Page 153 of Scattered Glitter

“Mostly because I’m independent,” she says with a smile, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “And I don’t want to be stuck in that big-ass house.” She hesitates for a moment, then adds, “And, well… Sylus.”

“Sylus?” I don’t know him, but I know he integratedwith the Lanes after my time. I always assumed he was as full of himself as them.

“Yep.” She says it as if it’s obvious.

“Is he bothering you?” My words come out sharper than I intended, and she picks up on it, raising an amused eyebrow at me.

“I can handle him, don’t worry.” Her tone is light, but there’s definitely something about her that makes me think she can handle herself.

Like she has to.

Why do you have to, Rosie?

I nod, even as jealousy prickles under my skin. She’s got guys swarming around her, no doubt about it. And here I am, another one of them, trying to get her attention.

Trying to shake off the thought, I steer us back to something less vulnerable. “So… how was the rest of the party? I didn’t see you after they called you back.”

She rolls her eyes. “The twins decided they wanted to go to Celeste. I told them ditching their own party was rude as hell, but…” She shrugs, giving me a look that says it all. “They’re self-absorbed assholes.”

My hands ball into fists. That’s what I thought. They up and vanished. I’d thought about bailing, too, but stayed, hoping she’d turn up again. But nope, she was gone, too, and every minute after was torture. I don’t know why it bothered me so damn much. Without her, the room felt emptier than it had a right to be with that many people in it.

Every instinct I’ve honed over years of navigating shallow, transactional relationships screams at me to back off, to protect myself. But there’s this other part of me, a quieter, more desperate part, that doesn’t want to let go and wants to believe she’s as real as she seems.

Because if she’s real, maybe I can be too.

“On that, we can agree.” I smile, crossing my arms. “They’re… a lot.”

“A lot?” Her lips quirk upward. “That’s a polite way of putting it.”

“Hey, I’m trying to be diplomatic here,” I joke, chasing that rush of excitement I get from talking with her as I move behind her. “Do you need a spotter?”

She glances over her shoulder at me. “Actually, yeah. I’ve been wanting to add more weight, but every time I picture it, I see myself… crumbling.”

“I’ve got you,” I assure her, doing my best to sound steady as I step into position. She sets up her first squat, and everything stays focused on the assignment except my eyes.

They have a mind of their own.

Jesus. That ass.

I quickly snap my gaze up in time to catch her smiling at me in the mirror, and my mouth goes dry.

Yep, I’ve been caught.

“I… uh…” I stammer, feeling heat crawl up my neck. “Just, you know, making sure your form’s good.”

She chuckles. A low, knowing sound. “Sure you are.”

Idiot,I scold myself, scrambling for some dignity as she struggles through her set. “Might be easier if you adjust your stance a bit,” I suggest, half-expecting her to brush me off. “I can help… if you’re up for it.”

It comes out awkward, and I instantly remember Sylus telling her he’d show her the ropes, which had earned him an eye roll. And here I am, practically doing the same thing.Idiot, indeed.

Only she doesn’t roll her eyes as she lifts the weights to secure the bar. I automatically move to help as she replies, “I’d love some help if you actually know what you’re doing.”

“Weightlifting and parkour are my only real talents,” Ishare, feeling the blush fade a little as I find my footing again.

“Parkour?” Her eyes go wide, interested. “Like, the rooftop-jumping, wall-scaling kind of parkour?”

“Not exactly the movie version,” I explain, chuckling as I rub the back of my neck. “But close. It’s more about moving through obstacles with control, but yeah, sometimes rooftops are involved.”

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