Page 26 of Two for Joy

Chad laughed. “Yeah?”

“I was the handsome prince of course.”

“Well, of course.”

“And then yesterday we had a group outing to the zoo.”

“Surely there’s enough animals in there.”

It was Romeo’s turn to laugh. “True, and I’m the scariest one…”

“The most handsome, and the scariest, too, what a combination.”

“It got me this far, and it got me you…”

Chad swallowed and looked down at his hands on the table. “Come on, really, tell me about your week.”

“Why?”

“Because it will distract me from mine.”

Romeo tilted his head, studying Chad’s expression. He wasn’t right, barely holding it together.

“Okay. I had another interview with Holly.”

“Stevenson? She’s still writing her feature on you.”

“Apparently.”

“How long does it take?”

“I suspect she’s stalling.”

“Why?”

“Because she thinks she’s in love with me.”

Chad’s smile fell, and he shuffled awkwardly.

“In your dreams.” Paul mumbled.

“No, thanks.” Romeo said over his shoulder. “But I suspect she features in yours.”

“Shut it.”

“Holly’s in love with you…” Chad whispered.

Romeo turned his attention back to Chad.

“She thinks she is, but she doesn’t know me, she just knows the made up me I gave her for the article.” Romeo stuck out his bottom lip. “The wounded, abused version who just needs a hug and a cup of cocoa.”

Paul cursed, but Romeo didn’t grace him with a response. He was too intrigued by Chad’s reaction. His darting eyes, and fidgeting, and his cheeks growing redder by the second.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” Chad blurted.

“Kinda looks like it.”

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