Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jennifer Marie.

He snubbed me.

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Just straight–up pretends I’m not even there. Which only means Harvey is still upset, and he doesn’t care to hear a single explanation about why I even spoke to Baxter..

It’s the fact that I said “no” after talking to Baxter. That’s what bothers him.

I should have taken one minute to remember that shaking butts is what obviously what happens at a casino?

At that time, all the short clip did was kind of confirm every stupid, ugly fear I’ve ever had about guys. That they’re all the same. So I panicked and shoved him away. I’m used to the Harvey who forgives me every time. So watching him turn his back on me?

I reacted. I did everything I thought was smart and apparently none of it worked.

He and Baxter are sitting across from each other when I pull the napkin from my table setting.

“Oh, she must be the lady the paparazzi got footage of recently?”

“Yes, she is.”

“A pleasure to meet you all.” I smile, and Francis is literally the only one on their side smiling back. Winny is gripping her fork so tightly you’d think I showed up to personally ruin her birthday. I guess, to her, I did.

“I guess we can all see that Harvey’s type is extremely pretty girls.” Emily says, all bubbly and sweet. So I smile at her again.

Winny clears her throat like she wants to reset the whole atmosphere. “Let’s not forget why we’re actually here…for Baxter and Nisha.”

And right then, Nisha walks in. She’s wearing this fire–engine red, glimmery dress that screams look at me and a smile bright enough to light up the whole room… until she sees me.

“Oh, Nisha. You look so beautiful!”

Winny is up in a flash, rushing over to air–kiss Nisha’s cheeks, putting herself physically between Nisha and the sight of me. After suffocating Nisha with attention, Winny goes to Baxter’s side of the table and kisses his cheek too. Baxter, who’s seated weirdly close to Harvey.

“Awwn, they will make the best couple.” one of the relatives says. Pretty sure that’s Nisha’s mom.

“And the best grandchildren.” Winny says.

“Mom, stop,” Baxter says, looking embarrassed, and honestly, I’m embarrassed for him.

He and Nisha aren’t even real. Well… me and Harvey aren’t real either.

Speaking of Harvey, I sneak a glance at him and he’s just… sitting there. His neck is a hard, tanned column that moves when he swallows. He is full of this I don’t care attitude and it’s seriously driving me insane.

I said hi to him, and he pretended I was invisible. The memory makes me scoff out loud before I can stop myself. Loud enough that half the table swings their eyes at me.

A few heads turn.

15:06 Tue, Feb 3

Chapter 13

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“Do you have a problem? Jealous of Nisha?” Winny shoots immediately, staring me down like she’s been waiting for the moment I breathe wrong.

I clear my throat–aggressively, but still.

“She’s just clearing her throat.” Beatrice says on my behalf and Winny turns her attention back to her future fake daughter- in–law.

Harvey isn’t eating. Nisha smells like she emptied an entire perfume bottle on her neck and Harvey is… checking his phone.

I came here dressed drop–dead gorgeous because I needed his attention. I thought what happened in the storage room would make him chase me again but clearly I know nothing about anything. I’m an amateur in this department.

Maybe I should… pinch him with my foot under the table. I mean, no one’s paying attention to us right now. Nisha is doing this weird baby–voice thing with Winny and the other vulture–women. I slowly, so slowly, slide my foot out of my slippers. and drag my chair a tiny bit closer to the table.

My toes brush the edge of his side of the chair but he still doesn’t look up, still scrolling like nothing in the world exists but his phone.

I wiggle my toes but he still doesn’t see it.

Now I’m irritated.

So I push my leg farther…too far. Way too far, because it lands somewhere… much higher. Much… softer. And then not soft at all. It presses against something that feels thick, and is undeniably, accurately… big.

My eyes fly to his face. His eyes meet mine, dark and wide. I freeze.

I KNOW exactly what my foot is pressing against because it is definitely not small. My heart basically drops to my knees.

Harvey’s face goes red. Like, actually red. And I swear, I’m trying to pull my leg back, I don’t mean to keep fussing over his… very large… situation. But my ankle bracelet… I think it’s stuck on his zipper because that’s what it feels like.

And now I’m panicking.

Now he’s sweating…actually sweating and he’s staring at me like he wants the earth to swallow him whole. And I can’t even say sorry properly or pull my legs back because I’m terrified my ankle chain will rip his zipper off.

Then I feel Harvey’s hand clamps around my ankle under the table. And at the same exact moment, I feel him hardening under my foot.

My entire body heats up. It’s hot. It’s so hot I take my hand out and fan myself like an idiot.

Nisha catches me doing it and glares at me like I personally insulted her ancestors.

Baxter looks at Harvey, looks at me, looks at the table and is about to look under when my leg finally comes loose-

Harvey yells “Shit!“, gets up and leaves the room.

Everyone is silent watching him go. I try to keep cool, whisper “Sorry,” to Beatrice, then slip out of the room and go after Harvey.

The villa is massive, like a maze, and I’m not even sure where I’m heading until I hear running water, I follow it down the first hallway on the left and find the men’s bathroom. I don’t go in. I just lightly knock.

“Harvey, it’s me. I swear it was a mis-”

The door swings open and he drags me inside, pushing me back against the wall with so much frustration his eyes look red.

15:06 Tue, Feb 3

Chapter 13

“Are you fucking insane!?”

“Hary-”

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“Don’t fucking ‘Harv‘ me.” His jaw is clenched. “What is this game, Jennifer? You tell me you don’t want me and now you’re doing things that turn me on. Playing footsie, then you hide your damn hand?”

The way he’s looking at me is so cold. I can’t tell if he still likes me at all.

“About yesterday…” I start.

“About yesterday, I got your answer. And it was a no.”

He turns his back on me, takes a deep breath and lights a cigarette. His entire back is full of muscles that I can’t name.

“I didn’t go asking Baxter for an answer. I went to cut his hair. And he showed me the video.”

“Yeah, he showed you a video of me at my workplace.” Harvey finally turns back to me.

“What the fuck do you think happens in a bloody casino? Cookies and cream? A girl

twerking in the background is the least insane thing that happens. And you-” he points at me.“–you let Baxter’s stupid little video give you an answer. What do you even know about him except that he’s a playboy? You knew he played with girls, including you. And we came all the way to Italy so you could prove you didn’t have feelings for him and the first answer you give me is based on something he shows you.”

“God, Harvey…can you just stop taking this the wrong way? I saw the video and I was upset, okay? I thought maybe you were

I hesitate because my throat closes.

“I don’t know…I just thought for a second that maybe you were just like every other man in the world. Maybe you only want. me because of my body. I fell into this body, and men only want to sleep with me. Also, the only reason I felt hurt by that clip is because…”

I freeze. It’s right there. At the edge of my tongue.

I felt hurt by the clip is because I’m falling for you Harvey. A time ago. I didn’t even know you could appear back into my life and now I’m falling for you.

“It’s because…I…I-”

He watches me struggle.

“When you figure it out, you can talk to me. But I heard your ‘no, and I will respect it. I’ll give you your space. If you want to go back to New York, I’ll book you a flight. Just… please. Stop making me hard if you’re not my girlfriend. You’re messing with my fucking with my head.”

He exhales smoke through his nose like a dragon before leaving.

My hands start shaking and I swallow the stupid sting behind my eyes.

Why am I even crying? I want him. I do. I want my best friend in ways I never let myself imagine before, and it’s so overwhelming, I don’t know how to just… say it. Why is admitting it out loud the scariest thing in the world?

After standing there long enough for my heartbeat to slow down, I walk back toward the dining area.

When I return, Nisha and her friends are clapping dramatically as Emily is standing at the front of the table saying something to everyone.

Chapter 13

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“The piece I’ve hidden on the path after the landscape is a parrot in a cage. Find it and you get something very special.”

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