Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

“Oh, I think it is. But I’m not the one who gets to decide. They have to decide if the relationship is over or not. They have to be the ones to decide if we call the limo and drive back to the wedding or if I call Kade and tell him to send everyone home.”

“Are you a counselor or psychologist or something? Because I think you would make a terrible counselor if you don’t believe in love or marriage.”

“Good thing I’m not a counselor then.” And with that, I turn and walk away before Millie starts digging any more into my past. She doesn’t need to know my history in order to decide if she wants to sleep with me or not. That’s the only decision she needs to make, because that is all I can ever offer her.

I snag the room keys from Boden and then whistle to Oaklee. “Let’s go.” To my surprise, all four of us end up in the same elevator together. I stare at the buttons as the lift starts ascending to the top floor.

Please, mother of god, don’t let us get stuck on this elevator.

6

Millie

I watch the numbers rise higher and higher as we head to the top floor. Boden sprung for the Napoleon Suite at the Paris hotel, and Oaklee showed me the pictures. It’s one of the most romantic rooms I’ve ever seen.

Sebastian can be heartless all he wants, but all we have to do is get them into that room, and they will fall in love all over again. With the pretty decor, the champagne, the chocolate-covered strawberries, and the heavenly looking bed—there is no way they don’t fall head over heels in love again. They may not make it back to the chapel today, but they will salvage their relationship and get married in the courthouse or with one of those Elvis impersonators that are so famous around here.

Everyone saw Oaklee almost get sick. We will just tell them she got sick, and they had a quick wedding before heading out on their honeymoon after Oaklee felt better. Everyone will understand that. There will be nothing for Oaklee and Boden to be embarrassed about. This was just cold feet. Just a big misunderstanding when it came to Boden kissing another woman. He was just drunk and trying to sabotage his wedding because he was scared.

I smile to myself. This will all be fixed, just as soon as we get them to their honeymoon suite.

The elevator stops suddenly on the 17th floor instead of the top floor, but the doors don’t open.

“What’s happening?” Oaklee asks, her voice high-pitched and worried.

Boden stares at her like she’s an alien.

Sebastian closes his eyes; this is his nightmare. He then steps to the panel and hits the call button.

“Hello?” a bright woman’s voice says through the speaker.

“Hi, uh, we are in the elevator on the North side. And we are stuck,” Sebastian says.

Oaklee sucks her pink liquid through the straw quickly now.

Boden cringes.

I stare wide-eyed. Good job, universe. You couldn’t just let us get to the room first before you started playing matchmaker.

“I’ll send for emergency services immediately. Everyone remain calm. This does happen from time to time, and almost always, the elevator starts moving again before the emergency response team arrives,” the happy lady says like we aren’t stuck in an elevator.

Sebastian releases the button and then turns, staring us all down individually like he’s assessing each of our ability to get this elevator moving again ourselves.

“Don’t look at me like that, this isn’t my fault,” I say, snarkily.

Sebastian ignores me and walks between Boden and Oaklee, who are standing about as far apart as humanly possible in the small space. I stand in the middle at the back, and Sebastian stands in the middle at the front, now facing all of us.

“Well, since we now have nothing but time on our hands, I think it’s time you two talked to each other,” Sebastian says.

My eyebrows shoot up. He’s going to get them to talk? Here? Really? Wait until we get to the fancy, romantic room where they will have no hope but to fall in love again.

Apparently, Sebastian either can’t read my frustration or disagrees with my strategy.

“I have nothing else to say,” Oaklee says, slurping on her drink until the last of the pink liquid is gone from the cup.

Sebastian takes the cup from her hands.

“Hey!” she says.