30 Days Until He Loses Me by Aaren Collins novel Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The game kept goin‘, but the vibe was weirdly awkward–like no one knew what to say.

Then Whitney lost. The mood perked right back up. Someone teased, “Double shot for the birthday girl!”

Whitney reached for a shot glass, but Joshua grabbed her wrist and took it away.

“You forget your weak heart? Stick to juice.”

Then he chugged it down himself.

“Joshua, you haven’t changed a bit–still so damn protective of Whitney.”

Joshua ignored the comment, but Whitney looked right at Felicia. “Feli, please don’t get the wrong idea. Joshua only did that ‘cause of my heart.”

Felicia met her eyes, smilin‘ half–jokingly. “I know how close you two are. Relax–I’m not overthinkin‘ it. But if you keep explainin‘, you’ll start soundin‘ guilty.”

Everyone else laughed it off like it was no big deal. Only the smile in Whitney’s eyes turned cold.

After the party, Joshua was pretty wasted–passed out in the back seat. Felicia got him home.

A cold breeze slipped through the window, keepin‘ her head clear!

Joshua’s thing for Whitney was out in the open now. The difference between bein‘ the one he loved and the one he didn’t? It couldn’t have been more obvious.

She counted down the days till she left. And suddenly, time felt like it was draggin‘ on forever.

The good part? After that night, Joshua got swamped with work again–hardly ever came home.

Felicia didn’t mind. She actually liked it. She took her time packin‘–gatherin‘ up every single thing that was hers.

The couple figurines they’d bought together, now covered in dust on the shelf.

The empty photo frame.

The matching couple T–shirt Joshua never even wore once.

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The couple phone case he never used.

She threw it all into a big bag.

Then she tossed the bag out.

Soon, the place felt way emptier.

A few days later, Joshua came home.

Noticin‘ how spacious the apartment felt, he frowned. “Where’d all the stuff go?”

Felicia brushed it off, tone flat. “Gettin‘ rid of old junk. Make room for new stuff.”

He nodded, totally clueless that everything gone was hers.

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He hurried into the bedroom to pack. “Got a business trip comin‘ up. I’ll be gone for a while.”

This time, Felicia didn’t follow him in to help.

Back in the day, she would’ve been right behind him–askin‘ where he was goin‘, checkin‘ the weather there, packin‘ the right clothes. Total picture of bein‘ thoughtful.

He used to stay up late with his students, which messed up his stomach. So she always slipped a box of antacids into his suitcase.

Power bank, headphones, his usual watch–she never forgot a thing.

But now? She couldn’t be bothered.

Besides, was it even a real business trip? She doubted it. And maybe he didn’t want her help

anyway.

She walked over to the wall and slowly tore down the countdown planner–the one covered in her careful marks.

When Joshua came out with his suitcase, he caught her starin‘ at the number ten, crossed out with a bold red X.

He paused, his voice softenin‘. “I’ll be back in ten days. Just in time for the wedding.”

Felicia didn’t answer. She kept crossin‘ off days–nine, eight. Then she looked up at him, flat as can be. “The wedding’s in a week.”

He cleared his throat, awkward. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.

She said, “OK.” But her voice was so quiet, the sound of the door closin‘ behind him swallowed it

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Chapter 4

up completely.

She didn’t even care anymore if he made it back.

There wasn’t gonna be a wedding anyway.

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In her last week before leavin‘ abroad, Felicia had extra time. She did all the things she’d always wanted to do the stuff Joshua never once did with her.

She hiked a mountain alone, rode a Ferris wheel alone, went bungee jumpin‘ alone. And finally, she went to that concert she’d been dyin‘ to see.

The concert was electric–this loud, thumpin‘ sea of lights and music. Around her, the crowd screamed. She dropped her usual gentle, sweet act and screamed right along with ‘em.

Then came the couple cam part.

Couples huggin‘ and kissin‘ flashed on the big screen. Watchin‘ ‘em, Felicia couldn’t help but

smile.

Then another couple’s faces popped up.

The smile froze right on Felicia’s lips.

The guy on screen, kissin‘ the woman in his arms with zero doubt–pure passion? It was her soon- to–be husband, Joshua.

And in the next second, like someone planned it, the big screen cut dramatically to Felicia.

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