Page 25 of The Billionaire's Fan

“You’ve also got to trust her. Trust that she can handle it. If she cares about you, she will find a way to deal with the craziness. But you also have to make time for her. Show her she’s a priority, no matter how busy you get.”

I think about Jordyn. “She’s worth it.”

Chad smiles, “It will not be easy, and there will be times when it feels like everything is against you and her. But if you care about one another, you’ll make it work.”

I nod, feeling a renewed sense of determination. “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, man,” Chad replied, raising his glass in a toast. “To love and the crazy journey we all decide to take on.”

We clink glasses, and I smile. “To love.”

We both take a tip of our drinks, the conversation giving me the clarity that I needed to navigate the complexities of my relationship with Jordyn. I know it won’t be easy, but with honesty, trust, and determination, I was ready to face whatever challenges that lay ahead. I just needed to give Jordyn the rundown of what being in a relationship with me would entail.

Jordyn’s homewas a stark contrast to the frenetic world that I am used to. She has strategically placed lamps that bathed the room in a soft warm glow. She brought home pizza from therestaurant, with the aroma filling the air. We sat cross-legged on the plush carpet, the pizza box from Pie Squared open between us, its contents too tempting to resist.

I take a bite out of my slice, savoring the rich flavors. “You guys sure know how to make a pizza,” I say with a grin, wiping some sauce from the corner of my mouth.

She smiles, her eyes twinkling, “I’m glad you like it. Now that Dad revealed the family secret, you better not tell a soul.” She points at me in a warning.

“Trust me, I can keep a secret.” I set my slice down and looked at her with a serious expression, “there’s something that we need to talk about. Something important.”

Her expression mirrored my own as she nodded, setting her own slice aside. “What’s up?”

I take a deep breath, collecting my thoughts. “This thing between us, it’s more than fleeting. I’m taking it seriously. And I just need to see if we’re on the same page?”

“Is this the boyfriend-girlfriend conversation? Are we pledging ourselves to one another?” she jokes.

“Do people do that still?”

“Did they ever? Wasn’t this a conversation that we already had after you stayed at my house that first time?”

“I like this thing between us. I care about you, a lot. More than I’ve cared about someone in a long time. But being in a relationship with someone like me, it’s difficult. There are things you need to know, and we need to be completely honest with one another in the process.”

She leans in, giving me her full attention. “I’m listening.”

I reach for her hand, holding it gently. “Because I am who I am, it means constant scrutiny. Paparazzi, fans, the media - they’re always watching, always judging. Privacy is hard to come by, and every little thing can be blown out of proportion. I need you to know that I’m in this.”

“If we’re in this together, I’m down to try.”

“This thing between us, we have to have complete honesty and trust. There will be rumors, and there will be times when we’re apart for long stretches because of tours and recording sessions. But if we trust one another and communicate openly, we can get through this.”

“How many talks like this have you had to have?”

“You’re my first,” I admit.

Her expression softens. “I trust you. And I promise to always be honest with you. But I need you to promise me the same.”

“I promise,” I added. “I want nothing more than to build something solid. It won’t be easy, and there will be tough times, but I believe we can do this.”

She smiles. “I’m ready to face whatever comes our way.”

I leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “Thank you. That, this. It means more to me than you know.”

We returned to our pizza and returned to bantering about random things, while we enjoyed one another’s company.

I’m excited to see what our future holds for us, now that we’ve had that discussion.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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