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CHAPTER 35: The Plan

Author: Eleanor Vance
last update publish date: 2026-01-05 19:46:30
**SLOANE**

Caroline's museum tour would keep her gone for three hours. We had the apartment to ourselves.

Jackson paced his kitchen. I watched from the table.

"Charlotte's making moves," I said.

He stopped. "Peter told you?"

"She's asking my mom's friends about us. About Alex. About timelines." My fingers drummed the table. "We need to tell my family. This weekend."

"This weekend? That's three days."

"I know. But if we wait, she'll get there first."

He sank into the chair across from me.
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  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 53: The Voicemail

    **SLOANE**The wine bottle was empty.I stared at it. Tried to remember when I'd opened it. After I got home from Murphy's maybe. After I'd driven away like a coward.My phone was in my hand. Had been for the last hour.2:13 AM.I should go to bed. Sleep. Stop thinking about Jackson sitting in that bar looking broken.Instead I hit call.It rang. Once. Twice. Three times.Voicemail.His voice. Recorded. Professional."You've reached Jackson. Leave a message."The beep came too fast. I wasn't ready."Hi. It's me. Sloane. Obviously you know that. Caller ID. I'm rambling. Sorry."I took a breath. Tried to focus. Failed."I'm calling because I saw you tonight. At Murphy's. I was outside. In my car. Peter told me to come and I came but I couldn't go in. I sat there for twenty minutes like an idiot and then I left. And now I'm home and I'm drunk and I'm calling you at two in the morning because apparently I make terrible decisions."My voice cracked. I kept going."I'm sorry. For everything

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  • The Holidate Pact   CHAPTER 51: Coward

    gl**SLOANE**"Get to Murphy's. Now."Peter's voice came through the phone sharp. Angry. The kind of angry he saved for when I was being particularly stupid."I can't.""Yes you can. You're getting in your car and you're driving here."I was already in my pajamas. Already settled on the couch with a blanket and Netflix I wasn't watching."Peter, I don't think...""He's leaving in five days, Sloane. FIVE DAYS. You have five days to fix this or you regret it for the rest of your life."My chest tightened. Five days. That's what Mike's text had said. December twentieth."What am I supposed to say to him?""I don't know. Start with sorry. Start with anything. Just get here.""He doesn't want to see me.""He's sitting in a bar alone looking miserable because of you. Pretty sure he wants to see you.""Then why hasn't he called?""Why haven't you?"I didn't have an answer for that.Peter's sigh came through the phone."Murphy's. Twenty minutes. If you're not here, I'm coming to drag you out m

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