Page 53 of Fight For Me

I can’t help but laugh, some of the exhausted tension I’ve been feeling all day—which ramped up majorly in the last few minutes with Scott and Wyatt—finally dissipates. Bodhi’s head snaps in my direction when he hears me. “Damn girl! You look hot AF.”

It’s funny how two people can say practically the same thing and have a completely different effect. While Scott telling me I looked gorgeous made my skin crawl, Bodhi’s obvious appreciation for my efforts just makes me smile.

“You gonna hang out down there all night?” I ask.

“Oh, right.” He jumps up from the ground, giving George one last pat on the head. “I’m obsessed with your dog. He’s so photogenic.”

I point at Wyatt, who’s still looking pissed off. “He’s Wyatt’s dog. He refuses to go anywhere without him.”

“Fox told me he sleeps on your pillow,” River says, waggling his eyebrows at his older cousin. “It’s about time you had some company in your bed.”

“Fuck off, Riv,” Wyatt says, but I notice his shoulders relax slightly. Just a like a Ransome—nothing cheers them up more than ragging on each other.

Everly and Fox join us a moment later. Luckily, she held off on the leather pants. She has him dressed in a pair of nicer, slim cut jeans, black Tom Ford shoes, a dark grey blazer, and the same graphic tee from our line that he’d been wearing before. It’s dressy but still cool and I have a feeling the female viewership of this show is going to appreciate her efforts. “Looking good, Fox,” I tell him.

He rolls his eyes at me. “She’s a fashion fascist.”

I point at my short, sparkly dress. “You think she didn’t orchestrate this entire look too?”

“You all look great,” River says, glancing at the time on his phone. “We should get going. I told a couple girls I’d meet them at the club later.”

“Camera crew is set up in the limo downstairs,” Scott says, joining us. “Let’s go show the world how the Ransomes party.”

“Ooh, a limo?” Bodhi looks like Christmas came early. “I should have started hanging out with you guys ages ago.”

“Night, man,” Fox says, slapping Wyatt on the shoulder as he passes. “Try not to have too much fun sitting alone at home on a Saturday night.”

“I won’t be sitting home alone,” Wyatt says. “Since I’m coming with you.”

There’s a beat of surprised silence before Everly squeals. “You are? Really? You haven’t come dancing in ages!”

He shrugs. “You’re getting dinner first, right? I’m starving.”

I study his face—he appears to be making a great effort to avoid looking at me. He also doesn’t seem the slightest bit excited to be joining us.

“You sure about this?” Scott asks. He’s watching Wyatt with that same calculating look he wore during their stare down in my bedroom.

Wyatt glares back. “Completely sure.”

“You know we can’t shoot around you in a setting like this,” Scott says. “If you come out, you’re on camera.”

Wyatt just shrugs, flinty eyes still locked on the producer. “Guess I’ll end up on camera then.”

“Am I missing something?” I hear Bodhi whisper to River. “There’s like, an insane amount of testosterone floating around this room right now.”

“Are you going to makehimchange?” Fox asks Everly, pointing at Wyatt. “My leather jacket looked way cooler than that.”

I would beg to differ. Wyatt is wearing faded jeans and a long-sleeved grey t-shirt. It might not be the most fashionable thing I’ve ever seen him in, but he wears it well. The shirt stretched across his chest is tight enough to show off those lean muscles that have been driving me crazy for years, and the grey fabric looks so soft I want to nuzzle my face into it like George does.

You’re feeling jealous of a dog, girl,I say to myself.Time to get a grip.

I turn to Wyatt and lower my voice. “Why are you coming? You hate being on camera.”

He shrugs. “Told you. I’m hungry.”

“What about George?”

He looks hesitant for a split second but quickly smooths out his features. “I’ll ask Silas to come over and let him out in a few hours.”