Page 69 of The Bodyguard's Fall

“Yeah,” I said, smiling before wiping the last of the tears from my face. He nodded and trudged into the living room, where I could faintly hear a game on.

“Okay, question. Why is your sexy bodyguard all the way downstairs?” Reese asked as she flopped down on my bed, wearing overalls that looked amazing on her. “When he texted us, we didn’t know you’d be holed up in your room like a hermit.”

“Wait, what?” I asked. “Tate texted you?”

Ari, looking chic in a pair of wide-legged jeans and a green ruffled shirt, sat down on my desk chair. “He told us why you were nervous yesterday and said you’d probably be more comfortable if we came here instead. He thought you might want your friends.”

I was quite aware of the way they both watched me for a sign. I tried to hold back any facial expression, but they were right. It was sweet. Too sweet. And the butterflies in my stomach and the smile crawling across my face knew it.

Dang it.

“How are you feeling?” Ari asked, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder. The three of us had been friends for so long, but it had been a while since we’d all hung out in my bedroom together. It reminded me of our sleepovers in junior high and high school. After graduation, we had scattered, keeping in touch as best we could, but to have them here with me now was the best gift Tate could have given me. It felt strange and, at the same time, completely normal.

And I craved normal.

“I’m just so sick of it. I’m scared one minute, and the next, I’m so sick of feeling scared that I’m ready to go do something crazy to try and get it over with,” I said, flopping down on the bed next to Reese.

“If I see him, I’m planning to kill him with my bare hands,” Reese said, with the perfect mixture of truth and dramatics to make us all laugh.

“I’d pay good money to see you do that,” I said.

“Are you going to the festival?” Ari asked.

I shook my head.

“What about for research?”

“I have to put a fall festival in my screenplay, but I’ve been to enough. I’ll be fine. I can catch the right vibes.”

“You have to come. I’m in charge of a million pumpkin activities for this thing,” Reese said.

“I don’t want to put anyone at risk,” I said.

“He’s not here for anybody else,” Reese said, sitting up on the bed. “You need to stop worrying about that. You’re probably safest in a big crowd.”

“I’ll be at the barn raising for sure. The Walkers are all signed up to help with that.”

“And the dance after?” Reese asked hopefully.

“I’m sure not.”

“The Ednas have been busy telling everyone that you’re dating that tall, handsome Walker boy,” Ari said somewhat wickedly, her voice dropping down to mimic the older women. “They’d be so disappointed not to see you two making out on the dance floor.”

“Like you’re one to talk about dating arrangements.” Reese gave Ari a pointed grin.

“That’s right,” I said, brightening. “How is Wade?”

Unfazed, Ari nodded pointedly toward Reese. “I think Reese is the one with more to tell about secret dates.”

I turned to face her. “What? Guys! Just because I’m a hermit now doesn’t mean you can leave me out of all the juicy gossip.”

“When there is something to tell, I will tell,” Reese said solemnly. “But I can promise you, there is not.”

“Same,” Ari agreed.

“You’re both liars,” I said.

Since I didn’t want to talk anymore about my problems, we pivoted in the best way. With the three of us squished together on my bed, sharing a blanket and a bag of Skittles I called my writing fuel, we watched the cheesiest romantic comedy that ever existed—with the exception of the cat bakery, of course.