Page 88 of Just Friends Forever
I hug the throw pillow next to me and stuff my face in it to hide the goofy smile when I remember our kiss last night.
We’re not together. I understand that. But I’m hopeful we will be. He wants to make sure I’m not jumping into things too quickly, which I understand. According to him, he’s felt this way for me for a long time. By some miracle, I didn’t mess things up forever by rejecting him that night or by marrying Curtis.
I pull out my phone to check the time. It’s still early. My body has started adjusting to waking up for workouts with Troy.
My eyes widen at the number of notifications I missed during sleep.
One of them is from Rex, Austin’s and my mutual friend.
Rex
You and Austin?!
My heart starts beating fast as I tap the link he sent, but I already know what it is—the picture that paparazzo got of us leaving for dinner last night.
It’s completely benign as far as pictures go—us in the car together—but I learned a long time ago how little that matters. Speculation will be rampant. This particular headline says “Steph Carr dating both Sheppard brothers?”
I shut my eyes and take a deep breath.It’s okay. It doesn’t matter if people believe lies about me.Or that they’re still calling me by my married name.I tap out of the story to see what other lovely notifications I have awaiting.
One is a voicemail, from Mom, no less. I brace myself for whatever wisdom she has to impart this time.
“Hey, sweetie,” the recorded message says. “It’s Mom. We just debarked, and I saw the news about Curtis. Just wondering how you’re doing. It took me a while to accept the news when the Catastrophe”—that’s her nickname for her second husband—“and his new girlfriend madetheirannouncement. It looks like you have plenty of distraction, though.” She chuckles mischievously. “No judgment here, baby. You do what makes you happy. Call me when you’re free, and don’t forget you deserve the world! Muah.”
Usually, I just sigh after Mom’s voicemails, but today, I feel a little sick.
Tentatively, I pull up the browser app and type in Curtis’s name.
There it is. The first result: “Curtis Carr and girlfriend Aria Summers expecting first child.”
My eyelids flutter. Aria has her hand on a barely noticeable bump.
I check the source:Peoplemagazine.
I scroll down the page, where there’s an actual quote from Aria.“Obviously, we’re so thrilled to be on this journey together. I’ve experienced Curtis as a father and partner on-screen, and I can’t wait to see him take on that role in real life.”
I swallow, and the heavy feeling I woke up without returns, this time with reinforcements.
Curtis is going to have a baby. He’s starting a family. The thing I wanted, the thing he said he couldn’t give me… he’s doing that with Aria.
30
TROY
“You’re up early,”I say as I pull my tank top over my head.
“You can thank your terrible couch for that,” Austin says, shuffling into the kitchen. “It’s more like a torture device than a bed.”
“That’s because it’snota bed, Aus. It’s a couch.”
“Ah. Well,thatmakes me feel 100% more rested.”
I chuckle. “Sorry, bro. I’m up for the day, so you can take a nap in my bed if you want.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” he says, reaching for a cup from the cupboard. “How did it go with Stevie last night?”
I shoot him a look. “I should be punching you in the face right now.”
He fills his glass with water. “Hey, I kept my promise. Never once said your name. We talked exclusively about my friends Roy and Evie, who happen to have a similar situation to you two.”
