Page 79 of Trouble in Love
“And what the hell are you smiling about?”
“Nothing.” He smirked, “You’re just cute when you’re being all growly and protective. Kinda sexy, too.”
“Oh.” I couldn’t be mad at that.
“He’s right,” nodded Teddy. “Even I’m hot for you right now and that,” he pointed between my boobs for emphasis, “is not my scene at all. Actually, come to think of it, I know I risk decapitation for saying this, but that little bit of snark in you reminds me a lot of Evie.”
Luca’s knee caress became a death hold. “Evie Austen?” I asked.
“Austen-Myers, and yes.” Teddy confirmed.
I crossed my arms over my chest, looked out the window, studied the mass of giant cars flowing down the motorway and huffed. “Huh.”
Three sets of eyes stared back at me, but only Teddy was brave, or stupid enough to speak. “Huh? Huh?! What, that’s it? No stabby stabby, chokey chokey?”
“You seem disappointed. Did you want me to hurt you?”
“No.” Teddy waved, “No, I’m just … surprised.”
“Well, you shouldn’t be. Obviously, things changed between us, but Evie and I were friends for a reason. Our mutual temper and hatred of most people was what bonded—and kept—us together.”
Teddy bit into his lip to suppress a smile. “Ya know, I pointed out your similarities to her one day, and you almost quoted her verbatim. Though she also punched me in the tummy”
“She always was the violent one—.”
Luca’s phone vibrated in his free hand. “Speaking of violence…Hey, Ana. You’re on speaker for my own safety.”
“Are you okay? Did you get out of the airport okay? Is Polly, okay?”
“Yes, yes and yes.”
“I’m okay, too!” yelled Teddy. “Thanks for asking.”
“Not to mention me,” sulked Ash.
“Okay, there are too many people in this conversation.” Ana groaned, “Luca, off speaker. Now.”
Ignoring his sister’s request, Luca placed his finger to his lips for a silent ‘shh’. “Just us now, Ana, and I promise we are fine.”
“Good, because I’m going to kill you.”
“Me? What are you killing me for? It’s not my fault.”
Ana took a deep breath, held and released it slowly … and loudly. “I know. I’m sorry. I just … I hate this. Mom was followed home from the market, I was tailed all the way home from work, and you’ve done everything the team asked of you. You cleanedyourself up, did the rehab, got back into shape, and they still let you down.”
“It’s not their fault either. They can’t control the media any more than I can.”
“No, but they can take precautions. Someone risked your safety by leaking your flight details, and they need to find out who.”
“And they will, Chris is on it.”
“Well, that hardly fills me with confidence. They may as well have a sack of soggy potatoes investigating. Now, forget that dick. Where are you? Are you coming home, slumming it with Ash, or in a hotel?” Teddy and Ash silently gasped, and I gave my best commiserating head tilt while also laughing.
“Stayingwith Teddy and Ash was my original plan, and Asher’s done a brilliant job and lost the paparazzi. I think we’ll come up the alley behind the house, drive straight into their garage and jump over the back fence once the coast is clear.”
“And they say romance is dead,” I tutted, then slapped my hand over my mouth.
“Hey!” Ana cried, “I thought I was off speaker. I just called Asher’s place a slum.”
