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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

FALLOUT

ELLE

Then

I didn’t usually get nervous before seeing Rhodes. Excited jitters maybe, but not nervous. But the past year had been the rockiest stretch we’d ever had. Part of it was not seeing each other as much. After we’d had a rough conversation one night where we’d basically called each other out for a) his inability to be in a relationship, and b) my tendency to be in a serial-relationship, he’d gone out of his way to call more. It had definitely helped, a lot , but things had still felt somewhat tentative between us since then. I didn’t like it.

I’d seen him on FaceTime at least once a week, but it was the longest we’d ever gone without seeing each other in person. Since that conversation, I’d only seen him for a few hours at a game in Denver. He hadn’t even been able to spend the night because his grandma had suddenly passed. We’d gone out to eat after the game and then back to my apartment for a couple of hours when he got the call. I drove him to the airport at three in the morning so he could meet his parents in South Africa.

It had been even longer since I’d seen his parents though. I hoped they would balance out any potential awkwardness between me and Rhodes. How had it come to this? I’d wanted to avoid that more than anything with my best friend, yet here we were.

When I saw his face in baggage claim, holding a huge bouquet of flowers, all my anxieties faded. He rushed toward me and hugged me so hard I couldn't breathe.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” He laughed when I squeaked. He rubbed my arms apologetically when he pulled back to smile at me. “Here.” He handed me the flowers. “I’m just so happy to see you.”

“Thank you. These are beautiful. I’m so happy to see you,” I said. I took a better look at him and made a face. “Where are you getting all these muscles? Every time I see you, there are more.”

He laughed. “I have to keep up with everyone and maintain my Sexiest Man Alive title. ”

“Right. Way to go on snagging it yet another year,” I said dryly.

“Yeah, you ‘congratulated’ me already, but I don't think I got near enough props.”

He put his arm around me as we walked toward the baggage carousel. A few people recognized him; I saw them elbowing each other as we walked by. It was weird having a famous best friend.

“I gave you plenty of props. Just look at this, hold on.” I bent down and dug through my carry-on and pulled out a little black bag.

He lifted his eyebrows, grinning. The guy had always loved a gift.

“What's this?” he asked.

“Open it,” I said.

He opened it up and his eyes crinkled as he laughed hard. I think I drooled a little bit, staring up at him. He held up the present—a key chain with a caricature of him…if he was skinny and dorky…with the words Sexiest Man Alive in bold black letters.

“It's so sad that you think I look like this,” he said, still laughing.

“You're a little better in person.”

“You are so good on my ego.”

The bags started rolling out.

“Which bag is yours?”

“It's massive and hot pink.”

“Of course, it is.”

“Oh, over there…that one.”

He hauled my bag off and put his hand on the small of my back as we started toward the exit. I shivered but hoped he wouldn't notice.

“Chilly?” he asked .

“A little,” I lied.

He put his arm around me to warm me up and I inhaled his spectacular Rhodes’ scent.

“My parents cannot wait to see you,” he said. “My mom has been cooking for two days and it's been so long since she cooked that she’s worried she doesn’t remember how.”

I laughed. “I’m sure everything she makes will be delicious. It always is. I cannot wait to see them . I know I went on about your dad’s last movie to you forever on the phone last month, and full disclosure, I'm afraid I might gush over him about it. But I think I deserve a pass because I never have before now.”

“Girl, you better not fangirl over my dad. I'll be so jealous. You don't give me that kind of love.”

I shoved him playfully. “You've got plenty of love coming in from all over.”

“Not from the person that matters.”

I looked at him and he lifted his shoulder like what?

There was a driver waiting outside for us. He opened the door for us and we got in the back seat while the man put my luggage in the trunk.

“Livin’ the high life, aren't you?” I teased.

“Always have been.” Rhodes grinned and took my hand, threading our fingers together.

It’s true, he had always been famous, but I’d never noticed it more than now.

“You’ve settled into your fame.”

His nose scrunched. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“It isn’t a bad thing. When I met you, you were still uncomfortable living under your parents' spotlight. Now you’ve created your own success and you carry it with confidence. It looks good on you, Rhodes.”

He looked at me and grinned, his hazel eyes more green in the California sunshine.

“Thank you. That means a lot coming from you.”

“You know I’m proud of you, right? So proud.” My voice cracked a little bit.

He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. “It’s what keeps me going, Elle love. I’m proud of you too.”

I rolled my eyes, partially to distract myself from the way his kiss made my breathing uneven. “I have some catching up to do. My parents are trying to convince me to move back to Silver Hills. They think it’s time I get something more dependable than these writing gigs that hardly pay. I can live at home for a while and save money…”

“Do you want to move back to Silver Hills?”

“I do miss it so much. Honestly, as much as I hate the idea of moving back in with my parents at this age, their house is huge, and I could stand to recoup for a while. And…I do need a job that pays better. They’re not wrong about that.”

“I wish you’d let me help,” he groaned.

If I had a dollar for every time he’d tried to convince me to let him help, I’d be rich. One time, he left a stash of hundreds in my apartment after coming through and I threatened to shave his head if he ever did that again.

I gave him a stern look. “You can help me by being the comic relief I’ll need if I do decide to move back.”

He squeezed my hand. “You know I can do that.”

We grinned at each other.

“How are your parents?” he asked.

“They’re good. They’re trying really hard to set me up with this guy from their church…Bernard.”

He frowned. “What kind of name is Bernard? ”

I snorted. “Sounds like a charming grandpa or something.”

“Exactly. With a sky blue cardigan. Not for you, Elle baby.”

I grinned. “And if my parents are pushing him, that can’t be a great sign.”

He tilted his head like you said it, not me . He looked out of the window for a second and then down at our hands, still clasped. I loved that he still grabbed my hand after all this time. I hoped that never changed.

“Actually, I’ve met him though, and he isn’t bad.”

He coughed and dropped my hand when he couldn’t stop.

“Are you okay?” I asked when he cracked the window and knocked his chest like he couldn’t catch his breath.

He adjusted the vents on his side so they hit him, and he took a deep breath. I put my hand on his shoulder and frowned when I felt how tense he was.

“Your parents have never really liked me, have they?”

My mouth fell open. “Rhodes, they love you!”

“I know they think I’m fun and a good athlete. Your mom laughs her head off at the things I say and your dad is a huge football fan, so I know they’re fond of me.” His eyes cut over to mine before looking down again. “But they don’t approve of me.”

I sighed. “They might not approve of all that you do…your lifestyle…but they love you.”

“Because they know I drink occasionally and am not always at church on a Sunday morning?”

I nudged his shoulder with mine. “I think all the women might have something to do with it too.”

“But it’s not like I’ve ever sat down with them and talked about any women that I’ve ever slept with. Have you talked with them about the men you’ve slept with?”

My face heated and my palms started to sweat, just talking about this subject with him. “No. But your life is out there in the news for public consumption.”

“And often exaggerated or not true at all,” he added.

I lifted my eyebrows and shrugged. “It’s a luxury I have, living in Denver and not having reporters following my every move. My relationships are private. My parents have rarely met anyone I’ve dated and they assume I’m sad and single and just work all the time…which isn’t completely wrong.” I laughed, but he didn’t join in.

“It makes me sad that you can’t show exactly who you are to them.”

“I could…I just don’t want to live with the fallout.”

“The fact that there would be a fallout at all is sad.” He sighed and looked at me again, his expression apprehensive.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“Promise that you’ll only move to Silver Hills because you really want to…and that you won’t date this guy Bernard just because your parents are pushing it.”

I nodded. “I promise.”

His parents had a huge feast prepared by the time we got there and we had such a nice weekend.

But there was a seriousness to Rhodes the whole time. Even his parents kept asking if he was okay and he said he was, but the sadness never lifted. When we said goodbye at the airport, I put my hands on his cheeks.

“Are you really okay?” I asked.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been a dud. There’s a lot on my mind. I’m tired, I don’t see you or my parents enough, and when we’re together, I’m already thinking about how much I’m going to miss you when you leave. ”

“I know. I hate that we live so far apart.”

“While you’re trying to figure out what to do next, you could always come to Miami.”

I hugged him, letting his arms around me feel like enough. “I’m glad you love me enough to keep asking.”

“It will always be an option.”

I pulled back and took the handle of my carry-on from him. “Love you.”

“I love you, Elle.”