Page 173 of Next to Everything We Wanted

“What?” I spat, putting my sunglasses on. Before Dad could answer, I got out of the car and marched over to the guy.

“Whoa, you look like you’re about to kill me,” the guy said.

I stopped in my tracks. That husky voice waswaytoo familiar.

When I didn’t say anything, the guy lifted his sunglasses again, revealing a pair of green eyes and a tanned face.

I gasped, a mix of anger and shock flooding my system. “Justin?”

“Shush.” Justin lowered his sunglasses and looked around. “Just get me inside.”

Frustrated but not wanting to fight him in front of any nosy neighbors, I let him follow me and my family back to our real house. As soon as the front door closed, I unleashed everything on him.

“Why the hell are you stalking me?” I demanded, resisting the urge to shove him into the door.

“I’m not stalking you,” he said, putting his sunglasses and ballcap on the entryway table. “No one has heard from you, so I drove down to the beach.” He took his sweatshirt off, revealing the army of tattoos on his arms. “I recognized your family from the last time I saw them—beautiful hat, by the way—and followed you home.”

I gaped at him. “That’s literally what stalking is.”

“I’m making sure no one murdered you after you hung up on me yesterday.” He put his fingers on my neck, where my cloud tattoo was. Gosh, I needed to get rid of that thing. It was meaningless now. “I think you might be alive.”

“Barely.” I crossed my arms. “Did Phoenix or someone else send you here?”

“Who else is involved in this situation?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Man, youdohave a secret life.”

I clenched my jaw. “Since when did you care so much?” I snapped. “You haven’t said crap to me since you started sucking Emberlynn’s face. You’re busy in your own bubble, and I was busy in mine.”Before it burst.

Hurt flickered over his features, his lips parting. “What happened to you, Hanville?”

“What do you mean?” I wasn’t in the mood to have a deep conversation in the middle of the foyer. I had no idea where my family was, and I hoped they couldn’t hear us.

“You weren’t like this the past year I’ve talked to you. You were finally happy for the first time since you left Charm Street.” A frown spread across his face. “And I was rooting for you.”

I rubbed my neck. “Everyone keeps saying that about me.” Did that make it true? Was I really acting like the old Gavin Hanville, the one everyone made fun of?

Justin sighed, intensity growing in his gaze. It was rare that he showed sincere emotion—he was fully wrapped up in Hollywood, after all. He’d mastered the fake smiles, hot poses, and bubbly personality that made girls drool.Hewas the definition of fame.

Even when I was in Charm Street, he’d never looked at me like this.

I drew in a sharp breath. “Follow me.”

I led him down the hallway to my room. He stopped at my door and looked at the height markings on the frame.

“I didn’t know people actually did this,” he said, tracing his finger along the different markings.

“Yeah, my dad used to measure me.” I thought about all the times I’d told him that I would be taller than him one day and smiled.

Justin nodded, also smiling. “You’ve always been short.”

I scoffed. “I’m average height, thank you very much.”

For the first time in this encounter, I took in his appearance to see what had changed, other than his plethora of tattoos. He was barely taller than last time, around six-foot, but he had more muscle. His curly brown locks were still well-kept, though he’d cut them shorter. He was only a year older than me, but he looked at least twenty-two. I could see why girls threw themselves at him.

“So, this is your crib now,” Justin said as we sat on my bed, where Dapper had gotten himself comfortable.

Dapper barked at him, his ears perking up.

“It’s okay, buddy,” Justin said, trying to rub Dapper. “Gavin loves me.”