Chapter 15

Claire's POV I'm not sure how long I cried, but eventually, a soft knock at my bedroom door pulled me back to reality. "Claire?" Jennifer's voice was thick with concern. "I heard you come in. Are you okay?" I couldn't find the words to answer, but my silence was answer enough. The door opened slowly, and Jennifer's silhouette appeared in the dim light from the hallway. One look at my tear-streaked face was all she needed. "Oh, honey," she whispered, crossing the room and sitting beside me on the bed. "What happened?" The whole story spilled out between hiccupping sobs—the confrontation with Nicole, Theo's heroic intervention, the charged atmosphere in the car, and finally, my humiliating attempt at seduction and his rejection. "So you were naked," Jennifer clarified, eyes wide, "and he still turned you down?" I nodded miserably, fresh tears threatening. "Maybe he's... you know," she made a vague gesture with her hand, "lacking in that department? Some men get weird about it." Despite e