Love, Curvy | 18+

T W E L V E

✨When you act like you don't remember me, I get hurt✨

Harvey's hands were no longer on my hips and we stopped dancing. I looked back at Jade and she was already staring at me with a guarded look. She walks over to me and asks Harvey with a smile on her lips "Can I dance with my best friend now?" I don't look but I do hear him saying "Yeah, my father is here anyway." He touches my shoulder and I look at him with a fake smile "We'll dance more later, okay?"

"Can't wait."

He walks away and I turn around to Jade. She puts her arms around my neck and I put mine around her waist. We sway to the music as she says "You okay?" I shake my head "No, I can't believe he's here. I thought if I saw him next time, I'll be happy and screaming with joy but I'm the opposite right now. I feel-" she cuts me off "Dreadful?" I nod "Jade, I don't know if I can do this without falling apart. You know how much I think about him. To this day." She pulls me into a hug and we still sway to the music. I feel her kiss the top of my head and say "It'll all be okay. I'm here with you." I mumble against her shoulder "I know. Please don't leave me." Her grip on me gets tighter "Don't worry. Even if I have to go to the bathroom, you're coming with me."

I ask softly "What is he doing?" My back was at him so I couldn't see but she tells me the details "His eyes are still on you and he's walking towards our table, talking to Harvey."

"Harvey?"

"Hm, and right behind him is your boss and another old lady— I think that's his wife and a younger woman like us."

"I don't know who that is."

"I feel like I've seen her somewhere but I can't put my finger on it."

Jade stops and we pull back to Zara standing beside us with a smile "The guest of the hour is here." She was almost the same height as Jade. Zara asked, "You okay?" I nod "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy." She looks at me, not believing my lie at all but lets it go. Grabbing my hand and Jade's "Come on."

I was first hesitant to approach the table, I wanted to run out the door and to a donut shop. I needed my sugary reliever. But I was stranded in his freaking ballroom.
As we finally approached the table, Mr. Blackstone looked at us and gently pulled me into a hug "I'm so glad you made it." He looks at Zara and this is the first time she lets out her hand for him to shake. He smiles appreciatively "I'm glad you could make it here too."

"Me too, Mr. Blackstone. Thank you for the invite."

Her brother hovers behind me and she introduced him to Mr. Blackstone while I keep my hold on Jade's hand tight as we're kind of joined to the hip. She stands straight like my personal guard and if it were any other situation, I might've found this to be very amusing and laugh a little. I introduced everyone to Jade and then Mr. Blackstone said "This is my wife, Amanda." She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She aged elegantly too. She had salt and pepper hair like her husband which was tied back in a low bun. Couple of strands framing her face. She wore a golden-brown full sleeve gown. Her makeup was soft to the point it amazed me how she carried herself. He says "And Amanda, this is-" she cuts him off "Oh, don't tell me, Kane. Let me figure this out myself." She squints her eyes and points at Zara first "You must be Zara." And then she points at me "You must be Alana. My husband doesn't stop talking about you two. About the Fabric Consultant who's a genius at her job at the secretary who's amazing at playing chess with him. He told me he lost to you more times than he could count." Mr. Blackstone chuckles "She still hasn't told me where she learned it." Jade replied for me "College. She always had her assignments and studying done before time. Normal people pass their time with a good book or a TV show. Alana passed her time trying to learn chess so she could beat her father at it one day." Nick snorts and we all look at him but he acts like he didn't make a sound. Or even remembers me.

I realized something. Nick looked more like Mrs. Blackstone. Same eye color and same face shape and nose. Mr. Blackstone cleared his throat "Let me introduce you to my other son. Nicklaus." Nick corrects him "Stepson." Harvey gently nudges his arm with his elbow, shaking his head at him. Mrs. Blackstone looks to be disappointed too. But Mr. Blackstone continued with a smile and pointed towards this gorgeous woman with short black hair that was cut in the perfect short sharp bob. Her right ear had six piercings, all of them filled with gold while the other had only one. She was dressed in his perfect body-hugging emerald gown that reached to her ankles. Her full shaped lips painted in red and her eyes in light gold with a dramatic winged eyeliner. She smiled at us and Mr. Blackstone said "This is my daughter, Chloe." She had piercing blue eyes but her smile resonated a lot like Nick's. She was the perfect combination of Nicklaus and Harvey.

My gaze found Nicks and my chest tighten as his gaze was burning a hole in me. I visibly shivered as I remembered his words:

I'll kiss you before saying hello.

Mrs. Blackstone asked, "Oh dear, are you cold?" Before I could say no, she orders Harvey "Give her your jacket. The poor thing is shivering." He didn't hesitate before taking it off and walking towards me. Before I could respectfully tell him no, he already sets it on my shoulders and as his fingers brush my arm, he says "Alana, you're freezing." He steps back and I smile appreciatively at him. I loved how he stood there in his black vest that was perfect to his body shape that you could see how lean he was. And not the lanky kind. More of the leaner waist with a well-built chest.

I so badly wanted to get out of there as I said to Jade with a whisper "Can we go somewhere for a second?" She nods and I say "We'll be right back." They all smile at us and I grab Jade's hand and we make our way out.

X

"He's here!"

Thank god thar the bathroom was empty. Jade leans against the wall with her gown bunched in her arms so it won't touch the bathroom ground. I say "I'm freaking out, Jade. I think I'm gonna be sick. Really Sick." I tie Harvey's jacket tighter around me as I felt my chest getting heavy "You know what's worst? He acted like he didn't know me." I looked at myself in the mirror and I hated that because of my broad shoulders, his jacket wasn't too loose on me. It felt like it was smaller. If I put my arms in them and move even a little, I will rip it apart like the hulk.

She was quiet behind me but I burst "Say something!" Turning around to face her. I could tell she was thinking. She takes a deep breath and says "You know I love you, right?" I nod "and whatever I say, you know I'm only doing what's best for you." I nod again. She says "I know you had feelings for Nicklaus. I know you're obsessed with him since Corsica. But come on, baby, that man who acts like he doesn't know you, doesn't deserve you. And after tonight, I'm never rooting him with you ever again. I'm team Halana now." I roll my eyes "He's my boss." She snickers "Did you saw the way he's been looking at you all night? Alana, he likes you."

"No, he's just a little friendly." She raises her brow and I correct myself "Okay, he's friendly and he likes to dance with me. That isn't a big deal." She waddles towards me with her dress still bunched in her arms, her heels clicking "Big deal? You're living billionaire erotica!" She shifts her dress to one arm and comedically knocks on my forehead "Hello? Do you not have anything in there or maybe you're losing your sight." She gives me the middle finger "How many fingers am I holding?" I push down her hand "Jade, can we go home?"

"For what, Lana? You are better than him. You don't need to worry about him. If he wants to ignore you... fine, let him do it. But don't give up on the guy that's showing a lot of interest in you. Maybe in the future, it won't work with your boss but it doesn't hurt to try, does it?" She fixes a strand of my hair "Come on, Lana, live a little. You deserve so much. And you should know that. Take what you want to take from this world. Don't wait for the leftovers."

I nod because she was right. I do deserve better.

Is he really ignoring me or does he not remember me at all?

•••••

Are you Team Halana (Harvey+Alana) or Team Nala (Nicklaus+Alana)?

I hope you liked these chapters. Make sure to comment and vote. And I'll see you soon.

Bye!

Love, Hope
♥️♥️