We stood there in the moonlight, wrapped up in each other, and for the first time in forever, I felt like I could finally breathe.
No announcements. No big declarations.
Just us.
And for now, that was enough.
Chapter 33
Brittany
The morning after our date, I woke up with a dizzy kind of warmth curled in my chest — the kind that didn’t quite feel real, the kind that made me wonder if I’d dreamed the whole thing.
But then I rolled over and saw the daisy on my nightstand, a little wilted now, petals soft and curling at the edges — and my heart did this ridiculous, uncontrollable flip.
I touched the petals lightly, smiling into my pillow. Ace.
I must’ve replayed the night at least ten times in my head: the way his fingers trembled just slightly when he brushed my cheek, the quiet way he said “I didn’t think I’d get here with you,” the soft press of his lips when the world slipped away around us.
And now, here I was, sitting at the kitchen island, clutching a mug of coffee between both hands, trying not to jump every time my phone buzzed.
“Earth to Brittany,” Corinne called, snapping her fingers as she walked in, messy bun on top of her head, oversized sweatshirt sliding off one shoulder. “You’ve been staring into that cup for ten minutes. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing!” I squeaked, a little too fast. Heat shot up my neck. “I’m fine. Totally fine.”
Corinne arched a brow, crossing her arms as she leaned against the counter. “You’re the worst liar, you know that?”
I shoved my hair behind my ear, forcing a casual shrug. “I’m just… tired, that’s all. Long night.”
The smirk that spread across her face was immediate. “Long night, huh? Should I be asking who kept you up?”
“Corinne!” I swatted her arm, my cheeks going up in flames.
But just as she opened her mouth to tease me again, Jasper appeared in the doorway, stretching his arms over his head, T-shirt riding up slightly to reveal a sliver of toned stomach. “Morning, ladies,” he yawned, ruffling Corinne’s hair as he passed.
“Morning,” she grinned, smoothing her hair back into place. “Brittany was just telling me about her long night.”
I groaned, dropping my head to the counter as Jasper shot me a curious glance.
“Long night?” he echoed, voice light with amusement. “Should we be worried?”
“No,” I mumbled into the cool granite. “Please don’t make this a thing.”
But it was too late. Corinne and Jasper exchanged a knowing look, twin grins spreading across their faces.
I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
---
The rest of the day was torture.
Every time my phone buzzed, I had to smother the ridiculous smile threatening to give me away. Ace kept it light — a simple “thinking of you” between meetings, a blurry photo of his coffee cup, a text that just said “smile, Brit” when I was stuck in traffic.
It was… maddening. And addictive. And terrifying.
Because we hadn’t told anyone.
Not Corinne, not Jasper, not anyone on set. We wanted to build this quietly, carefully — away from the chaos, away from the whispers and the eyes that always followed us.
