Page 40 of Christmas Crisis
“I promise you I’m okay with it. I’m the one who insisted. Stone would have been public from the get-go, but he understands my reasoning. He’s a good guy. I think you’d like him if you got to know him better.”
Leo mumbled a noise that sounded a lot like “doubt it” under his breath.
I grinned. “That’s okay, Bear. I realize you don’t have much in common with a twenty-something bro. But it’s like I said, we’re not serious enough to justify the hassle of going public. Not at this stage. I have too much on my plate without adding beingStone Caseman’s girlfriendto the mix.”
“And if it gets more serious?”
I hummed thoughtfully. If Leo had asked me that a month ago, I would have assured him it wasn’t an issue. I’d have said Stone and I got along great, but we were only having fun. Now I wasn’t so sure. Every day, as I got to know the true Stone beneath his public facade, I liked him more. In private, he was funny and articulate. Nerdy even. Before he’d dropped out to pursue influencing full-time, he’d been in school for environmental science, and I admired his strong interest in conservation.
Still, I couldn’t see myself ever wanting to be in the public eye. Not the way he was. Most of the time, that obstacle felt insurmountable to having a deeper relationship.
“Honestly, Leo, I don’t know. We’re not in that place now, and I can’t predict the future. The only thing I’m sure of is that, at this moment, going public with Stone is more than I want to deal with. I’ve seen his DMs. You should see the amount of unsolicited boobs he gets sent—not to mention dick pics—and I don’t want to be subjected to any extra scrutiny by his crazy fans. Not now that I’m finally past the worst of my grief. Plus, I’ll be launching myself into the job market in less than a year.”
“You’ve told him all this?”
“Some of it. I don’t talk about my mom, or about the future. He’s very much alive in the momenttype of guy, so that’s what we’re doing. I think he likes our little cocoon when we’re together because he’s so busy with his career. He’s got a new movie with Naomi Butler coming up—”
“The child actress?”
“That’s the one. It’s an indie film calledPanic in First Class. It’s mostly for Naomi to redefine herself. Stone is what you’d call ‘stunt casting,’ which he’s okay with. But he’s also nervous about getting it right. He knows this could catapult him into a real future in entertainment.”
Leo let out a hissed breath, the sound vibrating through the cab. “It seems like you and Stone are in such different places,” he finally said. “But I trust you. If you’re telling me this works, then I respect it. But I want to be honest that the secrecy concerns me.” He ran his thumb and forefinger over his chin. “It could fall apart in a bad way, and I can’t help worrying.”
“I know. And thank you. If this blows up, or I need someone to talk sense into me, you’ll be the first one I call.”
I reached for his hand, kissing his knuckles before pulling our twined fingers into my lap.
He kept his eyes on the road as I squeezed our palms together.
“We’re still going to be us, Bear. We’re still going to be…the way we are. That’s not going to change. Your friendship is important to me. And I made it clear to Stone that it’s a priority.”
“As long as you made it clear to him that you’re no one’s afterthought,” Leo said fiercely, disengaging his hand once we started moving again.
I rested my head against the window. Truly, I didn’t mind if I wasn’t Stone's priority all the time. When we were together, I enjoyed getting to know him. But when we weren’t, I didn’t pine for him or anything like that.
There was only one person whose thoughts and regard I truly cared about. Only one person I missed when he wasn’t around.
Did it matter if Stone floated in and out of my life like the wind when I had Leo to be my rock?
Chapter twelve
Leo
NOW
Tuesday morning, on my hands and knees, putting the finishing touches on the entryway staircase at the jobsite, I peered at the floor in front of me to see a pair of red Converse, the right foot tapping aggressively against the hardwood.
My eyes lifted as I sat back on my haunches. “Hey, Amala.”
My coworker folded her arms and glared at me. With her blue one-piece utility suit and hair pinned under a red scarf, she gaveoff unmistakable Rosie the Riveter energy. Assuming Rosie was pissed as hell.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I sighed. “About Miranda?”
She threw up her arms and made a face. “Yes, about Miranda. Obviously. You’ve been telling us for two years that you and she are just friends. Now we find out—from the fucking internet—that not only are you dating, but she’s also friends with Stone Caseman. Why didn’t you say something when I was talking shit about him on Thanksgiving? I can’t believe I didn’t put it together thatadventure girlMiranda wasyourMiranda, but whatever.”
I rose. Since I was on the stair below her, we stood eye to eye. “I’m sorry. I guess when I heard you and Lisa talking, I panicked.”
