Chapter 54

Winnie

“Hello, Winnie! Nice to see you!” Rebel holds up her glass for me with a big cheer. She has switched places with Logan to sit on my left side when I walk up to the table.

Alice, however, isn’t sitting down. She stands up from her seat and gets this sparkly look on her face before coming to hug me. “Winnie!”

“Hi!” I hug her back. “How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you?”

Before I can answer, Nathan speaks. “Here she comes, my biggest rival in love: Winnie. I swear there is a romance going on here…” he sighs but hides a smile.

“Happy to see you too, big guy,” I tell him and pat his shoulder. “Have you gotten thinner?”

He snorts. “Shut up! I’m working out harder than ever!”

I grin. “It shows—I’m just teasing!”

People around the table snicker, including Logan. I feel welcomed sitting by the large table the Plaza Hotel has assembled for us.

“Oh, and since you wondered, I’m feeling pretty okay,” I inform Alice and beam at her. “Mark won’t be joining us, though. He needed to take care of something urgent.”

“We saw,” Alice sits down beside me, grimacing. “But you’re fine, right? We kind of assumed it was a friendly date anyway.”

“Oh, it was,” my eyes flicker to Jake, whose cold expression turns less icy after hearing me confirm I’m not into Mark. Interesting…

“I

me then that Jake was probably mad because I told him, “I don’t date nice guys, and then I went here with Mark. He must have been

you’re finally here, so can we move on with the celebrations?” Kelly, who I’ve never met before, says in a rather bitchy tone. “I would

in surprise, seemingly confused by the other woman’s attitude, before she finds words. “Uh,

shrug at her-I don’t know why Kelly dislikes me. Unless Jake told her about me or something?

jealousy and focus on my friends. I’m here to

***

know well aren’t with

of her mind. She is finally not pregnant and got a babysitter, so she is cuddling with Nathan. He has called a cab already, and

for Rebel and Logan, they are doing shots. by the bar. And Kelly? She is drunk, clinging to Jake’s forearm and talking shit about

is currently busy ignoring her. He called a cab for her. That, my friend, is perfect

will confess my feelings. Mark said Jake and Kelly weren’t exclusive or serious, and I will take his word for it. So I wait. I order shots with Rebel

once Jake is

pushes the small of my back. While drinking, I told her of my plans, and now even Logan is cheering me on. “Tell him how you feel. It’s not wrong-the guy needs

swallow thickly. “Okay, here

the course for the corner of the bar. Jake is talking to some girl, and my heart pounds faster and faster. Can I do this? Yes. Yes,

when he is in the same room or paying me attention. I’m already dizzy, and when he looks up and tilts his head, smiling, I almost bail. My stomach does this unwelcome flip, and by some miracle, I

him. The

are

at her, but Jake beats me to it by saying, “Winnie, my best

There you are!”

us. I’m shocked. The girl is shocked. And once I place my hands on Jake’s shoulders and wrap my

but laugh. “What did you do

voice all soft. “She was rude to you, so I

thudding in my chest speeds up. I’m speechless. I didn’t expect Jake to do that for me, and he makes a smug

are practically hugging. My hands are on Jake’s broad shoulders, eyes locked onto his face. I don’t know

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