Chapter 413
Chapter 413
During dinner, Vanessa called Aria about coming to Mandino City,
Aria hadn’t put her phone on speaker, but the table was so quiet that Owen caught most of the conversation they were planning a night out for furt
Owen knew that Aria would never be the type to suggest hiring male models.
That had Vanessa written all over it. Honestly, if anyone should be panicking, it was Kim, not him.
He lounged comfortably with a book, but a few minutes later, he realized he’d been staring at the same page for ages.
What if those models got a little too handsy and Aria couldn’t fend them off?
A sudden image flashed through his mind–shirtless models flexing beside Aria, deliberately showing off, leaning in close with no shame, making her flustered.
He shut his book, suddenly a little tense.
He remembered that time she accidentally caught him changing.
She’d turned away in a panic.
Aria had zero experience with this kind of thing.
He got up to change his shoes, grabbed his keys–then hesitated.
What right did he have to go?
He hadn’t even won her over yet and was about to start laying down rules? Anyone would get annoyed, and Aria didn’t even like him yet.
If he showed up and she got mad, that’d be even worse.
He put the keys down. But the scene in his head kept playing.
His eyes landed on a potted plant; almost without thinking, he plucked a flower and began pulling off petals.
“Go. Don’t go. Go. Don’t go. Go…”
When there were just two petals left, the answer was “Don’t go,”
He yanked off the last two, and said aloud, “Go.”
Decision made, he snatched up the keys and left, slamming the door behind him. Only the lonely petals remained on the floor.
On his way out, Owen pulled up his chat with Julia.
Owen: [Hey, cutie, what are you all up to?]
It took a few minutes before Julia replied, clearly too busy having fun:
Julia: [We’re playing games!]
Then she sent a photo.
な
The shot was of Aria, caught mid–laughter, her profile glowing, one hand resting under her chin, the other holding an almost empty wine glass.
Across from her, a hand with a bottle was reaching in for a refill. Several empty bottles littered the table.
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Chapter 413
Owen exhaled, got in his car, buckled up, and messaged again. is someone coming to pick your all up?!
Julia: Nope! Are you coming?]
Owen smiled–well, Julia invited him, not him barging in.
Owen: [Sure, I’ll come get you!]
He floored the gas.
At the club, Julia pouted after reading Owen’s message. She hadn’t invited him–at least, not on purpose! They weren’t done partying.
She tugged Cloe’s sleeve, pointing at her watch. “Mom, Owen says he’s coming to pick us up.”
Cloe glanced at the chat, lips curling with a mysterious smile. She reached over and powered off Julia’s smartwatch. “Don’t worry about it. Keep playing.”
The group was in the middle of the world’s most old–school drinking game: truth or dare, with a spin–the–bottle twist.
Just now, one of the male models–Sonny Sanford, the “fair one” Julia had praised–had lost, and his penalty was singing.
While he crooned, Julia had been distractedly fiddling with her watch.
When he finished, Sonny gave Julia a soulful look. “Julia, you weren’t even listening!”
Julia giggled, clapped. “I was! It was awesome! Your turn
to
spin the bottle.”
Sonny gave her a helpless smile and spun. The bottle stopped–pointing straight at Aria.
Julia let out a delighted squeal. “Aria, truth or dare?”
p
Aria grinned. “Truth.”
the male models interrupted, “Hey, since you ladies are all friends, shouldn’t we get to ask the
the
Vanessa was just about to lob a question when one of question?”
