I Saw The Comments Predicting My Divorce And Fired The Cause First Chapter 10

I Saw The Comments Predicting My Divorce And Fired The Cause First Chapter 10

The Thornes’ anniversary shoot took up the entire day.

We shot in the park where they’d first met. Decades later, the park was still standing, and so was the old sycamore, wider now, decades of rings hidden beneath the bark.

Mr. Thorne was in a tailored suit from another era. Mrs. Thorne wore a red silk dress that looked like it carried its own love story.

They stood together under the sycamore, and the sunlight turned their white hair to silver.

I was crouched low, framing the shot, when my throat tightened out of nowhere.

Fifty years.

Miles and I couldn’t even make it five years.

“Harper, are you all right? Your eyes are red.”

Julian had come over without me noticing. He held out a bottle of water.

“It’s nothing, just the glare.” I rubbed my eyes. “Your parents are beautiful together.”

“Yeah.” He watched them, smiling. “Fifty years of driving each other crazy. Fifty years of choosing each other anyway.”

After the final shot, Mrs. Thorne grabbed both my hands and wouldn’t let go.

“Harper, sweetheart, you’ve been wonderful today. When those photos are ready, I’m blowing one up and putting it front and center in my living room.”

“I’ll make sure they’re perfect, Mrs. Thorne. I promise.”

Mrs. Thorne’s eyes flicked between Julian and me, and a sly little smile crept across her face.

“You know, Julian’s never brought a girl to dinner with us before. You’re the first.”

I blinked.

Julian’s ears turned red.

“Mom…”

“What? I’m not wrong.” Mrs. Thorne looked entirely unapologetic.

“When’s the last time you brought a girl home? High school? College? Never!”

Mr. Thorne chuckled from behind his wife and wisely said nothing.

I felt heat creep up my neck. “Mrs. Thorne, I’m strictly here as his photographer.”

“Being just a photographer is fine.” Mrs. Thorne patted my hand, eyes twinkling. “All the best ones start that way.”

Julian steered his mother away before she could make things worse. At the last second, he glanced back at me. His ears were still red.

He drove me home.

He pulled up outside my building, and I didn’t move to get out.
Something played softly on the radio. I didn’t recognize the song,
didn’t need to. I just wasn’t ready to go inside yet.

“Harper.” Just my name. The way he said it stripped away any
remaining client-photographer boundary.

I turned to face him.

The car was dark except for the streetlight through the windshield,
but his eyes caught every bit of it.

“Can I take you out?”

My heart stumbled.

“Think about it.” He gave me a small smile. “No rush.”

I nodded, opened the door, and got out before I could say something I
couldn’t take back.

I showered, dried my hair, got into bed, and couldn’t sleep. I lay there,
staring at the ceiling.

Eventually I got up and walked to the balcony. Looked down.

His car was still parked there.

He was leaning against the driver’s side, looking up at my balcony.

When he saw me, he smiled and lifted a hand. Then he mouthed the
words: Go to bed.

I ducked back inside and pulled the curtains shut.

I couldn’t stop smiling.

The comments poured in…

[PLEASE GET TOGETHER PLEASE GET TOGETHER PLEASE GET TOGETHER.]

[Julian is so smooth it should be illegal.]

[“All the best ones start that way.” Mrs. Thorne coming in with the GOD-TIER wingwoman energy.]

[She’s smiling. She’s actually smiling. When was the last time she smiled??]

[Miles somewhere punching the air right now: “I’M STILL ALIVE HELLO?”]

[And?? That’s not her problem anymore Imaooo.]

[Harper x Julian ENDGAME. This is the one. I can feel it.]