Page 102 of Declan

I was getting a crazy amount of requests for interviews, too. I already had a few planned for the upcoming week, and so, I’d have to face the world sooner or later. Preferably later.

Needing the comfort—and sanity—he provided, I reached for Kyler.

He rested his head on my shoulder.

“I’m proud of you, Spartan,” he said, tightening his hold on me. “I know it’s not easy. But the scary part is over, right?”

I nodded before kissing his temple.

With him by my side, I could handle anything.

***

“You got this, babe,” Kyler said.

I held the phone closer, wishing he was with me instead of being hundreds of miles away. He hadn’t been able to take off work, and he was too proud to accept my offer of him quitting. He didn’t want handouts, and I understood that.

So, I was back in California, about to go on a morning talk show and discuss the upcoming movie, plus answer questions people had been dying to get answered for a week.

“I do?” I asked, staring at the door to my dressing room.

Kyler laughed, and I focused on the sound. Letting his carefree nature calm me.

“Yes, you do,” he responded. “If anyone gives you shit, kick them in the nuts or something.”

“What if it’s a woman?”

“Kick her in the lady nuts.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “That was such a Brysen response.”

I’d spent about a week with Kyler and Brysen, and I’d never felt more “normal” than with those two. Ever since I’d met Kyler, I’d discovered he liked cleanliness, but I’d learned exactly how much within my time at his apartment. Poor guy. He was constantly cleaning up after Brysen—who made a mess everywhere he went.

Brysen was an incredible person, though. Once I got past his wild personality, unfiltered comments, and general weirdness, I’d seen the sweet guy beneath it all. There was no greater best friend for Kyler than that crazy twink.

Gideon had liked him, too. Pretty sure the short blond had wormed his way into my bodyguard’s heart.

Someone knocked on the door before popping their head in. “You’re on in five.”

“Thanks,” I said to them before checking myself in the mirror. Everything looked great; my freshly shaven face, styled hair, and the tailored suit. All that was amiss was my expression…which looked horrified.

“Breathe, Dec.”

I took a breath and released it. Kyler knew me so well he didn’t even have to be in the same room—or state—as me to sense my nerves.

“There ya go.”

“I miss you,” I said.

I’d leaned on Freckles a lot this past week. He’d been my strength in so many ways. Trolls didn’t bother me, but there’d been quite a few hateful comments on my social media. Even with all the bad, the response had been mostly positive. People reaching out to me and saying how I gave them the courage to be themselves, too.

“You’ll see me later,” he responded in a confident tone.

I tried to use his confidence for myself. I always experienced a little bout of nerves before a TV appearance, but it’d never been that bad. Maybe because I was about to talk about my personal life in front of a live audience that would then be broadcasted to thousands of people.

“Call me when you’re done and let me know how it went, okay?” Kyler said. “It won’t air here until an hour later.”

“I will.”