Page 37 of The Heart Breaker

“Well… looks like he’s busy,” Holden says beside me with a chuckle.

For how hungry I was ten minutes ago, my appetite disappears completely. My stomach twists, and I wrap the rest of the hot dog back in its paper before setting it down on the jacket beside me.

The screen flashes as Ghostface appears, and somewhere nearby, someone jumps hard enough to send popcorn flying, but I’m barely paying attention to any of it. Holden’s hand slides to my waist again, and I force myself not to think about him, making myself focus on the movie instead.

I last maybe two minutes before I glance over, stiffening when I find him already watching me.

His hand is still on the girl’s waist, his face buried in her hair, his mouth close to her ear.

But his eyes… His eyes are locked on me.

I rip my gaze away, my stomach turning sour.

Fine.

Two can play this game.

I lean into Holden—and yeah, I know, it’s a little shitty when I’m not actually into him. But I’m tired of feeling cast aside. I’m tired of thinking about men who don’t want me, tired of the way Cole, of all people, looks at me with that cold, dismissive stare that gets under my skin every single time.

It’s nice to feel wanted, even if it’s only for a little while.

Holden sits up a little straighter, then wraps an arm around me and pulls me in closer.

See? I can do this. I can sit here with some guy’s arm around me and not think about Cole Ellis. I can let someone want me, even if I don’t feel much of anything back. I can prove—to him, to myself—that I don’t give a shit who he has sitting on his lap.

I keep my eyes fixed on the screen, refusing to look over there again.

Holden shifts beside me, his thumb brushing over my shoulder. “Want a drink?” he asks, leaning down so I can hear him over the movie.

“No, I’m good,” I say, shaking my head.

He nods and tightens his arm around me, and I have to squeeze my eyes shut for a second. I’ve got a decent guy sitting right here, a guy who’s clearly into me, and somehow my brain still insists on circling back to the one person who should not be taking up any space in my head.

I try to keep my focus on the screen, but then I make the mistake of glancing over again, and his eyes are already on me.

Was that just timing, or has he been watching me this whole time?

My stomach flips as he holds my gaze and lowers his mouth to the girl’s neck, dragging his tongue slowly over her skin. She shivers in his lap, twisting slightly to curl her fingers into his hair, and he pulls her closer against him without taking his eyes off me.

He wants me to see this. He wants to make it painfully, unmistakably clear that whatever happened between us meant nothing. That it was a one-time lapse in judgment, a means to an end so he could get me out of his system and move on.

And yet… he still doesn’t look away. Not when his mouth moves to her ear, making her squirm and let out a breathy little laugh. Not when his hand slides higher up her thigh. Not when his fingers disappear beneath the hem of her skirt.

His eyes stay locked on mine the entire time.

My chest goes tight. The movie turns to a blur, the noise around me fading into white static.

I push to my feet, and Holden looks up at me, concern flickering across his face. “You okay?”

I force a smile onto my face. “Yeah. I, uh… I actually do want that drink.” He starts to get up, but I shake my head. “No, sit. I’ll get it.”

Before he can say anything else, I step off the jacket and make my way through the maze of blankets and sprawled-out legs.

My phone is already in my hand by the time I clear the crowd. I angle the screen toward myself, using it as a mirror as I slip behind one of the snack tents. My lip gloss is a little smudged from the hot dog, so I rub my lips together.

I take a breath and attempt to slow my pulse.

Just breathe.