“Brittany!” she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “God, you’re worse than me.”
I leaned casually against the counter, one hip popped, still holding Astrid as she dozed in my arms. “Oh, come on. You can’t walk in here looking like that and expect me not to ask. Give me something.”
Corinne groaned dramatically, flopping onto a stool. “You’re evil.”
I arched a brow. “But am I wrong?”
For a second, she looked like she was going to deny it—but then, slowly, her lips curved into a reluctant smile. “Fine. Maybe it was… really good.”
I wiggled my brows. “Aha! Knew it.”
Corinne buried her face in her hands, laughing. “God, you’re insufferable.”
I softened slightly, watching her through tired but happy eyes. “Hey, I’m just glad you’re happy. You deserve someone who sees you the way you see yourself—strong, stunning, untouchable.”
Her smile faded into something more thoughtful. She looked down at the counter, twisting a ring on her finger. “Yeah… it’s just scary, you know? Letting someone in. Letting it matter.”
I nodded quietly, my arms tightening around Astrid. “Yeah. Trust me, I know.”
For a moment, we just sat in the soft afternoon light, neither of us speaking. Then Corinne cleared her throat, her voice turning serious. “By the way… Ace is back in England. Jasper said he’s meeting with him today.”
The words hit like a slap to the face.
The air around me shifted, thickened. My breath caught in my throat as the room tilted, and suddenly all I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat. My shoulders stiffened instinctively; my grip on Astrid tightened.
Corinne must’ve seen the change in me, because her brows pulled together. “Britt… are you okay?”
I turned away quickly, brushing a hand through my tangled hair. “Yeah. It’s nothing.”
“Brittany.” Her voice was gentler now, but firm. “Talk to me.”
I swallowed hard, still facing away. My reflection in the window stared back at me—pale, shaken, small. “Promise me,” I whispered. “Promise me you won’t tell Jasper.”
Without hesitation, Corinne rose from her stool and crossed to me, her voice soft but steady. “I promise.”
I closed my eyes for a beat, then forced the words out. “I had the biggest crush on Ace when I was a teenager. He was my brother’s best friend, you know? I thought he was perfect. And one night… we kissed. Just once. But I thought it meant something.”
Corinne stayed quiet, her hand light on my arm.
“But after that… he pulled away. And then the teasing started. The jabs about my weight. The names. Suddenly, I went from feeling seen to feeling disgusting. Worthless.” My throat tightened painfully. “That’s when it all started—the obsession with being thin enough, good enough. I starved myself trying to erase the girl he laughed at.”
Corinne’s fingers tightened on my arm. “Oh, Britt…”
I gave a shaky laugh, blinking fast. “It’s pathetic, right? I was just a stupid, lovesick kid.”
Her arms wrapped around me in a sudden, fierce hug. “No. You were a kid. And he was cruel. That’s not on you.”
The words cracked something inside me. I pressed my forehead to her shoulder, blinking back tears I hadn’t planned on shedding. “I can’t face him, Corinne. I can’t.”
She pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes. “You don’t have to. And I won’t say a word to Jasper. You have my word.”
I nodded, a breath shuddering out of me. “Thank you.”
We stood there quietly, Astrid warm and soft between us, the weight of the past still heavy—but no longer mine to carry alone.
Chapter 29
Brittany
