Chapter 126: Living Together
Hailey
I sink into the booth, my stomach twisting in knots. The tension between me, Josh, and Matthew is suffocating, and I can feel it pressing in from every side. I try to focus on the menu in front of me, anything to distract myself from the electric charge in the air.
Matthew sits across from me, his eyes sharp as ever, his brow furrowed in that way he does when he’s about to interrogate someone. Josh slides into the seat beside me, and I can almost feel him holding back a sigh. It’s clear he’s not thrilled to be here, and honestly, I’m not either. But what choice do we have?
Matthew is staring at Josh now, his expression unreadable. "So," he starts, his voice cold, "how long has this been going on?"
"Nothing is going on, Matthew," I say quickly, my tone firm, but not as convincing as I’d like. I catch Josh’s eye, but he’s not meeting my gaze. He is looking straight ahead, a little too tense, and I’m starting to worry that he’s regretting all of this.
Matthew does not look convinced. He leans forward slightly, lowering his voice. "I’m talking about the fact that you two are alone together, all the time. And where exactly are you staying, Josh?" he asks.
I gulp and look at Josh as if to see if he is thinking about lying too.
Josh clears his throat. "Actually, we’re staying at the company brownstone. Together."
I watch my brother’s face transition through a rainbow of emotions, finally settling on a dangerous shade of red.
"You...WHAT?" Matthew cries.
"Shhh...we are in public," I hiss.