Page 58 of Play Dirty

CHEY: Hey! How are you? Just checking in. Everything okay at the house? I’m sorry if deciding to extend our honeymoon has put extra pressure on you.

STEVIE: Everything is great! Don’t worry about me—I love living here. How’s the honeymoon?

CHEY: It’s been wonderful. Have I mentioned lately that I really love this man?

STEVIE: LOL Yeah, I think you’ve told me a time or two.

CHEY: We’re having a great time in Australia, my grandmother adores him—maybe even more than me—so there’s that.

STEVIE: It’s nice that you guys could celebrate both here and there.

CHEY: What about you? Anything new happening?

That’s a loaded question. I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about Marty. Not via text anyway.

STEVIE: I did a music video with L’il Barracuda. That was a long couple of days but he’s nice.

CHEY: And hot!

STEVIE: That too.

CHEY: Any chemistry there?

STEVIE: Oh. No. Nothing like that. Very professional.

CHEY: You need to get back on the dating horse, girlfriend.

STEVIE: I might be doing just that.

CHEY: Yeah? Tell me! Who is it?

STEVIE: I don’t have time to get into it now, but… it’s Marty.

CHEY: OMG! That’s awesome! I adore him!

STEVIE: We’re still feeling things out, so please don’t tell people. I mean, you can obviously tell Ivan. But I don’t want it to become gossip among the friend group until I know what’s what.

CHEY: No worries. I don’t have to tell Ivan everything…although I’ll probably tell him this.

STEVIE: Okay, gotta go. Talk soon.

CHEY: Bye! Love you.

STEVIE: Love you too.

She’s a good friend. I honestly don’t know if I would have survived the last year without her. Chey and Ivan saved me in more ways than one. Ivan showed up in time to keep Damien from hurting Chey and subdued him until the police got there. He and Chey were at my side through my surgery and then she was with me almost nonstop once I was released from the hospital. They moved me in once they bought their house and she’s been my rock as I’ve navigated my recovery, therapy, nightmares, and even the pending court case.

Saylor has been a good friend too, letting me run her gallery as a way to keep busy before I officially went back to modeling, and I still help out whenever she needs me to.

I’ve also taken on a big sister role to Canyon’s niece, Ally, and that friendship has become important to me. She lost her mom and came to live with the uncle she didn’t know six months ago. It was tough in the beginning but she’s finally settled in and I like to think I helped with that.

My life has changed in so many wonderful ways, something I’m incredibly grateful for.

And now there’s Marty.

I still have reservations because I don’t foresee a future for us, but I also believe that I need to follow my heart. Historically, I’m reckless when it comes to dating and falling in love, and I’ve been working on that in therapy. It’s different with Marty, though. He’s not like other guys I’ve been involved with, and I’m not going to let fear keep me from exploring something.

It doesn’t have to be forever.

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