The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

Chapter 96

“No Christian.” I haul out the sexy dress from my case for the third time and throw it back on the bed. He borrowed it from a senior, after a runway show they put on days ago, and I am not impressed with his choice of dress for me at my sister’s party.

“He will literally have his eyes pop out of his head if you wear this.” He smirks, holding up a scrap of cloth and sashaying around my bedroom like a movie star, molding it against him.

“I think most of me will be popping out in this. He’s seen me in various forms of skimpy clothing, and trust me, it does nothing for him. I know him, Chris, this will just make him think I’ve gone back to slumming it with sleazy men and backstreet nightclubs. Not that I even care about making an impression on him, so really, it’s not needed.” I swipe the dress from him and throw it away, over the bed this time. Glaring sternly, trying to make him stop interfering.

Ever since he met him, he has not stop tried to goad me into playground tactics and far-flung ideas on Arrick being jealous or heartbroken without me. If any of that were true, he would have contacted me in the last few days, and he hasn’t.

Or in the last three months!

“Of course, you don’t, that’s why you have spent the last two days obsessively trying on dresses and makeup looks for a seemingly innocent family gathering.” He smirks at me with a knowing brow lift and a sassy twinkle in his eye and my temper bites.

“Fuck off.” I wave him away as he comes to start snooping in my case again, infuriatingly. “Don’t you have a boyfriend you should be kissing goodbye right now? Jake has the car picking us up in an hour for the flight home.” I shove him away by the face as he starts messing with my lace lingerie in the open bag. Christian sighs and throws himself on the bed dramatically, adopting the Hollywood pose of distraught heroine with a palm on his forehead while making loud, weird noises that I’m sure are meant to represent misery.

“I already gave him the customary kiss and fuck, he’s off playing straight tonight while he meets his father in the city.” His boyfriend’s double life is a huge sore point in Christian’s and James’s relationship. Christian figures that all parents are as easy as his when it comes to announcing one’s sexuality and cannot empathies at all for anything different.

“Well go pick up Jenny, she should have been here by now, So we can all have a little chill-out drink before I need to get on a plane with you know who.” Jake sprung it on me less than an hour ago that Arrick and Nathan will be joining us on the flight home to the Hamptons. Something Arrick rarely did was fly, and I don’t know how to feel about this. Jake’s been at the office sorting issues out, despite taking a break to help Emma with their new baby and is adamant we all go back together tonight, as one big happy family.

Clearly deluded and can’t see past his own brother’s ass.

The party is tomorrow night, but that means my family get to spend some time with me beforehand, and I can introduce my two best friends to everyone properly. Christian met my parents when they came to the city for dinner with me and my mother loved him. Pretty sure she missed all his gay hints until he confessed his boyfriend problems to her and broke her heart for any wedding plans she had brewing in her head.

“The shift dress.” He points out the neatly folded item on my vanity, the dress I haven’t worn since Natasha got red wine stains out of it. It reminds me too much of them both and it’s sat there for weeks, unsure what to do with it. You don’t just toss Louis Vuitton away, even if the thought of ever wearing it again makes me want to cut my own heart out with a spoon.

“For the flight.” He winks at me with that irritating as shit, know it all look that is now becoming the thing I hate most about him.

“You always look super sexy in an understated way, in classic shift dresses, especially with those heels with the ankle straps.” I gaze down at the skinny jeans and tank I was thinking of keeping on for comfort but realize he is on to something. I’ll have to endure Arrick for an hour minimum, and maybe it won’t hurt to look good while flying home and pretending to be over him. He sure as hell didn’t seem that broken up over losing me when we saw him that day in the restaurant.

I chew on my lip thoughtfully, pushing the memories of him away, like I’ve done tens of thousands of times since that day and ignore the brewing storm inside of me.

not let him get to you. He doesn’t

right. Go get your face on and fluff out your hair, while I chase up our girly. Won’t be long sexy.” Christian slaps my ass as he walks by and leaves in a cloud of designer aftershave that’s too sexy for words. I need to ask him what he wears, as it’s seriously alluring, like a little trail of oomph wherever he goes. It reminds me of Arrick’s own scent, but

and frown, knowing I don’t owe it to Arrick to dress up and look pretty, but a part of me wants to. To show him that I’ve gone on with my life without him in it. That I kept my shit together and am doing

I don’t need him.

to show him that I am more than I was when he rejected me from his life. That I am worth more than what he

the homeliest comforting space I have ever known, I have real friends around me who really care, and don’t use me as a means to an end for my money. My family and I are mending bridges and there is a

An eclectic collection of styles and eras as I have been fully opened to the fashion world and the vast number of talent around me. I have purpose and meaning in my life that was

little short and flirty, paired with sandals and a cardigan. I won’t look obviously overdressed, but feminine and young like I used

chinos, white shirt, and loafers. Jenny is in

a part of me that would be struggling so much worse if I didn’t have them. They are the only reason I’ve been able to stay strong and not cave, keeping me occupied and being my strength when I waiver. Without them,

dragging her weekend case behind her and propping it against the two cases we already put by the door. All ready

the road?” Christian lifts a bottle of Prosecco from his shoulder bag,

I should just

***

foot restlessly while trying so hard not to keep looking at the open door at

fatherly smiles, and I smile emptily back. He was a little cagey when we arrived, I think he expected me to pull him up on Arrick’s appearance and my lack of mentioning it is confusing him. I feel sick with nerves

translates to Jake also knowing my side of events. I’ve avoided any sort of alone time to chat with him, other than our lunch dates every two weeks, but he tends to ask me about school and

him I didn’t, and he has left it alone ever since. Right now, he is entertaining Christian and talking fast cars, boxing, and even more fast cars. Something they both have a love of

tell that Chris feels relaxed around him; his camp flamboyant side is clearly on display and I keep getting weird glances from Jake, as though he is trying to assess if I know. It’s one topic I never thought of broaching with him because, well, why would I? He asked me once if Christian and I were close, and I told him I loved him

despite talking about Chris and Jenny, I have never actually made it clear I wasn’t dating him, and I guess he figured I was. I guess that means Arry thinks I am too, as Jake would probably have mentioned it, although the

Not that I care.

stomach knots, I start inhaling slowly to calm all outward reaction to him boarding. Jenny reaches

too. He grins at everyone, eyes lingering on Jenny a little longer than appropriate

not! She is far too sweet for the animal in

with my new female bestie. Jenny has a boyfriend, okay maybe she doesn’t seem happy with him, but still. The girl doesn’t need Arrick’s lothario sidekick making moves on her innocent self and messing with her head. Nathan would crush her

us with that and moves to slide in directly in front, moving over towards her side so he leaves Arry a seat facing me. I freeze, the urge to kick Nate so hard it’s undeniable and I inwardly panic. The asshole will be more than aware of what happened with us and I could honestly choke him. I scowl at him, catching that infuriating smile as he

back in his heyday as a man whore! Arrick, at least, used to bed the same bimbo for a couple of weeks before moving on, while Nate is more like a couple of hours. He never backtracks, and he never keeps them around

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