Page 60 of The Only Thing That's Real

“See you in a few weeks.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Bye.”

Ending the call, I feel even more resolved in my intention to call Ryan mine. Daisy doesn’t pull any punches. If there was an issue with Ry, she would tell me. If the two of us being together bothered her, she wouldn’t hesitate to let me know. I didn’t reach out looking for my sister’s approval, but now that I have it, I feel like I’m all out of excuses.

I’m ready to work for what I want. And what I want is Ryan Jameson.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Ryan

“Good morning, sunshine.”

My eyes peel open after what might have been an hour of sleep. I’m so tired, I’m delusional, because I swear I just heard Knox wish me a good morning.

“You awake in there?”

Okay, maybe not delusional.

I answer, pulling my blanket over my head. “Shh... go away. It’s too early.”

He chuckles from the other side of the curtain, awakening some parts of my body quicker than others. All it takes is a smile in his voice and I’m wet, even if the rest of me is still craving sleep.

“Well, we made it to the City. We should be in front of the hotel in a few minutes.”

“Okay. Thanks for letting me know.”

“See you in there.” He’s still talking from the other side of the barrier protecting him from my morning breath.

“At some point, yes. I’m gonna go home for a while first though. I’m up against my deadline and need to focus.”

“Understood. Well, see ya when we see ya, then.”

Is that disappointment in his voice?

Did he want me to stay at the hotel?

It makes no sense when I have a place only a few train stops away. Why add the expense? I knew it was part of the deal when I signed on the dotted line, but now that we’re here, the math isn’t mathing.

I wish I could see his face, so I had an inkling of what’s going on in that mind of his. But we’ve had this entire conversation like Dorothy meeting the wizard. It would be silly to pull back the curtain now. Wouldn’t it? I reach up but chicken out when my hand touches the material.

“Okay, see you soon.”

I wait until after the bus comes to a halt, the doors open and feet stomp down the stairs to the street outside, to emerge from my cave, pulling my bag down behind me.

“There you are.”

Startled by Trevor’s voice, my hand flies to my racing heart. “Shit. You scared me.”

“Sorry, but I’m glad I caught you. Can we chat for a minute?”

“Of course. Everything okay?”

I take the same seat I sat in last night. Trevor takes Knox’s spot. Self-conscious about not having brushed my teeth yet, I sit as far back from the table as I can. Hygiene is something Ican easily become obsessed with. I don’t like morning breath, body odor, or other people’s sweat.

Yet, I still made out with Knox on the side of the stage while he was dripping in sweat. If anything, it turned me on.

---