Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Leila gapes at me. “You love me?”
“I do,” I say with a chuckle. “These last few months have been torture. I need you in my life. Nothing feels right without you.”
“Yet, your life is perfect right now, remember? You’ve got everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“I worked to get those things, and I’m going to work for you, too. I shouldn’t have kept the kiss a secret. Mason thinks I self-sabotage.”
Leila laughs. “Funny, because Abby said the same thing about me.”
“See! We have so much in common.”
“That’s not a good thing to have in common. What are we supposed to do? Wait until one of us screws it up again?”
“I think we try a different approach this time.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Oh? What do you have in mind?”
“We try this whole communication thing. It’s all the rage.”
“Tell me more,” she teases.
“We’re good at talking to each other, there’s no doubt about that, but we weren’t good at talking about the important things. You never told me that the paparazzi photos were getting to you and so you blew up at me in the club. I didn’t tell you about the kiss with Candy and I lost you. We need to talk to each other about these things.”
“I’m not good at that,” Leila says quietly. “Ask Abby. Hell, ask Malia. They could both tell you that I don’t do well with talking about my feelings.”
“Neither do I. That’s why we’re a work in progress.”
“For how long? You’re going to get sick of me. Look at all the other girls you have dropping at your feet.”
“I don’t care about them, and it’s not just because of you. I never did. Ask anyone. Look at the tabloids.”
She bites her lip, and I can’t help staring, desperate to close the distance between us, both physically and emotionally.
“I’m scared, Spencer.”
“I know. So am I. It’s a part of life, though. We have to do the things we’re afraid of.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Do you want to try?”
Silence falls between us. Leila looks up to meet my eyes, and I can see the fear, confusion, and a little bit of excitement there.
“I never realized that I’m a jealous person,” she says. “Every time I see you with another girl, it turns my stomach.”
“You have to trust me.”
“I want to, but …”
“But I betrayed you by keeping the kiss with Candy a secret. I know that was a big thing, and I shouldn’t have kept it from you. I knew you were going to find out. Mason gave me plenty of shit for it, don’t worry.”
She laughs. “Good, you deserve it. Now, though … what if you do it again?”
“What if I don’t? What if I take this communication thing to heart?”
“You’re still going to kiss other girls on screen. How can I be okay with that?”
“Remember that it means nothing. That’s just a part of my job.”
“Most people have jobs that don’t require them to kiss people.”
“That’s true, but I don’t. I’m not going to give up my career for you, Leila.”
Her eyes widen. “I would never ask you to!”
“I can’t stop the romantic scenes, either. It’s a big part of the entertainment business. People love watching characters fall in love.”
“I know because I’m one of those people.”
“The question is, then, can you ever trust me again? Can you handle being with me, even though I’ll still be working the same job?”
Leila looks away, and I worry I’ve lost her for good. I’ve said everything I came here to say. If I’m not what she wants, I can’t stand here and try to convince her any more than I already have.
“I’ll leave you alone,” I say quietly.
Before I can open the door, Leila says, “Wait.”
I turn back to her.
“Don’t go. I’m terrified of us. I don’t want my heart to break again, but at the same time, that’s a part of falling in love. I can’t protect myself from hurt and lose happiness in the process.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want to try. I want to go back to California and take up the reigns at Frills West again. I want Shiloh to have fresh air and plenty of space to run. And, probably most of all, I want you.”
I scoop her in my arms and kiss her. “I’m so glad you said that. I was worried I’d be leaving here alone.”
She giggles. “I couldn’t let you do that. I can’t believe you came all this way. You could’ve called me.”
“You wouldn’t have answered. Or, if you did, you would’ve hung up on me.”
“Okay, that’s a fair point. But still.”
“Three-thousand miles is nothing. I’d have gone further to get you back if I needed to.”
“You’re a hopeless romantic.”
“And I’m in love with you.”
“I love you too, Spencer. Over the last few months, I tried to convince myself I didn’t, or that I should just move on, but it was impossible. I’m so in love with you, and I can’t imagine my life with anyone else.”