Vivianna raises her brow and crosses her arms when she spots me entering their living room. She’s sitting by the window with a newspaper in one hand while the other holds a piece of chocolate cake.
“I see you’ve been fucking your neighbor behind our backs.”
She cringes her brows and keeps the paper on the table. “I’m not sure how your brother will react to that once he learns about it.”
“He isn’t going to know about it,” I reply, grabbing a spoon to scoop some cake. “You aren’t going to tell him, and Blake wouldn’t say anything either.”
“Why him?” she asks.
“Why not him?” I counter.
She shakes her head. “Your brother is looking forward to spending time with Blake. He likes the guy, and I—I think it will be really awkward once it ends.”
“I like him too… but we’re adults who know what we’re getting into. It wouldn’t be awkward. I’ll be leaving in three months, and he’ll be leaving too. He isn’t going to live here forever.”
She considers this for a moment.
“What if he stays, and what if it isn’t what you think it is? What if one of you falls in love?”
I look at her and see the worry in her eyes. I pat her hand. “Vivi… You are overthinking. It isn’t going to happen. I won’t fall in love, nor will Blake. We’re just fucking each other. That’s it.”
Before she can reply, Baug enters the room with a cup of hot tea. “You’re here!”
“Yep.”
“Where were you yesterday evening? You didn’t answer our calls,” he asks.
I share a look with Vivianna. “I was busy.”
He raises a brow, taking the chair beside Vivianna. “Busy, eh?”
“I got a call from work.”
Baug stiffens. “Are you leaving?”
I shake my head. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“She’ll be leaving after winter.”
Baug’s face shows serious thinking, his brows furrowing together. I can tell he wants to ask me if a certain someone will be working on the project with me.
“Do you really have to work on this project?”
I turn and face Baug and Vivianna.
“What? She has been working on this project for three years! And it’s finally happening. She can’t leave now, after all she’s done, after how hard she’s worked,” Vivianna insists.
“Nothing’s going to happen. We were both on board before we broke off the engagement, and I really believe everything will be fine in three months’ time.”
I know they’re just trying to protect me, but it’s a little bit annoying. My engagement with Asher ended ages ago, and he and I are adults. We can be civil and work together.
“Can’t you cast someone else for the character? Why him?”
I chuckle. “Just because he was a shitty partner and person doesn’t mean he is a bad actor, unfortunately. He’s the perfect fit for the character, and I don’t think anyone could play the character other than him.”
Baug grunts. “It’s a romance movie, not an action movie. Anyone on your list could act as a lovesick idiot. It doesn’t have to be him.”
“Ignore him and this topic,” Vivianna urges.
“Look… I’m throwing a small get-together this week on Papa’s birthday,” I begin. “Please don’t fight with him.”
Vivianna chuckles while Baug grunts. “I thought he didn’t like birthday parties.”
“Haha… No, he wants to. I’m inviting our friends, and if you want to invite anyone, let me know.”
Luckily, they begin to shift their attention to birthday plans rather than my personal life.
