69
The trip to Celine’s parents house was a quiet affair, with Celine riding in the car with William and stopping twice for fuel, which Leo revealed was a ploy for them to be alone. Upon arriving at Celine’s family home, Rachel was greeted by Celine’s boisterous siblings, with Marcus attempting to flirt with her during the wedding rehearsal dinner.
But Rachel’s attention was focused on Roseline, who was seated next to Leo at the dinner. As Roseline clutched Leo’s arm during a joke, Leo tensed and moved his arm away, causing an embarrassed Roseline. This small gesture was enough to bring a smirk to Rachel’s face.
As the dinner continued, Rachel couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that Leo was still wary of Roseline’s advances. The conversation around the table turned to wedding preparations and the usual bickering between Celine and her siblings. Rachel tried to focus on the discussion, but her mind kept wandering to Leo.
The sight of him, looking dapper in his suit, made her heart flutter. She couldn’t help but recall the steamy kiss they shared in the storage room and the electric connection they had. Despite her efforts to push those thoughts away, they kept creeping back into her mind, leaving her feeling flustered and confused.
Marcus caught her gaze and leaned in close, “Why so quiet, beautiful? You look like you have a lot on your mind.”
Rachel started, pulling away from his flirtatious tone. “I’m just thinking, Marcus.”
“About Leo?” Marcus asked with a smirk.
Rachel’s cheeks flushed, giving away her thoughts. “No, not about Leo,” she lied.
Marcus chuckled, “Sure, sure. I saw the way you two were looking at each other. It’s obvious there’s still something between you two.”
Rachel’s heart skipped a beat as she realized the truth in Marcus’s words. Despite her anger and hurt, there was still a spark between her and Leo. She couldn’t deny it anymore. The realization both excited and scared her, leaving her feeling overwhelmed.
The dinner ended and everyone retired to their rooms, but sleep eluded Rachel as she thought about what the future might hold for her and Leo.
She couldn’t deny the chemistry between them, but at the same time, she didn’t want to get hurt again. The dilemma left her tossing and turning for hours, until she finally drifted off into a restless sleep.
Rachel sat in a small gazebo overlooking the lake, her sketchbook open in front of her. She was deep in thought, working on her designs for the upcoming fashion competition. Celine sat quietly beside her, lost in her own thoughts as well.
“So, how did Roseline even make it to the wedding party?” Rachel finally spoke up, breaking the silence.
Celine let out a sigh, “William invited her. He thought it would be a good opportunity for her to network with some of the people in the industry.”
Rachel rolled her eyes, “I can’t stand her. She’s just trying to get close to Leo. I just don’t feel good anytime she’s around. It always feels like she’s up to something sinister but Leo doesn’t seem to understand any of that, that’s if he isn’t aware of what’s going on.”
Celine nodded, “I know. But you can’t blame William for trying to help out a colleague.”
Rachel let out a huff, “I suppose. It’s just frustrating to see her trying to get close to Leo when he and I…” she trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.
Celine reached over and placed a comforting hand on Rachel’s shoulder, “I know it’s tough. But you need to show that, you should let everyone know that so they can steer off him the moment they see you two together. You know that will be very hard around people like that woman.”
Rachel sighed, “I know. It’s just… seeing her so close to him, it makes me feel like I’m losing him.”
“But you’re not,” Celine said reassuringly, “Leo cares about you. I can see it in the way he looks at you.”
Rachel smiled, grateful for her friend’s words of encouragement.
Just then, Marcus bounded up to them, a wide grin on his face, “Ladies, care to join me for a walk by the lake?”
Rachel rolled her eyes, “Not right now Marcus. I’m trying to work.”
Marcus pouted and turned his attention to Rachel, who was typing away on her laptop, a pile of papers spread out in front of her. He leaned in close, trying to catch her eye. “Hey, Rachel,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “Why don’t you come walk with me for a bit? It’s just a walk”
Rachel smiled politely but didn’t look up from her work. “Thanks, Marcus, but I really need to finish up some work here. Maybe later?”
Marcus persisted, leaning in closer. “Come on, don’t you want to take a break from all this work? I could make it worth your while.” He winked, his tone suggestive.
Rachel rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Sorry, Marcus, but I really need to focus on my work. Maybe another time.” She returned her attention to her laptop, typing quickly and efficiently.
Leo, who had been engrossed in his work, finally looked up from his laptop, his brow furrowed in concern. “Hey, Rachel, is everything okay? You seem a little stressed.”
Rachel sighed and nodded, looking up from her work. “Yeah, I just have a lot of work to do. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
William, who had joined them a few moments ago, chimed in laughing. “You know, Rachel, I could help you out with some of that work. I’m pretty good with spreadsheets and data analysis.”
Rachel smiled gratefully, noting the sacarsm. “Thanks, William, I appreciate it. I could definitely use the help.”
As the temperature rose, Leo stripped off his shirt, feigning that he was too hot. Both Rachel and Celine couldn’t help but gawk at his well-defined chest. Marcus, surprisingly, was equally distracted.
William chuckled, playfully scolding Celine, “You should be keeping your eyes on your fiancé, not my best friend.”
Everyone laughed, breaking the tension and allowing Rachel to get back to her work, her thoughts once again consumed by her designs and the upcoming competition.