The Perfect Storm 2

Chapter 87

The mall is crowded and I want to hide in my small hotel room. I'm still not entirely sure how long I can stay there, but the hotel manager told me that I could stay up to a week if I promised to pay extra by the end which I did, even though I have no idea how. Jace holds my hand and I stop in my tracks.

"Oh, sorry." He says and abruptly takes his hand away.

"I guess I'm just so used to us being together all the time, but now that you're dating . . . I'm sorry, I shouldn't have." He says but I shake my head.

"No . . . it's okay." I smile and hold his hand.

"Let's go here," I say, pulling Jace towards a store clearly only for women. Jace chuckles before entering the store with me. 

We both look around and Jace stops in his tracks this time, "I don't want to see any women's underwear or anything." He says, turning back ut I stop him.

"It'll be fine, trust me." I smile with a giggle.

"Maybe you should wait over here." I giggle, pointing at a women's underwear section.

"Madison!" He chuckles.

"Well, they do look kind of good." He says and I playfully hit him.

"Jace!" I laugh but he smirks which reminds me of Miles again.

"what's wrong?" he asks at my sudden changed expression.

"Nothing just missed you." I lie for the third time and I want to mentally slap myself. I shouldn't have bothered Jace with my problems, I shouldn't have let him come all the way to Washington when I have nothing to tell him—no explanation for what happened.

"What do you think of this?" I ask, pointing at a long dark blue sweater. Jace nods and I give him a smile before picking up the sweater.

"I'll hold that for you." He smiles and I nod before walking further from him and choosing black leggings, I own too many of them from my previous shopping trips, but I have no choice but to buy completely new ones. 

I find my size and quickly grab underwear before Jace approaches. We walk into the dressing rooms. I close the curtain and quickly get into my new clothes. "What do you think Jace?" I ask as I open the curtain to a man staring at me with confusion all over his face.

"Oh, sorry." I giggle and he smiles, turning back to his wife and child.

"Jace?" I ask into the air as I walk out of the dressing room.

"Jace," I say after finally seeing him but I stop as soon as I notice a girl right next to him.

"Hey, I'm sorry, this might be a little awkward . . . " She smiles as they look at each other.

". . . but . . . can I have your number? I think you're really cute." The girl asks and I try to contain my surprise at how forward she's being and towards Jace; someone I've known my whole life. Maybe this is how he felt when he saw me with Miles. 

Saying the name in my head still pains me.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to let you down, but I have a girlfriend." He says and she smiles at him.

"Okay, well, it was worth the try." She says before turning on her heel and disappearing in between clothes.

"Jace has a girlfriend?" I whisper to myself, my heart drops into my stomach and I part my lips with no words escaping. I don't need more surprises thrown my way.

"Maddie." He smiles, approaching closer. I want to ask him about his new relationship but when he immediately holds my hand, I start to wonder if he even has one.

"Jace?" I start, wanting to ask him about it but the way he looks at me, makes me want to ignore it.

"Yeah?" He smiles and I shake my head.

"Nothing, we should go to a food store, my hotel room doesn't exactly have anything edible." I giggle and he joins me. I quickly pay for the clothes and we hurry outside of the store and into a grocery store inside the mall. 

My phone starts buzzing and I look at the name on the screen—Miles. I take a deep breath and stick the phone back into my pocket, Jac e gives me a confused look but I brush it off and we walk inside the store. We both grab a soda, snacks, and microwaveable mac and cheese before heading to the cashier.

"I got this," Jace says, stopping me in my moves. He pulls out his credit card and I smile at him, not being able to help how much he's reminding me of Miles.

"Thank you," I say and as we walk towards the parking lot, I spot a familiar blonde head of hair.

"I'll meet you in the car, Jace," I say, looking at Chrissy and the girl beside her, neither of them spot me as I stare at them.

"Okay." Jace smiles before walking away. I smile at Chrissy but as I approach closer my smile fades.

"Oh hi, Madison," Rebecca says through her squeaky voice. Her smile is fake and I can see that she's enjoying this for some reason.

"Hi," I reply, my voice low.

"How have you been? Chrissy?" I ask, sounding unsure of my own words.

"I've been fine, I heard you found out." She says and my stomach drops.

"I guess Karma really did come." Rebecca smiles through her red lips.

"What?" I ask and she looks over at Chrissy with an almost laugh. My heart starts to beat and I feel just like I did in that gray basement yesterday.

"I'm sorry Madison," Chrissy says, looking down at her fingers.

"But I . . . I told Miles he could chase after you, I let him get his win and I'm sorry." My heart breaks, the last pieces of it are absolutely shattered.

"Chrissy." I shake my head.

"You let him? I . . . I thought we were friends." I say, barely able to let the words come out.

"We were never friends Madison," Chrissy says. I feel like I've been punched in the stomach.

"Oh and by the way . . ." Rebecca looks at me.

"Miles and I slept together last night." She says before both of them walk away. Tears start to run down my face as I stand there. My mother was right, Miles is just like my father was and I do belong with Jace—He's the only one I belong with.

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