Page 31 of Shy Girls Can’t Date Celebrities (Shy Girls Sweet Romances #6)

“It’s the ocean,” I say breathily. “I can smell it from here and it’s gorgeous.”

“I wish there wasn’t so much traffic and then we could hear the waves.”

I eye his walking aide. “Do you think you’d manage getting closer to the beach sometime soon?”

“I’m sure we can get one of the security guys to drive us down there.”

“Yeah, but,” I pause, glancing at the cane again, “you can’t exactly walk across the sand, can you?”

“It’s not like my legs don’t work,” he says, scuffing his way past me. “I need everyone to relax about the fact I might fall over.”

“Wyatt, I...” I trail off, watching him trudge toward the balcony edge. I shake off the coldness and follow him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to suggest something that might not be the best fit for you. ”

“I know you’re looking out for me,” he murmurs, keeping his back to me. “But ev-everyone is either telling me to be ca-careful or blow off medical advice to g-get back to work. It’s like whatever suits them at the time.”

I rub his shoulder and he turns to face me. “We’re ignoring all those people today, remember?”

His smile is small. “Right.”

I turn my gaze to the beach and slouch. “I’m not a water person by any stretch. My dream of walking along the sand is moot anyway. It’s Cherry Beach. It’s famous for being constantly overcrowded.”

“Then we should find a stretch of beach that’s isolated.

” His eyes brighten and he snaps his fingers, missing his thumb and making a faint whooshing sound.

“That’s what we’ll do today. We’ll have security drive us along the coast and we’ll find an empty beach.

We wanted to do something where it was just us, right? ”

“Oh my gosh, that sounds incredible.” I plant my hands on cheeks, giddy. “And you’ll have plenty of space and time to make your way across the sand.”

“And no crowds to spike your anxiety.”

I hook my pinky around his. “Let’s do it.”

Footsteps enter the terrace, and we turn as Hubert carries a silver tray toward us. It showcases two tall glasses of fruity deliciousness.

“It’s some kind of fruit cocktail,” Wyatt says, gesturing at the drinks. “I thought it’d be nice in this setting.”

Hubert hands us the glasses, and I grin when Wyatt’s hand doesn’t tremor when he takes his glass.

“May I get you anything else, sir?” Hubert asks Wyatt.

Wyatt turns to me. “Do you want me to get security ready to drive us along the coast?”

“Only if you’re feeling cooped up,” I say, twirling the straw through the fruit cocktail. “At the moment, we have a rooftop pad completely to ourselves.”

Wyatt clinks his glass against mine. “True.” He nods at Hubert. “We’re cool for now.”

Hubert nods and then leaves the balcony terrace.

“It sure is dreamy out here,” I say, eyes wandering along the pool. “And, heck, it is secluded.”

Wyatt leans his walking cane against the glass panel of the balcony railing, and rests his back against the rail. “This is cool. I’m standing outside. I haven’t done this in weeks. I’m feeling good.”

“It might be another slow day, but at least it’s us choosing what we want to do. Nobody’s here to boss us around.”

Wyatt smirks. “And I’ve got that part handled. Learning I can threaten not to work has really come in handy.”

I laugh, remembering Erika’s deer-in-headlights look when Wyatt expressed his unhappiness with her presence.

Wyatt peels himself off the balcony railing and slips off his flip-flops. “Wanna sit by the pool’s edge?”

“I can handle that.”

I follow Wyatt over to the pool, carrying our drinks.

Wyatt’s in dark athletic shorts, making it easy for him to sink his legs into the water.

I place our drinks on the tiled ground and shimmy my dress up so it doesn’t touch the chlorinated water when I sit.

The pool is heated to a delightful temperature, and we nestle together with our drinks in hand.

I take a sip of the most deliciously sweet drink I’ve ever tasted, and say, “A pool is more my speed than the beach anyways.”

“You always did opt for things with less people.”

I bite into my lip as I brush my arm against him. “With just one particular person was always the best.”

“I hope you haven’t been feeling alone since I left.”

“It’s okay. I mean, I have Kylie.” I shrug, tapping the sides of the glass. “But she has a boyfriend now, so I see a little less of her. ”

“Do you like her boyfriend?”

I nod, liveliness thumping from my heart. “Yeah, he’s great to her.”

“That’s good.”

“He’s tried to stop me from crushing on you. He was convinced none of us would ever see you again.” I giggle, searching deep into Wyatt’s eyes. “Guess I showed him.”

Wyatt slouches. “So, no one thought I’d go back to Victoria Falls?”

I gesture at the cityscape and beach view. “Cherry Beach might have Victoria Falls beat.”

“I dunno. There’s no mountains here.”

“True. There’s no place like home.”

Wyatt hooks his pinky around mine. “I promise to visit home again.”

I peck his cheek. “I believe you. But there’s no rush.”

He nods. “There’s a, a lot of check ups lined up for me.”

“Are you nervous about that?”

He rubs his knuckles against his chest. “I have th-this sinking feeling they’re gonna ad-admit me back into the clinic.”

I curl my arm around his. “Oh, Wyatt, that’s not going to happen. You’re making such good progress. You’ll only go back to the clinic for routine check ups.”

He pats my arm. “I, I just can’t shake the feeling I’m gonna get thrown back in.”

“Not possible. I didn’t remember those three words during your tests, but you did. You’ve gotta give yourself more credit.”

He sighs. “Without you, I make really dumb decisions.”

“How can you say that?”

“Listening to my parents for starters.”

“You don’t know what the other factors were in your life.”

He clutches my hand. “I know I didn’t have you.”

I intertwine my fingers with his. “But you had your music. Remember how learning chords and lyrics helped you memorize things when you studied?”

Wyatt kicks his feet in the water. “It’s the only thing I’m good at.”

“Hmm. You’re also good at kissing.”

His shoulders jiggle with a laugh.

I squeeze his hand. “You’re also in movies. You’ve remembered lines from a script. That’s proof you’re not dumb.”

He waves off the subject. “I’m still weirded out by the idea of the movies.”

“But you’re cool talking about the music?”

“I like thinking about the covers. The stuff I remember practicing in front of you.”

“That’s my favorite stuff you’ve done. The new albums were great, but listening to the covers is like heaven to me.”

“Did I record covers before I left for that show?”

I pull out my phone and open the playlist of Wyatt’s songs. “No, but there’s recordings from the show. It’s like listening to you before you left town.”

His eyes brighten with piqued interest. “Like the old covers I sang?”

“Yeah,” I say, fidgeting in excitement. “Those covers are how you won the show. Don’t you remember that I told you, you had a gift?”

He mumbles a laugh. “You always were my number one supporter.”

“Still am.” My finger hovers over a track. “Do you think you’re up for listening to one? It could remind you of home.”

“If I could handle a brand new song, I think I can handle an old one.”

I play a cover he’s guaranteed to remember.

It’s the one he’d practice the most, whenever we’d hang out in his basement or my treehouse.

As the song plays, his hand taps against the pool’s edge.

Thirty seconds into the track, Wyatt mumbles the words.

Then the mumbles morph into a tune, and soon, he’s singing along with his past self.

Goosebumps shoot down my arms, and my mouth falls open in awe. His voice is as incredible as ever. His eyes fall close as his volume increases. There’s not a hint of a stutter, and he doesn’t miss a single lyric. A thrill races down my spine, and the need to pull him into my arms grows rapidly.

When the song finishes, I hit the pause button, and my mouth still hangs open.

“Wyatt, that was amazing,” I stammer like the true fangirl I am. “My gosh, you didn’t skip a beat. How did it feel?”

“Awesome.” He gasps. “Truly, fr-freaking awesome.”

I rub my arms. “Wow, my goosebumps aren’t budging. Dang. It’s like you’re back to being concert ready.”

He blushes. “I wouldn’t go that far. Singing along is one thing, but playing to a cr-crowd. Hmm. I don’t think I’m up for it.”

“Can you imagine yourself playing sold out shows?”

He blows out a breath, wonder dazzling in his eyes. “ Ha . Umm, no. I still picture the school auditorium decorated for the annual talent show.”

I nudge him, grinning. “So, do you believe me now that you’re incredible?”

Wyatt’s eyes sparkle. “I didn’t miss a word. That’s insane. Dr. Fincher should’ve been testing me on song lyrics and I would’ve been out of the clinic weeks ago.”

My heart swells. “I’m sure he’ll be super proud of you at your next check up.”

I hate that Wyatt’s been panicking about failing tests and being readmitted to the clinic.

The trauma of repeating a grade in middle school has him convinced he’s not smart.

He’s so much more than memorizing some words from a textbook.

Once we figured out he learns best, he moved onto high school with me.

“You know, I can’t stop thinking about your secret poetry.”

I blush hard.

He gestures at the phone. “We’ve listened to me sing. Why don’t we listen to your words?”

“I’ve never read my poetry aloud before.”

Wyatt grins. “There’s always a first time.”

I set my phone aside and shake out my hands. “There’s some lines I’ve been mulling inside my head. Sometimes I go over them a few times before writing them down.”

“I’m cool with being a sounding board.”

I close my eyes and take a settling breath.

“The space is big enough for me.

One hundred people fit here.

But I’m only happy if it’s us.

Crowds will break my spirit.

But together, we bring the light.”

I shake out my hands again, exhaling, and slowly opening my eyes.

Wyatt rubs his arms. “Wow, Josie. I got goosebumps.”

I shy away. “Really?”

“I loved it.”

“The phrasing still needs work.”

He nudges me. “You should write song lyrics.”

I cup a hand over my face and shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Okay, you’re getting embarrassed.” Wyatt tugs his T-shirt up his torso. “Wanna get in the water?”

“Uh.” I gesture at my dress. “Not exactly pool attire.”

He stretches his arms above his head, ripping the shirt off. “Did you bring a bathing suit?”

My mouth runs dry, eyeing off the tattoo running along the inside of his arm. “Umm, no. ”

Wyatt slips into the water, and for a moment, my heart malfunctions.

Wading into the water, he beckons me in. “Come on in. You can have your dress washed afterwards.”

Why is he being so irresistible right now? “Are you okay in the water?”

He nods, making his way through the water. “I did hydrotherapy at the clinic. As long as I can touch the bottom, I’m good.”

“When I wanted to go to the beach, I had no intention of getting in the water. Chlorination doesn’t exactly beat salt water.”

Wyatt moves closer to me and reaches for my thighs. “Come on, Josie-posey. The water won’t hurt you.”

He was already transfixing me before he was touching my legs. With a shiver, I gulp my fear, and nod at him. I slip into his arms, moving into the perfectly blue water, illuminated by the lighting hidden amongst the turquoise tiles.

A throaty laugh hums out of him and his arms wrap around my middle. “Not so bad, is it?”

I plant my hands on his shoulders. “Experiencing anything with you isn’t so bad.”

His hands lower and he hoists me against him. “Thanks for sharing a sneak peek of your poetry.”

“No problem. I feel safe with you.” I pat his arms. “Should you be holding me up?”

He tilts his head, smiling adorably. “You have an objection?”

Butterflies flitter through me. “No, of course not. I’m just checking if you’re okay.”

He carries me toward the side, resting my back against the pool’s edge as his arms cinch around my waist. “I feel a lot stronger in the water.”

I smile. “So we should make coming in here a habit? ”

He looks through the water ripples at my dress. “You should probably get a bathing suit then.”

“I need to get more clothes in general. I didn’t pack enough to extend my stay.”

“Were you planning on leaving right away?”

“To be honest, I didn’t think you’d want me to stay. I thought it was just a trip down memory lane, then you’d get back to your celebrity lifestyle.”

“Have I proven to you I can do both? I’m not bringing just anyone from school into my penthouse.”

I giggle, running a finger along his tattoo. “I’m glad you have a sense of humor about this.”

His eyes follow me, tracing the Sanskrit letters inked in his skin. “I get that you were on edge because we hadn’t seen each other in so long. I don’t know how I’d feel if you called me up after t-two years of radio silence.”

“Well, we wouldn’t have this view if you didn’t go and become famous.” I motion toward the majestic display over the clear drop of the infinity pool. “This is pretty special, Wyatt. There would only be a handful of people who get to experience this.”

He leans in and kisses my cheek, making his way to my lips. He purrs near my mouth, “I’m so glad you’re here with me.”

I kiss him back. “Anytime you need me, I’m here.”