wishes” He nodded.
“Okay” I smiled back.
As he walked away, I heard Hardy scoffed under his breath.
“We’re not fuckin friends”
I shook my head,
poor Kaleb.
“I leave you for one second and you have someone wiping cream off your mouth” Hardy spat.
“Like I said, he was being nice.”
We were both trying to keep our voices down so a hidden ear doesn’t hear a thing .
“What would people say. Any action that we’re not in love with each other must not be exhibited. You will not ruin my plan. Because if you do, it will not be nice for you”
Was that a threat?
“You know it’s easier to deal with period cramps than act like I am madly in love with you” I scoffed, and somehow my words took him off guard.
“You think this is easy for me?” Hardy scoffed.
“Don’t worry it shouldn’t be hard, because it’s impossible for you to accept people needless to say, love people, and everyone knows that part about you, so if there’s anyone that should be acting, it should be me, don’t try so hard… Now if you excuse me, I’m getting hungry just talking to you” I sighed, turning back to the cakes I left.
I grabbed a cake and pressed on it a soft back, having the eerie feeling that someone was staring at me, I turned to my side to see Hardy still looking at me.
What’s his deal? Whatever did I do wrong?
I looked away but I could still feel his gaze on me.
–
Halfway through the party and I couldn’t feel my body anymore.
I was beyond exhausted, a lot of these ladies wanted to befriend me after hearing that I was Hardy’s fiancé. Some pestered me about my ring, the shoes I was wearing.
A lady almost left her jaw on the floor after seeing my necklace, and it was all because of her I found out it was a limited edition necklace.
While all of that was happening , I had noticed Hardy in a corner, taking in everything and you could tell he was liking the attention I was getting.
Ruby and Chloe had run up to me, upon seeing how much of attention I was getting.
Chloe had linked arms with me pretending to be really close to me as other ladies gushed at my rings, necklace and other tiny jewelry I didn’t know I had on, pressing on how much it cost than I would ever know.
Ruby kept speaking up for me like I didn’t have a voice box.
After a rigid night of meeting new people which was new, I made an escape to the bathroom where I pulled a breath and never wanted to go in there again.
I was still lingering behind the party’s closed door when a voice took me off guard.
“Are you going to go in there or not?”
I turned to the man close to me and my God, despite the exhausted look he had on his face like he was about to pass out, he looked drop dead gorgeous, with such thick brows clouding his hooded eyes, his prominent nose embraced his high cheekbones and full lips.
And I thought all the ladies here were pretty, if this man right here and Hardy should stand side by side, their faces would suppress the rest of hje ladies here, including me.
“So?” The gentleman said, trying not to sound aggressive.
I realized I was staring too much and was still hovering at the door knob.
I snapped out of my trance and pushed my body away from the door.
“Sorry, you can go in” I rushed my words.
“Okay,” He made no hesitation to grab the door’s golden handle, but paused right away.
“Is it your first time, are you nervous?” He carefully asked.
Was he talking to me?
“What?”
I pressed to be sure.
“Are you nervous? To go in the party?” He asked.
“Oh no” I shook my hands. “I was just stepping out, i had to take a breath out here, it’s too hectic in there”
He nodded.
“Not a party pooper?”
“Never have been, never will be” I shook my head. “And this isn’t a party to pooper about”
“I would say the same about me despite the fact that this party’s kinda for me” He let out an awkward grin.
“Really…?” My eyes widened .
“Is it your birthday?” I found myself asking.
He squinted at me and walked away from the door.
“Do you not know who I am…?” He asked, like he was some runway criminal and if I say do know him, he might go crazy.
I shook my head, “Not exactly”
He laughed, “That’s impossible, you were invited to my party, you should know who I am. Everyone knows who I am”
Weird, cause talked to half of everyone in that room, but never did I come across someone like him, even from afar.
“I don’t… I’m kind of new around here” I nodded.
“That should be the case” He nodded, breathing a sigh of relief.
“I’m Trevor, Trevor jones” He pulled his hand out for a shake.
“Joanne Mc- Bensimon! Joanne Bensimon”
Crap! I almost gave myself out.
I took his hand and we both had a friendly shake.
“And yeah it’s kind of an after birthday party.” He revealed with a smile.
“It’s your party but you’re hardly showing up, well I guess you must be exhausted” I added.
“You noticed that too” He sighed depressingly.
“It’s almost kind of obvious” I shrugged with an upturned smile.
“Damn” He mumbled. “You know when you’re a grown ass man but your father who seriously doesn’t want to age but just wants to try to be nosy in a grown ass man’s life? Yeah that’s how I live..” Trevor ranted and I found myself laughing.
“Would pay for a father like that” I nodded, knowing how my dad was a poor alcoholic cheat.
“If you’re almost thirty and a man you’d know this is embarrassing” He sighed.
“Well that sounds worse, anyways happy birthday by the way” I breathed out.
“You sound like you feel good already” He smiled.
I nodded, “kind of, this mini conversation was enough to settle the invisible heat I was feeling in there, thanks”
“I should be thanking you instead,” He beamed.
I nodded and turned to the door as his eyes still watched me.
I walked in, and as the door closed behind me, immediately my face almost slammed into Hardy’s chest.
“And where have you been?”
.
.*