I lowered my face to the food on my plate, then slowly looked up at Ethan. His eyes were wide like he’d been caught off guard.
Why was he showing interest in me when everyone knew he had a girlfriend? It made me realize why it’s hard to trust people and let my guard down, even when they seem genuinely nice.
So, he has a girlfriend and he’s been hitting on me. I decided not to look up again. Instead, I focused on my food.
True to their word, the food was delicious, and I found myself feeling full and satisfied.
I made a mental note to ask Mason for the recipe later. I hoped he might be willing to share it, even though he had been secretive about it.
Zoey soon disappeared from view. I noticed she was talking with a guy and couldn’t stop blushing at whatever he was saying.
He was blonde and had a well-built physique, making him quite attractive.
Once I finished my meal, I headed towards the swimming pool where people were having fun. I took my drink with me.
As I walked towards the pool, part of me wanted to join in the fun and laughter, but another part of me felt like an outsider, watching from a distance.
I turned to face Ethan, my frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.
He smiled down at me, completely unaware of how irritated I was.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked, his eyes scanning the crowd before landing back on me.
I forced a smile, trying to keep my voice steady. “Sure, I am, without you,” I said, avoiding his gaze and focusing on anything but him.
He looked startled by my cold response. “I’m sorry about what my uncle said. He got it all wrong. He assumed you were my girlfriend because we came together, and I’ve been, well, a bit too close to you tonight.”
Hearing his explanation, I felt embarrassed, but I wasn’t ready to let him off the hook just yet.
I kept my eyes averted, trying to process everything. His explanation made sense, but after everything I’d been through, trusting someone was no easy task.
I took a deep breath and finally met his gaze. His eyes were sincere.
Maybe I had jumped to conclusions too quickly, but I couldn’t help it. My mind had instantly assumed the worst.
“I thought you said you had a…” I started to say, but he cut me off.
“Hold on a minute-you thought he said I have a girlfriend?”
Now, the embarrassment was overwhelming. I covered my face with my hands, feeling utterly stupid.
“Stupid, stupid Nadine,” I muttered to myself, barely believing I had jumped to such a conclusion.
Ethan threw his head back, laughing, and I couldn’t help but remove my hands from my face to look up at him. His smile was so captivating, it was hard to stay mad
When he noticed me staring, he stopped laughing and met my gaze.
“Nadine, I wasn’t joking when I said I care about you. And to put your mind at ease, I don’t have a girlfriend. My uncle was just surprised because I came with you and, well, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you all evening.”
My heart did a backflip, pounding so hard that I thought my ribcage might burst with the sudden rush of emotion.
How could someone like him be so sincere and say such things? It made me feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time: hope.
I wanted to say something, but he hushed me with one of his fingers.
“Say no more, Nadine. I’m not the bad guy here. I have morals, and I wouldn’t be hitting on you if I didn’t care about you.”
A small smile tugged on my lips. “So you admit that you’re hitting on me, right?”
“I’m not ashamed to admit it. I like you a lot.”
I moved away from him quickly. He noticed my change in action and stepped closer. “What is it? Did I say something wrong?”
“No, not at all. It’s just that…”
“I know it, Nadine.”
I was taken aback by what he said. “Know what?” I asked, not sure of what he knew.
“You know, I was worried about you and the way you’ve been feeling jumpy. And it’s a norm we-”
“Ethan!” someone called him, cutting off what he was about to say.
As Ethan turned away to respond to the person calling him, I knew I wasn’t ready to face whatever he was about to reveal.
As I watched Ethan walk away, had someone told him about my past? Could he know more about me than he was letting on?
I tried to push these worries aside, telling myself that Sydney wouldn’t betray my trust. But the fear of Logan finding me, or even Nathalie somehow being involved, left me uneasy.
I sighed, trying to calm my racing heart. I had to stay focused and not let my mind run wild. For now, I needed to stay present and figure things out one step at a time.
Heading to the swimming pool. There was music playing and everyone was having a great time.
Since I hadn’t known the pool would be part of the fun, I hadn’t brought a swimsuit.
As the sun began to set, the DJ announced, “This music is dedicated to all the lovers here.”
I watched as people started to leave the pool and pair up, dancing to the rhythm. I couldn’t help but smile at the lively scene around me.
As I watched everyone enjoying themselves, I tried to stay focused on the moment, appreciating the music and the atmosphere.
It was nice to see people letting go and having a good time, even if I felt a bit on the outside.
Then suddenly, I heard a voice say, “May I have this dance, please?”
I looked up to see Ethan stretching his hand towards me. For once in my life, I wanted to be free and enjoy myself. So, I took his hand as he led me to the dance floor.