“Yeah, right,” I said.
Griffin pressed a kiss to my hair.
Selene lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I think what you’re seeing now is just… what happens when someone finally gets attention for the first time.”
“Oooh-kay.” I paused the reel. “You dated this? She wouldn’t know good modeling if it smacked her in the face. Which is sounding more appealing by the second.”
“Babe. It’s okay.” He tapped play again.
Selene shifted on the ‘hot seat’ couch. “He probably doesn’t know how to handle all the attention. Not like the rest of the Duprees.” She studied her nails. “Griffin’s… performative.”
“Everyone’s new favorite word,” I muttered.
Selene continued. “A chameleon, really. They’re a family of celebrities, so he figures he’ll go get jacked at the gym and score himself a modeling deal. I doubt it took much effort, honestly. They looked at his last name and said, ‘You’re in.’” She folded her hands over one knee. “Can’t blame him. It’s gotta be hard living in the shadows of Ford, Peyton, Blue, Ashton, Tally, Cash, and Liam,” she said, like she was on a first-name basis with all of them.
I hit pause on the reel, not because I wanted to vent, but because Griffin had gone quiet, shoulders caved. He stared at the floor as he rubbed his temples.
I handed the phone back to Charlie, who was silent too.
Cash hit the blinker and pulled into Theo’s driveway. “Mr. and Mrs. Dupree, you have arrived at your destination. We here at The Love Wagon would like to thank you for the live demonstration earlier. Truly unforgettable. Five stars for fogging up the windows. Please gather your dignity on the way out.” Bless him for trying to make Griffin laugh.
Griffin only said “thanks” and got out of thecar.
Charlie reached back and squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shown him the video.”
Cash picked up his phone, reading a text.
I managed a smile for Charlie. “It’s okay.” I waggled my eyebrows. “I know how to cheer him up.”
She smiled back. “Try to get at least a little sleep.”
“Oh, sick,” Cash said. “Jules, hold up. Liam won the Fury lottery. He’s offering us tickets to tomorrow’s game—can you tell Griff and Theo?
“Squee!” Charlie bounced in her seat. “Liam’s games are so fun. I can’t wait for you to experience it for the first time,” she said, like, of course I’d want to go.
I gulped. “Sure thing. Can’t wait.”
I hurried from the car in time to see Griffin slipping through the front door.
You need to tell him. Tonight. But how could I? He was already feeling super insecure.
If you’re going to Liam’s game, you have to tell him. It doesn’t matter if the timing is terrible.
Inside, I could see him in my room, door cracked, pulling out the trundle bed. Theo—who’d left Fourth and Goal twenty minutes before us—glanced over from his gaming chair. “Did something happen?” he whispered.
“It’s not good,” I said quietly. I used the boot jack to pull off my boots. “Selene went on Breaking Curfew.”
Theo swore.
“I’m going to check on him,” I said.
He nodded.
“Oh,” I said. “Cash wanted me to tell you that Liam won the Fury lotto and we’re all going to his game tomorrow.”
“Okay, sick,” Theo said, but his heart wasn’t in it.
I slipped into my room and locked the door.
