Page 12 of Unbelievable You

“I’d like us to be friends. If you’re open to that. I know you’re skeptical of me. Of my intentions. I know that Cadence and I don’t seem like we fit. But I love her. I love her more than I’ve ever loved anything.”

Now was my time to speak. “More than your career?”

Eloise’s eyes snapped to mine. Hers were a strange shade of blue that almost looked violet in certain lights. Stunning and unusual. Hypnotic.

“Tell me what you mean,” she said, and it wasn’t a question.

“You’re going on a book tour, and you’re bringing Cade. Are you going to make her pretend to be your assistant again to explain why she’s with you? If someone asks a question about her during an interview, are you going to lie? Are you going to make her tell lies about the two of you?”

All of those questions had been knocking around in my brain ever since Cade told me about her feelings for Eloise. I’d been supportive of my best friend when things had seemed like they were one-sided. I hadn’t wanted to tell her that her crush on Eloise wasn’t likely to be reciprocated. And then it had been, and I’d been completely and totally thrown.

Cade was wonderful. Amazing. I would sing her praises all day, But I never thought that Eloise would reciprocate her feelings. Never in a hundred years.

I’d thought that the relationship would flame out after its initial heat. So far, it hadn’t, but I wasn’t holding my breath. Eloise would have to prove she was in this for the long haul.

“This isn’t easy for me, you know,” she said, defensive. I expected that.

“I do know. I’m queer too. Do you think my parents were jumping for joy when I told them that their only daughter wasn’t going to be marrying a nice boy they picked out for me?”

To this day, my parents would still ask me if I was very sure I was a lesbian. If there wasn’t any wiggle room for me to fall for a man that they would approve of.

Eloise looked away. “I’m sorry for that. That your parents didn’t support you.”

I brushed that aside. It didn’t matter right now. We were talking about Cade.

“I’m going to claim her. Publicly. The reason I haven’t done it already is because I don’t want it to hurt Cade. There won’t be photographers hiding in the bushes to talk pictures of us, but people will say things. She’s going to be put under a spotlight that isn’t always kind. I’ve built my armor up over years of dealing with it. But Cade hasn’t. I don’t—” she broke off, emotion choking her voice.

“I don’t want who I am to hurt her. I’d do anything to protect her.” She hurriedly swiped at her eyes. Tears. Another surprise.

“She’s strong,” I said, and Eloise nodded.

“Oh, I know. It’s one of the things I love about her. I just wish I could change the world for her. I’ve done my best, but I don’t know what’s going to happen on the tour.”

There was genuine fear in her eyes.

“You could tell her not to go,” I said.

Eloise snorted. “Have you ever told Cade not to do something? That’s the quickest way to get her to want to do whatever it is.”

A laugh escaped me. That was true. She knew Cade well.

“I know,” I said.

“I’m hoping that all my fears are just paranoia. There’s a chance that no one cares or will notice.”

That was a possibility. A small one. Eloise was used to her level of fame.

“Will you protect her?” I asked. Cade was the only thing I cared about. Eloise and her career were irrelevant.

“Yes, I will,” she said. “I need you to believe that I will do whatever I can to protect her from anything that tries to hurt her.”

Eloise reached out and gripped my wrist. “Do you believe me?”

Her fingers dug into my skin and her eyes were desperate.

I believed that she was sincere. But I didn’t believe she had the power to stop people from attacking Cade.

At least that was something that wouldn’t happen to me. After seeing every single member of my close and extended family be wrecked by love in one way or another, I was staying far away from it altogether. People might think that just because a couple didn’t get divorced, that meant everyone was happy, and that the marriage was successful. Not so. Every single married couple in my family was miserable, bitter, and hated each other. Some more so than others. But most couldn’t stand to be in the same room for longer than ten minutes, my parents included. Love was a poison that ruined everyone. All I had heard growing up were arguments and snide comments and diatribes on how awful wives were, how terrible husbands could be.

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