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Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Holidate Pact: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

50 Kabanata

CHAPTER 31: The Confession (Part Two)

**SLOANE** Eight forty-seven PM. I changed clothes for the third time. The blue dress was too much. The black jeans too casual. I settled on my softest gray sweater and regular jeans. Like this was no big deal. It was the biggest deal of my life. I'd cleaned the apartment. Lit candles. Poured wine into two glasses. Then blew out the candles. Too romantic. Trying too hard. Poured the wine down the sink. I needed a clear head. Now the apartment just looked normal. Which somehow felt worse. Eight fifty-two. I pulled out my laptop. Read the letter one more time. *I'm in love with you.* The words blurred. I closed it. I wouldn't need it. I'd just say it. Nine oh-one. A knock. He was never late. I opened the door. He looked wrecked. Hair sticking up like he'd been running his hands through it. Still in his teaching clothes, wrinkled now. "Hi." "Hi." He stepped inside. Saw my face. "You look terrified." "So do you." We both laughed. No humor in it. I led him to the couc

CHAPTER 32: The Morning After (Everything)

**JACKSON** I woke at six twenty-three. Sloane was curled against my chest, hair everywhere, breathing soft and even. Morning light filtered through her curtains, painting everything gold. This was real. Last night was real. She loved me. I loved her. We'd broken Rule Number Four so thoroughly it was almost funny. Almost. What happens now? The arrangement was void. We'd confessed feelings. We'd slept together. Did this mean we were actually dating? For real? My phone buzzed on her nightstand. Three missed calls. Two texts. **MUM: Where are you?** **MUM: I assume you're with Sloane. Use protection. xx** I groaned. Loud enough that Sloane stirred. She opened her eyes. Saw me. Smiled slow and genuine and beautiful. "Hi." "Hi yourself." "You're still here." "Where else would I be?" "I don't know. Thought maybe you'd panic and flee the country." "Considered it. Decided against." She laughed. Kissed my shoulder. Her lips were warm against my skin. "So," she said. "S

mCHAPTER 33: Breakfast with Caroline

**SLOANE** Walking into Jackson's apartment felt different now. Before, I was performing. Checking my movements. Making sure every touch looked natural. Now I just walked in. Kicked off my shoes by the door. Followed the smell of burning pancakes to the kitchen. "I can do it myself," Caroline was saying, waving her cast around. "I'm not helpless." "Mum, you literally just set off the smoke alarm." Jackson grabbed the spatula from her good hand. "Sit. Please." She saw me. Her whole face lit up. "There you are! I was starting to worry you'd both chickened out." She pulled me into a hug. One-armed but fierce. Whispered against my ear. "I'm so happy for you both." My eyes stung. I blinked fast. She released me. Turned to Jackson. Hugged him the same way. "Proud of you, darling." "For what?" "For finally being honest. With her. With yourself." Jackson's ears went pink. He focused very hard on the pancakes. Caroline gestured to the small table. "Sit, Sloane. Let him fuss. He

CHAPTER 34: Peter Knows

.i**SLOANE** The text came at noon on Wednesday. **PETER: Coffee? Just us. Need to talk.** My stomach dropped. I stared at the screen for a full minute. **ME: When?** **PETER: Now? Starbucks on Michigan?** **ME: Be there in 20.** I grabbed my coat. Texted Jackson. **ME: Peter wants to talk. Wish me luck.** **JACKSON: Want me to come?** **ME: No. This is something I need to do alone.** **JACKSON: Call me after. I love you.** **ME: Love you too.** The words still made my chest tight. In the best way. The Starbucks was crowded. Lunch rush. Business people in suits clutching lattes like lifelines. Peter was already there. Corner table. Two cups in front of him. He looked up. Waved me over. "Thanks for coming." "You made it sound urgent." "Not urgent. Important." He slid one cup across. Latte. My usual order. He remembered. I sat. The chair was still warm from whoever had it before me. "So," he said. "So." "You and Jackson." "Me and Jackson." His eyes were steady.

CHAPTER 35: The Plan

**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. Ran both hands through his hair. "Okay. Sunday. How do we do this?" I pulled out my phone. Started typing notes. "Dinner at my parents'. Whole family. We tell them together. Everything." "Everything?" "The arrangement. The pact. How it started. How it changed." "What if they hate us?" "They won't hate us." "They might hate me." I reached across the table. Took his hand. "Then they'll have to get through me first." He squeezed back. His palm was clammy. "We should practice," I said.

CHAPTER 36: Navy Pier

**JACKSON** One forty-seven PM. Navy Pier was packed. Tourists with cameras. Kids with ice cream. Families laughing like the world was simple. We stood by the entrance. Me, Sloane, Peter. Waiting. "You sure about this?" Peter asked. "No. But we're doing it anyway." Sloane's hand was tight in mine. Her palm slick with sweat. "He's late," she said. "Probably a power move." "Or he's not coming." "He's coming." I scanned the crowd. Looking for a face I'd tried to forget. Two oh-three. He appeared. Tall. Broad shoulders. Tattoos covering both arms in black and gray ink. Sleeve rolled up despite the cold. Tommy. He saw me. Smiled. All teeth. No warmth. "Jackson. Good to see you, mate." "Tommy." His eyes slid to Sloane. Then Peter. Lingered too long on both. "Thought I said come alone." "Plans changed." His jaw tightened. But he gestured to a bench away from the crowds. We followed. My heart hammered against my ribs. Tommy sat. Spread his arms across the back of the ben

CHAPTER 37: Charlotte's Final Move

**SLOANE** Forty-seven missed calls. I stared at my phone screen, still half-asleep. Seven AM on Friday morning. Mom (12 calls). Susan (8 calls). Various aunts and cousins. Even my father. He never called. One voicemail from my mother. Her voice tight. Controlled. "Sloane Elizabeth. Call me. NOW." My stomach dropped. I called Jackson. He answered on the first ring. "Something's wrong," I said. "What?" "My whole family's been calling. My mom sounds..." I couldn't finish. "I'm coming over." He was there in twenty minutes. Hair wet. Still in yesterday's shirt. I called my mother back with shaking hands. Put it on speaker. "Mom? What's wrong?" "Is it true?" "Is what true?" "That you and Jackson have been lying to us? That the whole relationship is FAKE?" The world tilted. "Who told you that?" "Does it matter? IS IT TRUE?" I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Jackson took the phone. "Mrs. Holbrook, we can explain." "I don't want explanations. I want the truth." "We'll

CHAPTER 38: The Aftermath

**SLOANE** One week later, life was surprisingly normal. Jackson stayed over three nights a week. I stayed at his twice. We didn't call it moving in, but there was a drawer at each other's places now. His toothbrush by my sink. My coffee mug in his cabinet. His sweatpants folded in my dresser. My hair ties scattered across his bathroom counter. Small invasions that felt like home. My mother still wasn't fully speaking to me. But she was thawing. She'd invited us to brunch next Sunday. Progress. My father called Jackson for golf. Actual golf. Not interrogation disguised as golf. Peter and Jennifer had us over for dinner. The kids climbed all over Jackson, showing him their toys, demanding he play referee in their games. Susan sent drunk texts of support at two AM. Typical. Caroline decided to stay another month. Rented a small apartment in Lincoln Park. "I like Chicago," she announced over coffee. "And I'm not done getting to know Sloane." We had tea every Wednesday. My idea.

CHAPTER 39: Memorial Day Weekend

**SLOANE** My mother called on Friday morning. "We're having a cookout. Monday. The whole family. You and Jackson should come." Her voice was still slightly stiff. But warmer than last week. "Are you sure?" "I'm sure. It's time." My eyes stung. "We'll be there." "Good. And Sloane?" "Yeah, Mom?" "I'm glad you're happy. Even if I'm still processing... everything." "I know. Thank you." Monday morning, Jackson paced my kitchen. Checked his phone three times in five minutes. "This is different," he said. "How?" "Before, I was performing. Now I'm just me." "And you're worried they won't like the real you?" "Maybe." I cupped his face. Made him look at me. "The real you is the best you. They'll see that." "You're biased." "Extremely." We arrived at two PM. My parents' backyard was already full. Peter manning the grill. Jennifer chasing the kids. Susan on her second beer. Various cousins sprawled on lawn chairs. Caroline sat with my mother on the patio. They were laughing

CHAPTER 40: The Breaking Point

**JACKSON**June 15th. Three weeks since Memorial Day. Everything is perfect.Which means I should've known something was about to break."Milwaukee tournament," I tell Sloane over breakfast. "Four days. Starts Thursday."She looks up from her laptop. "Prize money?""Fifty thousand."Her eyes widen. "Jackson. That's huge.""Regional qualifier. But yeah. Could change things.""I'm coming with you.""You have work.""I work remotely, remember?" She closes the laptop. "Besides this is important."I reach across the table. Lace our fingers together. Her skin is warm from holding her coffee mug."What did I do to deserve you?""Made a fake dating pact with a stranger from a Target returns line.""Best decision ever."She smiles. That soft smile that makes my chest tight.We start packing that night. My apartment. With my mother gone, we have the place to ourselves.Sloane folds my tournament shirts. I pack my golf shoes. The TV plays some cooking show neither of us is watching.My phone ri

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