Contract Marriage: I Will Never Love You-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.

Matthew’s voice is deadly quiet. "You are staying together? As in, under the same roof?"

"Different bedrooms," I add quickly. "It’s a work arrangement. The magazine provides it for visiting talent."

Matthew leans back, eyes darting between us. "So let me get this straight. You’re living together, working together, and according to you two, there’s absolutely nothing going on?"

The waiter chooses that precise moment to appear. "Ready to order?"

"Give us a minute," Matthew says without looking at him.

When we’re alone again, Josh shifts beside me. "Look, Matthew, I get why you’re upset—"

"Do you?" Matthew cuts in. "Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you followed my sister across the country, inserted yourself into her career-making opportunity, and are now sharing living space with her."

"It wasn’t planned," I insist. "Josh helped me when I was stranded, and then the whole modeling thing just... happened."

"Things don’t just happen, Hailey." Matthew’s voice softens slightly. "Not like this."

"Sometimes they do," Josh says quietly. "Sometimes you meet someone, and it changes everything."

My heart skips at his words, and I feel a flush creeping up my neck. Matthew notices, of course, he does, and his expression hardens again.

"So there is something going on," he says, looking directly at me.

I open my mouth to deny it, but the words won’t come. Because there is something, isn’t there? Something unnamed and fragile growing between Josh and me. Something I’ve been too afraid to examine too closely.

"I care about your sister," Josh says when I don’t answer. "I know that’s probably the last thing you want to hear from me, but it’s the truth."

Matthew’s jaw clenches. "And what happens when this shoot is over? When you go back to Portland and your real job? What then, Josh?"

Josh hesitates, and I feel my stomach drop. It’s a question I’ve been avoiding myself.

"We are not exactly dating, though," I quickly interrupt.

Matthew scoffs, leaning back in the booth. "You’re not dating, but you’re living together. I don’t approve."

I glare at him. "I am an adult. I don’t need your approval."

Matthew’s eyes darken, his lips pressing into a tight line. "You’re right," he says slowly. "You are an adult. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit here and watch you walk straight into something that could hurt you."

Josh shifts beside me, his arm brushing mine. I feel the tension in him, like a coil pulled too tight. "I’m not trying to hurt her," he says, his voice low but steady. "That’s the last thing I’d ever want. Come on, Matthew. You know me. Have I ever done anything to hurt you or Sarah? Be honest."

"N...no...but..." Matthew stammers.

"Haven’t I been a great uncle to Benjamin?" Josh presses.

"Yes..." Matthew says hesitantly.

"Then that settles it. I am a great friend and a great uncle. So I will also be an excellent brother in law," Josh declares.

Matthew blinks, stunned into silence. His mouth opens slightly, but no sound comes out. His expression is somewhere between baffled and horrified as if Josh had just proposed marriage in the middle of a hostage negotiation.

"Josh!" I hiss, elbowing him hard in the ribs.

He winces, but grins through it. "What? I’m just getting ahead of the curve."

Matthew’s eyes narrow. "Brother-in-law?" he repeats, voice sharp. "You are joking, right?"

Josh shrugs, that infuriating confidence surfacing now that he has cracked the tension. "I’m just saying, if things were to go that way... I don’t think it’s such a crazy idea."

I bury my face in my hands. "Oh my God."

Matthew leans across the table, his voice a quiet warning. "This isn’t a game, Josh. This is my sister. Her life. Her future. If you’re not serious—"

"I am serious," Josh interrupts, suddenly losing the joking edge in his tone. "I might mess around sometimes, but not about this. Not about her."

That pulls me upright again. I glance at him, his jaw set, his eyes unwavering. And despite the chaos of this conversation, the tight ball of dread in my stomach eases just a little.

Matthew notices too. He studies Josh with that protective, big-brother scrutiny that has terrified boys since middle school. Then he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face.

"You better mean every word," he says at last. "Because if you break her heart, I’m not just your ex-roommate. I’m still your friend. And I’ll still come for you."

Josh nods. "Understood."

"Excuse me! I didn’t even agree to date you, let alone marry you!" I interrupt.

Josh grins. "Right. Of course. I just meant hypothetically. If someday, maybe—"

Matthew smirks. "If you are going to live under the same roof as her, you better plan on marrying her too."

I cross my arms and give them both a look. "This entire conversation is ridiculous. Can we please eat like normal people now? Or at least pretend to be?"

The waiter returns. "Um... ready to order?"

"Yes," I say, grabbing the menu with renewed purpose. "I’ll have the grilled chicken salad. No croutons."

Josh gestures vaguely. "Same, but with croutons. And extra dressing."

Matthew orders something far more expensive than he needs, shooting Josh a smug glance as he hands the menu over. "Reparations," he says simply.

The waiter scurries off, and we’re left in an awkward, heavy silence.

Josh clears his throat. "Hailey... I wasn’t trying to pressure you. I know we haven’t...defined anything. I just..." He rubs the back of his neck. "I like you. A lot. And I think maybe you like me too. But if I’m reading this wrong—"

"You are not," I say softly, cutting him off. "You’re not reading it wrong. I just... wasn’t ready to say it out loud. Especially not with my brother breathing fire across the table."

Matthew raises a brow. "I’m right here, you know."

Josh chuckles under his breath, and I feel his hand brush mine under the table—not grabbing, just a gentle touch.

And for once, I don’t pull away.