Page 131 of Shy Girls Can't Date Celebrities
“Joze,” Wyatt croaks, rubbing the side of his head. “Thanks for sticking up for me, but I’m okay.”
I stumble on my footing, disarmed by my boyfriend.
Portia turns to him, rising on the balls of her feet and grinning at him.
I huff in deflation. The smugness oozing from Portia makes me want to gag. Wyatt basically made her feel in the right, and me in the wrong.
I shouldn’t have dared open my mouth in her highness’s presence.
Hubert moves in with Wyatt’s pain medication and a glass of water. Erika suggests he take a seat on the couch, and I breathe a sigh of relief when he’s off his feet.
Portia clasps her hands in front as she looks me up and down. “Everyone says how incredible your visit has been. Oh my gosh, you have no idea how grateful I am that you were here while I was stuck overseas.”
I rub behind my neck, slouching under her height atop stiletto heels. “Ah, yeah, sure.”
She gives my arm a slight pat. “At least you don’t have to feel guilty about leaving now. I’ll be by his side as he gets back to work.”
My mouth falls open, but before I can muster a single syllable, Portia has moved over to the couch.
“How you doing, baby?” she asks Wyatt as he sets down his glass of water.
He rubs the side of his head. “I’m okay.”
Portia sighs, sitting beside him. “I hate that you’re in pain. It physically hurts me.”
“Really?” Wyatt asks with an air of doubt.
“Yeah. You don’t believe me?”
“It’s not th-that. It’s just... I-I don’t...” Wyatt shakes his head and sighs. “I’m sorry that I don’t remember you.”
“Why would you be sorry,” Portia rushes, caressing the side of his face. “Ugh, baby, I hate that you’ve been going through this alone.”
Wyatt’s body angles toward me as he says, “Well, I’m not alone. I have...”
“I know, I know,” Portia cuts in. “You have a whole team. I just hate that I wasn’t here. I’ve missed being with you.”
Wyatt winces. “Being with me? Does that mean... It’s just... Umm, you keep calling me...”
Portia deadpans him, trying to read where he’s going with this.
My stomach plummets and oozes an excruciatingly gross feeling throughout my abdomen.
“You know,” Wyatt wipes his brow, fidgeting uncomfortably. “Calling me baby. Is that a girlfriend nickname?”
I retch quietly, hoping no one notices me dying inside.
Portia giggles, wiping a crooked index finger under her dark eye lashes. “We never wanted to label our relationship.”
Wyatt sucks in a breath. “Oh.”
“We’re just very close,” she says, curling her hand around his wrist. “We’re always at parties together, and we work so well together. You’ll always be baby to me.”
Wyatt looks down at her hand on him. “Okay?”
“Does it bother you?” Portia asks, releasing him. “It never used to.”
“Like I said, I don’t remember you.”
