Page 95 of Untethered Heart
He nods, then looks at me. “And you?”
“Equally real. And very serious.”
Dylan taps a finger against his lip. I guess he’s trying to consider his feelings before expressing them, which I appreciate since Lex has been so worried about his reaction. I don’t want him upsetting her.
“Thank God. I was getting tired of pretending I didn’t know.”
“What?” Lex shrieks.
“Guppy, he drove all the way down to Killara Bay the day after Christmas. If that wasn’t suss enough, the way he looked at you the whole time he was here made it completely obvious.”
Lex looks at me as if to say,I told you so.
“Sorry, not sorry,” I say with a quick kiss on her pursed lips.
“Absolutely not. If that’s where this call is going, I’ll hang up now,” Dylan says, as if he’s offended, but you can hear the slight amusement under the words.
“Wait!” Lex laughs, looking back at her brother. “Are you okay with this?”
He shrugs. “Just like I told you that morning. If he’s making you smile like that, then I’m good. Legacy Malt has nothing to do with you guys as a couple. Right?”
“Absolutely. I’ve told Lex I’ll always take care of her. Whether we’re together or not.” I flat out reject any scenario where we won’t be together, but I’ll just focus on telling Dylan what he needs to hear for the moment.
“I believe you.” Dylan nods. “Also because I saw a photo of you guys from some ball you went to a few weeks ago. You looked good together.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I figured you’d tell me when you were ready. I always trust you, Guppy.”
“Thanks,” Lex whispers, thick with relief.
“Love you, sis. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Love you too,” she smiles.
“Look after my sister, Heart.”
“Always,” I say, and Lex melts into my side before she hangs up with her brother.
When I return my attention to my family, they’re all watching us.
Grams and Grandpa still have their hands linked, and Grams has a proud smile on her face as she looks at me and nods. It’s then that I realise it’s not only what I do for Heart Assets that makes her proud, it’s what I do for myself.
Chapter forty-six
“Are you sure this is okay?” Claire runs a hand down the skirt of her pale pink dress.
“Why are you so nervous? You’ve been together for two months now.” I’m applying my red lipstick while Claire paces behind me.
“Yeah, but this is my first Valentine’s date. My first relationship. It means something.” She turns on her gold heels, her blonde waves drifting over her shoulder with the motion.
“Not true. You’ve been in a long-term relationship with me for ten years.”
That stops her. With a hand on her heart, she pouts at me. “It’ll always be you, babe.”
“Baby, you ready?” Lee calls from down the hallway.
His footsteps draw closer to my open bedroom door. I turn to pick my purse up off the bed just in time to see him poke his head through the doorway.
