Page 90 of From Us, Forever

“At least you admit it.” My eyes landed on Tyler as soon as we entered the foyer.

“Hi, Tyler.” I waved an enthusiastic hand but was only met with a grim hello as he retrieved the bags from Jay and darted out the door.

Wow, he was never going to lose that stiff act with me even though I had told him numerous times that we were friends. I guess he could never be friends with his employer’s girlfriend.

“Tyler will stay with you while I’m gone.”

“Why?” I frowned. “I don’t need protection anymore. Take him with you.”

“The press knows who you are, and I’ll have peace of mind knowing he’s with you.”

“I can take care of myself, Jay. I’m not going to put myself into such situations again. I know better now.”

He gave me a sharp look. “Just please don’t argue, Evelyn,” he asserted firmly.

And I sighed, nodding.

“Good.” He crushed me to his chest, holding me tight. “I’m going to miss you a lot.” Just then Strawberry decided to pay us a little visit, running circles around us.

I laughed but didn’t move an inch as I grazed my cheek along his chest. The steady beat of his heart dripped into my soul.

“I love you.” He planted a kiss on my forehead.

“I love you,” I mumbled, reluctantly pulling back.

“I gotta go now,” he whispered, softly kissing my lips.

I nodded, squeezing his hand and suddenly feeling emotional. “I still better be your favorite person in the whole wide world when you get back, Jay.” My voice cracked at the end.

He gave me a smile that turned my heart into mush. “You will always be, sweetheart.”

With a heavy heart, Strawberry and I bid him goodbye.

She whined softly, nuzzling my feet as if she understood her dad was going away for a while.

I clambered upstairs to finish up in the library and prepped a bit for tomorrow.

Two hours later, my phone went off with a familiar ring. I almost couldn’t keep the smile off my face when I picked it up.

“You haven’t even been gone for a few hours.”

“Doesn’t matter. I miss you,” Jay mumbled, sounding like a teenager who hadjust beenrejected by his crush.

I laughed, ambling over to the kitchen while I decided on dinner. “Strawberry and I miss you too. Don’t you, baby?” I cooed to which she gave me a cute bark.

“Fuck, don’t make sounds like that,” Jay cursed.

“E, I don’t know how you handle this depressing fucker, but he hasn’t stopped whining about you since we got on board.” I could hear Mikey laugh in the background.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole.” Jay’s cold voice was aimed at Mikey, which only made him laugh harder.

“Are you on the flight? Can you be talking on the phone?” I slid the phone from my ear, putting it on speaker as I assembled my ingredients for seafood pasta.

We asked Helen, Jay’s cook, to come around only when requested. Since we both liked to cook and she had just welcomed her granddaughter, she was happy with this schedule.

“Yeah, we have Wi-Fi.”

“Of course you do.”

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