Page 79 of Troublemaker: The Big Picture Edition

EMILIA: I’m so sorry Alex. I suck at this. I was asking Franklin for tits.

EMILIA: Tips! Shit! I was asking him for tips on what to write because I’m too dorky to do this. I’m sorry. I wanted to do something sexy for you.

ALEX: You’re always sexy to me, Emilia. You have no idea how hot you are. You don’t have to be embarrassed.

EMILIA: I’m horrified.

ALEX: Baby, I want to see you. I’m going to FaceTime you. We need to do this right.

EMILIA: What? Now?!

ALEX: Facetiming you now.

CHAPTER 30

EMILIA

Oh God oh God oh God oh God.

I make a mad dash to the adjoining bathroom to check myself in the mirror. I can barely focus my eyes, but I can see that I look insane. My glasses are on crooked. I didn’t wash my hair today, and I’m wearing a wrinkled blouse over an old camisole. I didn’t bring any of my cute things because I’ve been wearing them for Alex and they’re in my laundry basket back in LA. I could just not answer the call. Tell him the Wi-Fi isn’t working. No cell phone reception all of a sudden.

But I want to see him. I want to hear his voice. I want him I want him I want him.

I can do this.

I hear the FaceTime ringtone and run back to my bed, kicking my Christmas sweater under the bed so he doesn’t see it and instantly lose his boner.

I tilt my laptop screen back, comb my fingers through my hair, and make my lips all pouty. And then I accept the video call, catching my breath as soon as I see Alex’s face on my screen. He’s so handsome. He looks so concerned.

“Are you okay?”

“Hi.”

“Hi. You look sad.”

“Oh. I was making a pouty face. Trying to look all sexy-like.”

He’s grinning. “Emilia. You don’t have to try. Look at yourself. Look at yourself on the screen. Do you see what I see?”

“I’d rather look at you.”

“Why are you so nervous tonight?”

I shake my head. “It’s nothing. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Tell me. Get it off your chest.”

“My ex came by the house tonight. Uninvited. By me, anyway. I told him to leave after a couple of minutes.”

His jaw has tightened, and I think he’s feeling possessive, and I know I like it.

“It wasn’t a big deal, really. It’s just…being home. You know. I felt like I’d changed so much when I moved to LA, but as soon as I got to my parents’ house, I just felt like the old me again.”

“Was old you really so bad?”

I shrug. “No. I just didn’t feel as good as I usually do now. To be honest, seeing Brent just made me realize how much I like you.”

And there it is. Saying it somehow makes me feel less nervous.