Chapter 1

Jasmine’s POV

I hate Monday mornings at my job, and today is even worse because my stupid best friend has been on a cruise since Friday and I haven’t been able to reach him. Knowing Hunter, this is a regular day occurrence, but I can’t help but worry over him. I hate how much I care because he’s probably going to waltz in here with a stupid smile on his stupid, beautiful face, and I won’t have a choice but to accept his apology.

“You’re doing it again, Jas,” Rose whined, and I looked up to find my co-worker staring at me. I realised I zoned out again, and I apologised before flipping through the file she had opened in front of me.

“What’s making you worry this morning again? Don’t tell me it’s Hunter,” She jeered, and I just shrugged. Everyone close to me knows I spend half of my day worrying about Hunter.

“You know you keep lying to yourself that you don’t like him, but the last time that guy from accounting stood you up all night, you didn’t even bat an eyebrow. You don’t hear from him in a day, and you’re out here acting like you’re dying from lack of air,” she scoffed, and I shut the file closed a little too aggressively.

“Thank you, Rose. I will send the updated report to your email. If you’d excuse me, I have work to do.” I replied curtly, and she raised her hands in mock surrender before strutting off. Reason #452 Why you should never tell your coworker your business.

I hate how everybody keeps reiterating the fact that I like Hunter. They are wrong, I do not like him. I have been in love with him since third grade, when he spent the whole evening throwing me a birthday party after my step-sister ruined my original party. Either he never noticed, or he just doesn’t want me as more than friends, but nobody is going to tell me what my feelings are or are not. I am just grateful to be his best friend, to see layers of him that other people don’t get to see. I may sound a little delusional, but if friendship is the only thing Hunter is offering, I’m okay with it.

I buried my face in my palms, and I let out another sigh. I sound even more pathetic repeating that to myself. Maybe I do need a break from him; maybe his going off on that cruise was a way to save us both from heartache, or at least me.

“What’s got your panties in a twist, amigo?” Someone asked in a singsong voice, and I looked up to find a smirking Hunter holding two cups of what I assumed was bubble tea. I could feel my heart racing as he walked closer to me, and the whole world froze. His face was glowing more than the last, and he looked like he had gotten a haircut.

“You got a haircut?” I asked before I could stop myself, and he nodded gleefully like a freaking child. The new bangs fit his face frame perfectly, and he handed me a cup of bubble tea before making himself at home in my chair. I cleared my throat and reigned in my thoughts before picking up the straw.

“If my boss finds you hanging off my chair like it’s a damn cushion, I’m going to be out of a job before noon,” I replied, and he stuck out his tongue at me. He’s always playful around me, more relaxed while he’s cold to the outside world.

“He’s my brother, what’s he going to do to me? Speaking of which, can you do me a quick favour?” He asked, and I paused. The last time he asked me a favour, I had to help him send off a chick who didn’t want to leave his penthouse, and she called me hurtful names. I wonder if he ever saw her again.

“No.” I deadpanned before moving my focus back to my computer screen. Not like I could understand a word written on there, I was just trying to pretend Hunter’s cologne wasn’t driving me crazy. He changed his perfume, and I don’t want to sound like a stalker pointing that out to him. His new collection is definitely an Arabian oud. Why do I keep noticing these things, goddamnit!

“I promise you’d enjoy it. I started seeing someone, and I think it’s pretty serious. I’m thinking of going shopping for a ring for her. I was hoping you would help me. You know a feminine touch.” He continued, and that was all it took for the tea to turn sour in my mouth. I looked up at him in shock, and I could feel a lump rising in my throat.

“You’re seeing someone?!” I asked in disbelief, and he shrugged. This was new to me, way new. The hunter I knew is a playboy, someone who laughed at the idea of being tied down to somebody else. I always used that as a form of hope for myself. Now it felt like those walls were coming down, crashing, and they were crashing pretty fast.

“Yeah, it’s only been a couple of weeks, though. I probably forgot to mention it. Will you help me?” He asked again, and this time I cleared my throat. I didn’t know what to say; I couldn’t even form the words. He looked at me for a second, and I could swear he saw the turmoil in my eyes, or maybe he just didn’t care enough to look deeper.

His phone ringing loudly snapped us both out of whatever was going on, and he visibly groaned when he saw the caller ID. His brother, or his father, maybe. He got out of my chair, leaned in and the smell of his oud enveloped me. He kissed my forehead, and he strutted out of my office. He paused when he got to the door.

“I will pick you up at noon. I owe you big time.” He said before walking off, leaving me in emotional shambles. I sat there frozen for a long time, as I imagined Hunter meeting someone who was probably drop-dead gorgeous and didn’t blend into the background like me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she had that I didn’t. What made Hunter meet her in a couple of weeks and decide he wanted to marry her, when I have known him all my life, and he still doesn’t see me as more than a friend? I hate my life so much.

I barricaded myself in my office as I let it all out. It didn’t make sense. It never will, how could Hunter not see that I’m in love with him, that I have been in love with him since we knew what crushes were? By the time it was noon, I walked out of my office, fully ready to go home, eyes swollen and hidden behind my sunglasses, and my heart racing way too fast.

I took the elevator, and I desperately hoped that I could make it to my car before Hunter sees me. I will just call him and give him a bullish excuse of why I can’t go ring shopping with him. The elevator dinged, and I walked out only to see Hunter by the reception, flirting heavily with the receptionist, and I felt my heart drop. She was blushing and laughing way too much. There’s nothing he could have said that is that funny.

“My date is here, see you later.” He winked at her before walking towards me. I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to act like a hopeless high school teen who just got rejected; I will handle this like an adult. I mentally prepared myself not to act like a fool. He reached out to take my bag, and I moved back on instinct.

“Don’t worry, it’s not that heavy,” I replied curtly, and he looked shocked. That only lasted a second as he threw his arm around me and we started walking out the front door. I tried not to get lost in the smell that was clouding my head and focus on maintaining boundaries. I opened the door quickly and got in, which made him pause. He always opened the door for me. I often teased him about it, and he would just shrug it off.

He got into the driver's seat, and instead of starting the car, he turned to look at me.

“Jasmine, you’re being super weird, and it’s creeping me out. What is it?” He asked, and it took all of my self-control not to throw my bag in his face.