Page 95 of Lights, Camera, Love

He reaches to flatten his palm over my thigh, the warmth of his hand seeping through the cotton and into my skin. ‘You deserve all that and so much more, Evie,’ he says. ‘You deserve everything.’

I blink down at his touch, fighting off an urge to wind my fingers through his and lift them to my lips. First, though, I need to hear what he has to say about us.

‘Kye, did you really come here to talk about this?’ I ask.

He glances away, and removes his hand from my thigh, leaving a cold, bereft space in the shape of his palm. ‘Actually, I wanted to ask you something about the movie.’

Relief floods my lungs. So, he didn’t come here to call things off between us. ‘What is it?’ I say.

‘Austin asked me to help give the marketing a bit of a boost, and I had an idea.Ifwe can get the budget for it, how would you feel about hosting a series of flash mobs in public places around the country? You could bring some of the regulars from your class—all costs covered, of course—and choreograph something fun to one of the songs fromMoving. We’d make sure the media are at each event, as well as plenty of influencers to blast it over socials.’

A smile cuts into my cheeks. ‘That’s a brilliant idea. And, of course, I’d love to.’

His lips pull up. ‘Great.’

‘Cool.’ I wait for more, but Kye turns silent. ‘So, that’s what you came here to—’

‘It’s not,’ he says.

Alarm rings through me as a deep breath expands his chest.

‘I’m really sorry that I haven’t been around these past few days,’ he says without looking at me. ‘Seeing my brother really messed me up, and … well, I’ve had a lot of thinking to do.’

My heart kicks into a gallop as I wait for more.

‘I also spoke to Austin,’ he continues, ‘and he … he told me he hasfeelingsfor me. Romantic feelings.’

‘I know.’

Kye’s lips part. ‘Youknow?’

‘Austin didn’t tell me, at first, but I figured it out. I mean, he’s basically obsessed with you and everything you do. And when he reacted so strongly after you and I got together, and I knew he wasn’t interested in me like that, it all clicked.’

A little knot forms on Kye’s brow as his gaze dips to his jeans.

Terror slices down my throat, but this is a question I know I have to ask. ‘Are you in love with him?’ I whisper.

He collects both my hands in his. ‘Evie,no. No, I’m not in love with him.’

My fingers curl around his, squeezing. ‘You’re sure?’

He nods, his eyes returning to mine. Quietly, he says, ‘I’m falling foryou.’ He tilts my chin up with his fingers. ‘It’s you, Evie.’

Warmth bubbles up in my chest, filling my throat and flushing my face.

He blinks down. ‘But if you happen to feel the same way about me, I … I need to tell you that’—he swallows thickly—‘I … I can’t be in a relationship right now.’

A bullet slams into my chest.

And there it is.

I turn away from Kye as my torso begins to crumble from the force of it.

‘Evie,’ he pleads, leaning towards me, but I can’t look at him.

Still, he continues. ‘All my life, I’ve believed that the only person in the world who really loves me is Austin. I mean, my old caseworker, Mike, cares about me a lot, but it’s different. He has his own life, his own family. But Austin has always been there for me in a way that no one else has. And because of what I went through as a kid, I became dependent on him—on his approval—to feel good about myself. And I think I’ve finally figured out how to break free of that.’ Kye tips his lined face to the ceiling. ‘So, before I get into any kind of serious relationship, I feel like … I feel like I need to make sure that I don’t become dependent on someone else. What I really need, before I can be in a healthy relationship, is some proper therapy to deal with the neglect and abuse I went through as a kid.’

I stare down at the polished studio floor, grappling with my confusing tangle of reactions to this. I understand what Kye’s saying, and I support it. But at the same time, I need someone who will chooseme.

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