Page 84 of Try Line Hearts
Eli smiled automatically. “That sounds expensive.”
She laughed, relieved. “Exactly.”
They posed him near the sill, the city blurred behind him. He leaned back, arms loose, weight shifting to take pressure off his hips. The photographer snapped a few frames, then paused.
“Can we soften it just a bit?”
Eli adjusted without being asked—shoulders dropping, smile easing into something warmer, less sharp. It came easily. Too easily, sometimes. That version of him—the one people liked at first glance, the one that didn’t ask anything of them.
“Perfect,” she said.
The shutter clicked.
Eli held still and thought about the fact that twelve hours ago, Lucas had known exactly how to touch him to make him fall apart. Had known where to hold him, how to steady him, how to pull something raw and unguarded out of him without ever asking for permission out loud.
And now Lucas couldn’t even look at him.
When they wrapped, Eli wandered back toward the cluster of players waiting their turn. A few sprawled on crates, phones out. Someone had hijacked the coffee cart and was pouring espresso with reckless confidence.
“Oi,” a lock called when he spotted Eli. “You hear the latest?”
Eli lifted his cup. “I’ve been here ten minutes. I assume yes.”
The lock grinned. “Lucas’s agent’s a wizard. Evelyn-fucking-Cross. I’m flat jealous and I’m married.”
There it was.
Again.
Eli took a sip. Burned his tongue. Didn’t react.
“Evelyn Cross,” another back added. “Massive. My sister’s obsessed.”
“Smart move,” someone said. “Shuts everyone up.”
Smart.
That word again.
“Have you ever actually seen Byrne with anyone?”
The question drifted out, unguarded, and the air changed around it. Phones lowered. Eyes flicked sideways, then away.
Eli felt it like pressure behind his eyes.
Someone laughed too loudly. “He’s married to the job.”
“Bloke probably sleeps with a playbook,” someone else offered, quick and safe.
The moment wobbled.
Then—inevitably—someone turned to Eli.
“What about you?” a winger asked. “You seeing anyone?”
Eli blinked once.
He smiled.
