LOGIN_Clive's POVI sat across from Rita's boyfriend at one of the tables inside the club.He looked confused when I brought up the idea."You said Rita's birthday is in a few days, right?" I asked."Yeah.""How about you throw her a party here."He frowned."Here?"I nodded."I'll take care of everything. The decorations, food, drinks, whatever you need."He stared at me, clearly taken aback."Why?"He narrowed his eyes."You don't even know my girlfriend that well."I smiled."There is one condition."His expression immediately changed."What condition?""Her roommate must attend and she mustn't know I'm helping."His mouth slowly curved into a smirk."Ah."I leaned back, seeing he finally understood what I wanted.He chuckled."You like Harper?"I looked away for a moment before meeting his eyes again."You do realize she's dating your cousin, right?""I know," I answered, staring at my drink.It's exactly because she is dating Jace that I want her.I thought it would be easier to get
_ Harper's POV I picked one of the bags, leaving the heavy one for him, and headed towards my room. I had dealt with the most important registration last week and simply needed to focus on getting my classes right. I thanked Clive again when we arrived in the room and met Rita inside with her boyfriend. We exchanged greetings and hugged briefly. “You know Clive?” Her boyfriend asked, his eyes widening in surprise. “Whoa.” I blinked, not sure why his reaction was so dramatic, and turned to Clive. “Bye.” “That's it?” he asked. I nodded, sure he wasn't expecting me to invite him in for tea. I exhaled, looking quite disappointed. “Do you know how much I have been waiting for you to arrive in Harvard?” he asked, and I frowned. His words sounded quite misleading. “What...” “Don't we have some catching up to do?” He cut me off. Rita and her boyfriend exchanged brief, suspecting looks and stared at me. “You two are that close?” I narrowed my eyes, suddenly understanding wh
_Jace's POVMy heart was still pounding from the sudden stop.I looked through the windshield, then at Harper, making sure she was okay.“Are you alright?”She didn't answer.Instead, she suddenly unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned across the space between us, and threw herself into my arms.I barely had time to react before she was sitting on my lap, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.“Harper?”A sob escaped her.I froze.She buried her face against my chest, crying so hard that her whole body trembled.I slowly wrapped one arm around her back and placed the other at the back of her head.“Hey,” I whispered, gently patting her. “What's wrong?”She only cried harder.I sighed, holding her closer.All this time, I had thought she was handling my departure too well.She had even joked about the girls I might meet there.I thought she didn't care as much as I did.I was wrong.She had only been putting on a strong front.“I don't want you to go,” she finally whispered between sobs.M
_Harper's POV cont. I quickly turned away, biting my lip.I just said I love him.I wondered if it's because he is leaving in a few days and I wouldn't have him beside me that kept messing with my head.A hand touched my shoulder.I turned around.Jace leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead, holding me close for a few seconds.He lowered his face and captured my lips in a short sizzling kiss.“I love you too, honey.”I blushed like a child and hugged him.“Dinner is ready.”We headed toward the dining table, and as he served the food and memories of what we did right on the table a few hours ago flooded my mind.The way I kept moaning his name and asking for more, or the way he held me against the table like he was never going to stop.I smiled to myself and took a bite.Could I really bear to let him leave for six months?“What are you thinking about?” he asked.I shook my head and pushed the thoughts away.We had been through so much together.There was no way we couldn't m
_ Quinn's POV cont. Charles moved toward Mom instead. "Please." He placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "You're pregnant. Don't stress yourself." Mom looked at him. "I think we have to cancel the honeymoon to deal with this tomorrow morning. Tonight isn't the time." Charles nodded. He looked at Austin and me. "Both of you, go to your rooms." Neither of us argued. I lay down in bed much later, unable to fall asleep, and pondered on what Mom and Charles would say in the morning. Despite the fear and heaviness in my heart, I managed to drift off by two in the morning. A soft knock at seven woke me up again and I immediately sat up when I saw Mom walk in. She settled on the bed next to me and I stared at my legs, not sure what I would see in her eyes if I looked at her. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to hurt you," I said after a while. She placed a hand over her stomach and sighed. She reached for my hands and I held hers tightly. She was silent for several seconds ag
_ Quinn's POV cont. It turned out to be part of the temporary covering around the enormous wedding cake, placed there to keep the cake hidden until the reveal. The space where Austin and I had been standing suddenly became completely exposed to the reception hall. My eyes widened in shock. Austin's hand came around me quickly, pulling me into his arms and hiding my face against his coat. "Don't move." I gripped his clothes tightly, shutting my eyes and heard a few murmurs and whispers. His hand slipped under my legs, lifting me off the floor. He kept my face hidden against him as he carried me away from the crowd. People were still whispering. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode. Austin didn't stop until we reached an empty corridor. He finally lowered me to the floor and I immediately pushed against his chest. I held my chest with my other hand. "Oh gosh!" I heaved. "You think they saw us kiss?" Austin shook his head. "Even if they did, no one
_ Harper's POV "This looks amazing, Mr. Carter," I said quietly. "Thomas," he corrected, smiling. "We are family now." Jace snorted. I gripped my fork. Don't cuss him. Harvard. Harvard. "So," Thomas said, passing me the potatoes. "Maria tells me you are top of your class. Valedictorian track
_Harper’s POVMarla opened the door for me at a quarter past twelve and let me in.“I spoke with Jace after you left, and I assure you that you won’t have anything to worry about,” she said as she led me to the room I will be staying in.My room was next to Jace’s. I knew it the second Marla opene
_ Harper’s POV “Yes,” she answered, then sighed. “You can stay there until graduation.” A loud whistle blew in my head, and I could see nine ladies dancing around the room. “What? Really?” “Yes,” she nodded with a smile and sat next to me. “I have an old college friend who stays around
_Harper’s POVStepdad number three lasted for thirty months. That’s a new record.Usually, all the men my mom has been with barely last twenty-four months except my dad.I stood at the edge of the city cemetery, rain soaking through my black dress as I watched them lower James into the ground.My







