Page 32 of Just Friends Forever
“What about the concierge?” Troy asks. “He saw me—”
I shake my head. “Gibbs would never. He gets paid very well by a lot of influential people for his discretion, besides having a heart of gold. The only people who know I’m staying here are you and me.”
Troy’s eyes jump to mine, and I know with a hundred percent certainty we’re having the same thought.
Lyla knows.
Our gazes hold for a few seconds until Troy breaks his away. “Yeah, it’s crazy. I don’t get it.”
I’m really doing my best to like Lyla for Troy’s sake because I know how it feels when none of your friends like the guy you’re dating—or marrying. Of course, as it turns out, they were kind of right, but Troy’s not like I used to be—the type to jump into anything. If he cares about Lyla, I’m going to support him in that.
If she’s telling stories to the media, it would make that a lot harder, though.
The doorbell rings, making us both jump.
Troy gets up. “That’ll be the food.”
“Wait.” I stand up too, stopping him with a hand on his arm. “Did the app say they’re here?”
He doesn’t say anything right away, searching my face. He shows me the notification on his lock screen.
I let out a breath and drop my hand. “I’m acting like a lunatic. I know.” I grimace and turn away. “Living in isolation has turned me into a complete weirdo.”
He grabs the hand I dropped. “Hey.”
I swallow and meet his gaze. His blue eyes are intent and piercing, and they send a zing through me.
“You’re not a weirdo.”
I smile pathetically. “I have a virtual pet dragon named Mavis, Troy. I’m well into weirdo territory.”
“And I own a hair straightener. So what?”
“Not even in the same realm of weirdness.”
“I own a canister of freeze-dried eggs.”
I tip my head from side to side. “Getting closer.” The fact that Troy has an emergency food supply at all is a bit weird. So responsible of him.
He tightens his grip on my hand. “Seriously, though, Stevie. You’re someone who needs a break from the media and the public’s obsession. That’s about the most normal thing I can think of.”
I meet his gaze, a feeling of validation filling my chest. Curtis never seemed to need a break from it. He had no problem being constantlyonfor the media and fans. “People would sacrifice their firstborn to live the life I’ve led, Troy.”
“Maybe. And then the media would find out what they’d done, and they’d feel the full weight of public outrage against them.”
I laugh weakly.
“Hey.” He tightens his hold again, and I squeeze back, grateful for the calm I feel at the warmth and pressure of his touch—a little reassurance I’m not alone. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay?”
The steadiness in his eyes and the firmness in his jaw makes my heart race. I believe him. Absolutely I do.
His mouth quirks up at the side. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten…” He slowly takes a knee. “I’m a yellow belt in karate.” He drops the other knee, performing his official bow.
“You mean the belt just above the very bottom? The one you almost automatically promote to? Yeah, I think you mentioned it a time or seven hundred. And maybe you’ve forgotten, but I’malsoa yellow belt. We did those classes together.”
He doesn’t lose his rigidity as he rises, right knee first, then left knee. “Yeah, but you missed a couple classes.”
“All the more impressive I still promoted. Should we get our food before it gets cold?”
