Arrangement

Hardin Chapter 16

I stare in the mirror at my reflection and the ring box that is settled on the counter.

I wearing a tux and fuck is it itchy. It also has this sage green cloth properly tucked in my suits pocket and I don't understand why.

My eyes again roam over the box and I don't know why but this little box is making me feel so weird. I have no idea why but I just keep staring at this ring box and to my uttermost discomfort I feel this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach or if I rehearse it then it would be those stupid butterflies.

Someone knocks on the door.

I inhale deeply and release it through my mouth and put this box inside my pocket before opening the door to see Karen standing there.

I hear her gasp softly as she looks me up and down.

"Hardin, you look handsome, darling." She says and I just give nod at her.

But I can see that she is not okay with a nod, so I bent down and kiss her on the cheek which do makes her happy.

I hope she understands that I don't wanna be rude at all, its just that this night is not like just other night. I would be fucking engaged by the night and then married. Holy shit.

"Be downstairs in a minute or so, son." She says happily and leaves.

I sigh.

I have been doing that a lot lately.

I close the door behind me and walk downstairs without waiting for anymore minute.

When I reach downstairs, almost everyone is present except her.

Dad and Richard wearing some weird ass clothes and Landon wearing a tux just like me except the colour and that there's nothing in his pocket. Karen in this creme colour gown and Gwyneth wearing brown colour dress which belongs to our mother.

Once I am close enough to hear what they are saying, but instantly I hear clicking of heels behind me indicating that she has arrived.

I stoped in my tracks, it's like my feet are glued to the floor and my breathing hitched.

I don't know why but I was nervous to see her. I have been telling myself that it is going to be just fine and yet I am not ready.

I don't know what it is that is making me feel this way.

Could be this gala or it could that I have to be married in matter of week and it isn't for love, not that I'm meant to love somebody but marriage is something different. Or that I am stuck in this tux. Or maybe just maybe it could be how I treated her before, I know it was wrong of me to force her into telling me anything which she didn't wanted to and then I just called her a bitch and never apologised.

Fuck.

By the time I contemplate these thoughts in my head, she walks past me and stands on her dads side.

The moment our eyes meet, and my jaw drops.

My God, she's beautiful.

I let my eyes to roam all over her face and then her attire. She is wearing a sage green dress. The reason I have this same colour handkerchief, a small smile appears on my lips at this detail. This dress brings out the blue in her eyes perfectly and it fits her so well from top to bottom, the dress ends about 3 inch above her knees, making her creamy smooth legs full on display.

Its like this dress was made for her. Her hair hanging in low curls at the end and her minimal makeup is on point.

Everything about her is perfect.

She bites her lower lip and fuck that makes my dick twitch.

But then something hits me and I look at her once again to confirm it.

She's wearing that sage green dress....which my mother wore to her very first gala when she said yes to marry my father and they announced their marriage in that gala. I know this because dad told me this once as he has this picture hanging in his office's wall.

I can hear everyone saying how beautiful she looks and she just says thank you in a little voice while her gaze is fixed on me and mine on her.

I'm so mesmerised by her beauty when I feel a tap on my shoulder. Its Gwyneth.

"Like what you see, lover boy." She winks at me before going towards Tessa.

I mentally groan at her and she smirks.

Tessa's eyes are now nowhere near to me as she is looking everywhere except me and plays with her fingers. I hate that she is not feeling good and I hate it more because it is me, who's not making her feel at peace with herself.

When it is told that dad and Richard would be going together as they have to be there before us and they leave for the gala.

Karen, Landon and Gwyneth goes in another limbo, leaving Tessa and me with no option but to drive together.

I make a mental note to myself to apologise her sincerely as I desperately need her to know that I didn't mean a single word I said to her, it was completely me being the biggest asshole.

I look at her as we wait for our escort, the vehicle stops in front of us, seconds later. Door is opened and she is first to slide in. She sits as far as she could from me.

Not gonna lie, it hurts to see that she is escaping from me.

The driver pulls in the driveway when I hear her sigh.

"Tessa." I say softly to gain her attention as she's busy ignoring me but no respond.

"Tess?" I repeat again but still no respond.

"Theresa?" I say at last in somewhat rude tone which I didn't mean to but it just happened.

Ugh!

Why do I keep doing things that I don't mean!

"TESS-"

"What is your goddamn problem, Hardin?" She says looking outside the window..

'Oh she speaks', I mumble  under my breath while rolling my eyes.

"I'm sorry." I say and I hear her chuckle.

"Why are you laughing?" I look at her in confusion.

"Why are you even talking to me?" She says .

"Tess-"

"Don't Tess me Hardin, make your mind if you want me or not, okay? I'm done being your punching bag, fuck, I'm done being everyones punching bag." She says the last part under her breath but I hear it. 

"Tessa, I said sorry, I shouldn't have called you that and surely shouldn't have walked on you, I'm really sorry Tessa." 

She finally looks at me.

"You mean 'you shouldn't have called me a bitch' when all I wanted for you to just drop that conversation." She says.

"Tessa...........this.......all of this is new to me, I'm sorry, okay, I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to help you, that's all-"

"What is new to you?" She asks and I look at her.

I don't even hesitate.

"You."

A/N

~hope you're enjoying this story so far 🤍 

~outfits and stuff on my Instagram(fablehessa)