Page 60 of The Bodyguard

Briar chuckles. “Good point. Luis freaked out.”

“Did he?”

Oh, no. I am not proud of how I reacted. I don’t consider myself a diva, but it can’t have been a good look in hindsight.

She nods. “Kept asking what could have happened and what Ryder would do.”

I frown. “What did you tell him?”

Luis works for Ricco and is so quiet I barely speak to him. He’s all starry-eyed most of the time. It’s still weird that people react like that when...I’m just me.

“That you were just a dramatic Hollywood star.” Briar smirks.

I laugh. “Good answer. Maybe it’s true.”

She shrugs. “We can all be dramatic, I guess, and you have a lot of shit to deal with in this new fame.”

“And that’s why I love you, Briar,” I whisper.

She sees much more than anyone else—except my bodyguard and manager—and is someone I can rely on.

I realize, as I munch the carrot, that I do share a lot of things with her.

Maybe I shouldn’t? Ugh, I hate second guessing everyone.

But while I have her attention, and everyone is distracted, I take the time to talk to her.

“And Gina? How did she react?” I ask.

Her eyes drift away.

I wait.

“I think she just went home,” Briar says diplomatically.

Of course, she’s not going to say anything bad about my friend. I feel bad about putting her on the spot.

But then I realize something else. Gina never messaged me to ask how I was. Then again, I did snap and ask everyone to get out. Still, wouldn’t a true friend check in to see if you are okay?

It’s becoming clearer every day that I am her boss now and not a friend. I probably have more of a friendship with Briar than I do with Gina.

Speak of the devil.

She walks into the room looking a little disheveled and with a grin on her face.

“Hey,” I call out.

“Hi,” Gina says and plonks down onto the bed. “What have I missed?”

Briar stares at her for a moment. “Did you get those documents printed for me?”

Gina leaps up. “Shit. I will go do that now.”

So what was she doing?

Briar doesn’t look at me, but I can see the judgment as she bites her bottom lip to stop from saying something and picks up her tablet.

“Everything going okay?” I finally ask.

---