Chapter 0219

Hannah

I shuddered, looking at my phone: the forum post claiming to have proof of my divorce from Noah had over 7,000 likes. Just 3,000 more, and the poster would supposedly release this so-called “proof.” Whatever it may be.

“Hannah? Earth to Hannah?”

Viona’s voice snapped me from my daze. I quickly switched off my phone and slipped it into my purse, meeting her gaze across the table. For now, I’d push the thoughts of that forum post aside. After all, I was supposed to be having dinner with my friend.

“You okay?” Viona asked, eyeing me from across the booth in our favorite restaurant. She dipped a chip into the nacho cheese, swirled it, and took a large bite.

I forced a smile and shook my head, sipping my drink. “Yeah, I’m fine. My mind’s just… elsewhere right now.”

Elsewhere. Still stuck on that night with Noah, more like. I couldn’t shake the image: his large form hunched over me, the heat between us, the way his face darkened before he stormed out. It felt like the final nail in the coffin.

Viona raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. Instead, she changed the subject. “So, about Amber’s wedding. Can you believe it’s only a month away?”

I shook my head. “They’re getting married so fast… He only proposed a couple of weeks ago.”

“That’s what I’m saying,” Viona leaned in, lowering her voice. “This whole situation is fishy. Frankly, I still think Jake is gay.”

I bit my lip, remembering what I’d seen at the club during our girls’ night. I hadn’t mentioned it to Viona yet, or anyone, really, because that night also happened to be the fateful night with Noah.

“Actually, Vi… I saw something the other night that makes me think you might be right,” I said, pursing my lips. “I almost forgot, what with everything else going on… But I think you should know.”

Viona’s eyes widened. “Spill. Now.”

I glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then recounted what I’d seen at the club—Jake with another man, their intimate body language, the almost-kiss.

“Holy shit,” Viona breathed, leaning back in her chair. “I knew it. He’s using Amber as a beard!”

“Hang on. We don’t know that for sure,” I said, raising a hand to placate her. “Maybe he’s bi?”

Viona shook her head vehemently. “No way. If he was, and they were in some kind of open relationship, you know Amber would have mentioned it.”

I nodded, realizing Viona was right. Amber wasn’t exactly a closed book. “Okay, but what do we do about it?” I asked. “Amber’s so in love; she’d never believe us without proof.”

“That’s the problem,” Viona sighed, dunking another chip into the cheese. “We need solid evidence. But how do we get it is the ques—” Before she could finish, the chip slipped from her fingers and fell back into the cheese. Her eyes widened as she looked over my shoulder, and I turned to see what she was looking at.

Speak of the devil.

Drake, brushing rainwater from his jacket, spotted us almost immediately—as if he could sense us looking. He didn’t hesitate before approaching. “Ladies,” he greeted. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all,” Viona said, scooting over to make room for him. As he shrugged off his jacket, Viona shot me a sly wink that made me roll my eyes.

As Drake settled in, he ordered a drink from the waitress. Once she was gone, he looked back and forth between us. “So, what are we talking about? You both looked pretty serious when I walked in.”

Viona and I exchanged wary glances. Drake wasn’t privy to our personal friend group drama, but he had been helping me figure out what was going on between Zoe and Noah… Maybe he could help with this, too.

“We’re talking about our friend Amber,” I said.

“We’re… worried,” Viona added.

Drake cocked an eyebrow at us. “Worried? Why?”

With a sigh, I filled him in on our suspicions about Jake, including what I’d seen at the club. Drake listened intently, his brow furrowed.

By the time I finished, his drink had arrived. He took a sip, swallowed hard, and let out a low whistle. “That’s rough,” he said. “Are you going to tell her?”

“We would, but the problem is,” Viona chimed in, “we have no proof. And Amber would never believe us without it.”

“She’s totally in love with him,” I added. “She’s been head over heels for him since they started dating a few years ago. She’d never believe us unless we had…”