Page 47 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

“Is he good?”

He looked at me a little strangely, but he smiled just the same. “He’s great. Good guy too.”

My eyebrows went up a little with that. “Do you know him?”

“Mmmhmm.”

I grinned. He looked like he was trying to be all blasé about it. “Well, la-di-da. Look at you, knowing all the famous people.” I laughed at his sheepish face.

His hand tightened on the back of my neck, his fingers poised to tickle. “Are you teasing me?”

“No!” I laughed louder. “I’m not! I promise.”

Josh chuckled and pulled me toward him, kissing me on the forehead. I would’ve preferred it to be on my lips, but I thought I might’ve stretched the boundaries with him already today.

Grabbing a bowl of popcorn off the table, he thrust it into my lap. “Here. Eat and behave.”

I bit my lip in a poor attempt at hiding my amusement. Tucking my legs underneath me, I leaned into Josh’s side and obeyed, watching the beginning credits start rolling across the screen.

Chapter 28

Josh

The sky was stained with varying shades of pinks and yellows as the sun crept upwards, over the horizon. As I sat on the deck, feet up and crossed at the ankles, and coffee in hand, I contemplated the situation I’d managed to dig myself into with Olivia.

Looking back, I could see that I’d been drawn to her in a way that was out of my control from the very moment I set eyes on her. I wondered if that was just the way she’d always been, or if it was a product of her upbringing for the past six years. Something told me that even if she hadn’t gone to Africa, she still would’ve been a light people were drawn to. She was too special for it to be any other way.

“You’re up early.”

I smiled at the sound of Amy’s voice and turne

d to see her shuffling outside with her own coffee in hand. I nodded in agreement. “Unfortunately, the body clock’s been set this way for too long now.”

As she lowered herself down onto a sofa, she nodded. “I feel like that’s where I’m headed too. Mae seems to like the sunrise.”

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Is she still awake?”

“God, no. She’s fed and happy now, cuddled up in Daniel’s arms. Can’t say I blame her,” she added, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“So, I take it things are going well with you, then?” I said, watching her carefully. “I mean, the job’s not creating any dramas?”

She took a sip of her coffee and wobbled her head side-to-side evasively. “The last few months weren’t great, but that was unavoidable. Mae needed to be near the therapy team as much as she could. It’ll be better now we all know what we have to do. I’m looking forward to Florida.”

“I think we all are.”

She watched me for a little while, her mind ticking over. “Liv seems nice.”

I smirked at her attempt at subtlety. “She is.”

“It’s crazy that she doesn’t know who you are.”

My mood sobered a little as my thoughts moved back to Liv. “I like it. This is the first time I’ve felt like me since I came to LA.”

She pursed her lips, biting the inside of her cheek. “Josh,” she said. “Can I say something? From a girl’s point of view?”

I inhaled, my breath pausing as I considered her request. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. But she was a friend, and I honestly did value her opinion. “All right.”

“I get why you don’t want to tell her who you are. I really do,” she said, sitting forward a fraction. “It’s a pure platform for the both of you to get to know each other and enjoy each other.” I nodded, in complete agreement. “But in a way, you’ve done that now. She’s gotten a sense of the real you, and what kind of person you are. Do you know what I mean?”

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