Page 77 of Always Knew It Was You

“Boyfriend,” I don’t know what causes me to say it but the minute I do, Carly’s eyes pop open beyond belief and she gapes at me.

Still, I maintain composure. “I’m Carly’s boyfriend.”

There’s a second of shocked silence and then everyone starts talking at once.

“You are?”

“Carly’s never had a boyfriend. I’m her aunt, I would know.”

“You’re way too good-looking to be her boyfriend.”

That last sentence makes me frown at the speaker: Carly’s mom of all people.

And you’re way too heartless to be her motherdances on my tongue but I refrain from saying it. I already know how sensitive Carly is about her family.

Instead, I attempt to smooth it over with humor. “If you ask me, I’m the one punching way above my league.”

“Yeah right,” Carly’s mother snorts like I just said a joke and my dislike for the woman deepens.

“I’m serious. Carly’s a beautiful woman and smart. Smarter than I ever was and more driven too, putting herself through college. I got my whole tuition paid when I was her age and I still dropped out.”

“We’ll see if she finishes,” the other woman, Carly’s aunt, adds and I instantly dislike her too.

“You look familiar,” the man, probably Carly’s uncle, says. “I feel I’ve seen you on TV or something before. Are you a singer?”

“No,” I say but it only makes the man peer at me with even more suspicion.

“He’s Declan’s friend, Uncle Allan,” Carly says, and suddenly their eyes all light in interest.

“Declan Tudor? The billionaire?” Allan says. And then they look at me with renewed interest, eyes tracking my clothes.

“Carly’s boyfriend,” her mother murmurs. The frown is gone from her face, and there’s a new respect in her eyes as she looks at me. I recognize it for what it is.

And I hate it.

Carly on the other hand looks mortified.

Especially when her mother turns to her and says, “How are we going to pay for this, Carly?”

There was enough suggestion in her tone to make me frown. There are three adults in the room. Why is it on her?

But Carly doesn’t complain. She simply swallows and says, “It’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CARLY

I don’t take a full breath until I step out of the room, closing the curtains behind me.

I hear Micah step out too but I don’t look at him yet. I can’t. There’s too much turmoil going on inside and I feel like, if I look at him, it might all come pouring out.

I walk down the hallway slowly and hear his footsteps follow me. I don’t stop until I’m outside and down the stairs, heading across the parking lot.

Finally, I get to his car, lean against it and inhale deeply, then exhale.

It doesn’t do much to ease the pressure inside of me. Somehow, it makes it worse.

I’m just so fucking exhausted.

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