DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 98

Chapter 98

the smile thisappeared.

He sat up slowly, and something hardened behind his eyes that particular stillness that meant I landed somewhere tender without meaning to. The jaw shifted. He set his phone face down on the bed with a deliberate quiet movement

“Are you calling me jobless?”

“That’s not what I said-”

“It’s what you meant.”

I pressed my fingers to my temple. I was too tired for this. Too hollowed out, too sleep deprived still weaning my ex husband’s shirt underneath my blazer like a secret that was going to destroy me. Stave didn’t even seen to ponce ma change, by the way, which was a good thing, I guess?

‘Okay.” I dropped my hand. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

The tension in his face smoothed over almost immediately, too quickly, like he’d been waiting for exactly those wo wants and had already prepared to receive them. He smiled, warm and easy, and stood up.

‘It’s okay, babe.”

He crossed the room and pulled me into a hug.

I stood very still in his arms.

The smell hit me first. Stale and warm and layered – yesterday’s cologne buried under a full day of snacks and closed windows and not moving very much. I pressed my lips together. My nose scrunched involuntarily.

He pulled back and looked at my face. He was looking at me with that soft, open expression he always had – the one that used to feel reassuring and now just felt like it was missing something I couldn’t name.

He leaned in.

I turned my head slightly. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

‘I don’t care,” he murmured.

And then he kissed me.

I stood completely still.

1

13

It was bad!! It was so bad. Not the kiss itself, not the intention behind it, but the contents it ad ovetones jus. itself immediately and without mercy – something cheesy, something sweet, something that had ik bine flavoured at some point. A faint sourness underneath it all that spoke of carbonated drinks and hours 10 we concentrated, and I was desperately trying not to, I could detect individual layers. The popcorn Something won A sweetness that was almost certainly those cheese sachets from downstairs.

I was fairly certain I could feel the cavities. I simply watted. Eventually, he pulled back siding. I similed back, just the

was relieved that it was over, at least.

My stomach turned over very quietly.

I held up one finger for one moment and walked to the bathroom with measured, unhurried steps

I closed the door. I turned on both taps immediately, squeezed an aggressive amount of toothpaste onte y laush md won to work with the energy of someone defusing something I used Rinsed agant cupped water m my palm and corgled nord

2/4

8:45 am PPD

Chapter 95

smile thisappeared.

He sat up slowly, and something hardened behind tris eyes that particular stillness that meant Id landed somewhere tender without meaning to. This jaw shifted. He set his phone face down on the bed with a deliberate, quiet movement

“Are you calling me jobless?”

“That’s not what I said-”

“It’s what you meant.”

I pressed my fingers to my temple. I was too tired for this. Too hollowed out, too’sleep deprived still wearing my ex- husband’s shirt underneath my blazer like a secret that was going to destroy me. Steve didn’t even seem to notice my curfit change, by the way, which was a good thing, I guess?

།

“Okay.” I dropped my hand. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

The tension in his face smoothed over almost immediately, too quickly, like he’d been waiting for exactly those two words and had already prepared to receive them. He smiled, warm and easy, and stood up.

“It’s okay, babe.”

He crossed the room and pulled me into a hug.

I stood very still in his arms.

The smell hit me first. Stale and warm and layered – yesterday’s cologne buried under a full day of snacks and closed windows and not moving very much. I pressed my lips together. My nose scrunched involuntarily.

He pulled back and looked at my face. He was looking at me with that soft, open expression he always had – the one that used to feel reassuring and now just felt like it was missing something I couldn’t name.

He leaned in.

I turned my head slightly. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

‘I don’t care,” he murmured.

And then he kissed me.

I stood completely still.

It was bad!! It was so bad. Not the kiss itself, not the intention behind it, but the contents of it. A full inventory presented itself immediately and without mercy – something cheesy, something sweet, something that had definitely been barbecue flavoured at some point. A faint sourness underneath it all that spoke of carbonated drinks and hours without water 11 1 concentrated, and I was desperately trying not to, I could detect individual layers. The popcorn. Something with meat in it A sweetness that was almost certainly those cheese sachets from downstairs.

I was fairly certain I could feel the cavities. I simply waited. Eventually, he pulled back, smiling. I smiled back, just be was relieved that it was over, at least.

My stomach turned over very quietly.

I held up one finger for one moment and walked to the bathroom with measured, unhurried steps.

I closed the door. I turned on both taps immediately, squeezed an aggressive amount of toothpaste onto my brush and went to work with the energy of someone defusing something I rinsed Rinsed again Cupped water in my palm and gargled unul

2/4

Chapter 98

ners

The bince we dark when I got in

1 wked the Art heb me dropped my bag to the console table, and kicked off my heels. My feet were grateful. The rest

A me rang om empty wrung out hollowed and moving purely on

topilot

1 palled can try prime and pulled up David contact before messaging him my car is at Noon Bar on Downtown Park. Meelect it toght or first thing tomorrow Also no pickup needed today. I won’t be going in Then I sent it

Lopened Sarah’s thread next

Cancel everything today. All of Reschedule where you can; apologise where you can’t. I’ll be unreachable until tomorrow

Lexhaled for what felt like the first time in twenty-four hours. Then I looked up. The sitting room was a disaster zone.

Popcorn. Everywhere. On the couch, on the rug, scattered across the coffee table – like something had exploded. Empty risp packets, sweet wrappers, two sachets of some cheese snack I’d never bought in my life. Three bottles on the floor – we still rolling slightly against the table leg. A throw pillow that had somehow ended up completely across the room.

I stood very still in the middle of it.

A sudden loud laugh rang out from upstairs. It sounded so completely unbothered too. I quickly went upstairs.

There, Steve was sprawled across the bed like he’d been dropped from a height – legs wide, one arm thrown over his face. phone held above him with the easy posture of a man who had been horizontal for several hours and had absolutely no plans to change that. He was laughing at something on the screen, shoulders shaking, completely oblivious.

The windows were shut.

Every single one.

The room was dense and warm and airless in the way of a space that hadn’t been opened all day

‘What the hell, Steve?”

He looked up. “Hey, you’re back-”

I was already at the window. I pushed it open, then the next one, letting the morning aur flood in. I turned around and gestured at the room – at the snack wrappers on his side of the bed, the clothes draped over the chait and the general atmosphere of comfortable neglect.

“Why is the house like this?” My voice was controlled but only just. “I leave for one night, and you’ve turned the who into a pigsty. You were home. You should have taken care of it”

He set his phone down on his chest and sighed the sigh of a man who felt this was deeply unfair. “I was busy.”

His phone lit up with something. He glanced at it and smiled.

“Busy” I repeated “Busy with what, exactly? You’re not even going to work today

Chapter 98

The smile thisappeared.

1

He sat up slowly, and something hardened behind his eyes that particular stillness that meant Id landed somewhere tender without meaning to. This jaw shifted. He set his prone face down on the bed with a deliberate quiet movement

“Are you calling me jobless?”

“That’s not what I said-”

“It’s what you meant.”

I pressed my fingers to my temple. I was too tired for this. Too hollowed out, too sleep deprived, still wearing my ex- husband’s shirt underneath my blazer like a secret that was going to destroy me. Steve didn’t even seem to notice my ontfer change, by the way, which was a good thing, I guess?

‘Okay.” I dropped my hand. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

The tension in his face smoothed over almost immediately, too quickly, like he’d been waiting for exactly those two words and had already prepared to receive them. He smiled, warm and easy, and stood up.

‘It’s okay, babe.”

He crossed the room and pulled me into a hug.

I stood very still in his arms.

The smell hit me first. Stale and warm and layered – yesterday’s cologne buried under a full day of snacks and closed windows and not moving very much. I pressed my lips together. My nose scrunched involuntarily.

He pulled back and looked at my face. He was looking at me with that soft, open expression he always had – the one that used to feel reassuring and now just felt like it was missing something I couldn’t name.

He leaned in.

I turned my head slightly. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

‘I don’t care,” he murmured.

And then he kissed me.

I stood completely still.

It was bad!! It was so bad. Not the kiss itself, not the intention behind it, but the contents o it. A full mventory prescated itself immediately and without mercy – something cheesy, something sweet, something that had demucis beer barbecue flavoured at some point. A faint sourness underneath it all that spoke of carbonated drinks and hours without watch In concentrated, and I was desperately trying not to, I could detect individual layers The popcorn Something with me it in a A sweetness that was almost certainly those cheese sachets from downstairs

I was fairly certain I could feel the cavities. I simply waited Eventually, he pulled back smiling 1 smiled back. just be was relieved that it was over, at least.

My stomach turned over very quietly.

I held up one finger for one moment and walked to the bathroom with measured, unhurried steps.

I closed the door. I turned on both taps immediately, squeezed an aggressive amount of toothpaste onto my brush and we’l to work with the energy of someone defusing something. I rinsed Rinsed agam Cupped water in my palm and gargled unl

2/4

8:46 am P PO

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