“Well…I’m not sure.”
“Felicity.” Her tone was light, but so much like Mom’s that I flinched. “Didn’t you just say you haven’t known each other very long? You can’t expect him to give up all his secrets right away.”
“I get that,” I said, smoothing a crease out of my dress. “It’s just… There’s this other girl. Her name is Violet James.”
“The actress?”
I nodded. “There were rumors in the tabloids last month about them dating. All weekend he’s been fielding these tense phone calls. I think they have something to do with her.”
“Ah,” Rose said in knowing voice, which instantly made me feel self-conscious.
“I know I sound irrational,” I added, rushing to explain myself. “But I really like him. If he’s lying to me…I don’t think I can handle it. Not him. Not now.”
Ugh. Why was I being so pathetic? Never in my life had I been upset over a guy. Okay, so maybe my heart withered a little when Eddie Marks forgot my name, but he was a stupid crush. I knew Eddie never saw me. I was nobody to him.
Maybe that was why this felt different.
Alec saw me. Iwassomebody to him…but what if that didn’t matter? What if the connection I felt with him wasn’t enough? What if he saw me and chose her?
Rose moved closer to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “You know there’s a simple solution to this problem, right?”
“I do?”
She nodded. “You need totalkto him.”
“But what if it’s all in my head? Maybe there’s no huge secret, and I’m jumping to conclusions. I don’t want him to think I’m making assumptions about us or to come off as insecure.”
“Alec seems like a pretty reasonable guy,” Rose replied. “If you let him know how you’re feeling, I’m sure he’ll understand. And if not, if heislying, then isn’t it better you find out now?”
She was right, of course, but her advice didn’t make me feel any better. I was saved from responding when my phone buzzed.
Asha:Hey, can you let us in?
Asha:Alec got swarmed by fans at lunch, so we’re back early.
“Everything okay?” Rose asked when I pulled away from her and stood.
“It’s Asha,” I answered. “They’re downstairs.”
“Hey, Felicity?”
I glanced back at her. “Uh-huh?”
“Talk. To. Him.”
***
When I pushed opened the door, Asha and Boomer were the only ones waiting on the stoop.
“Where’s Alec?”
Boomer jabbed his thumb to the left. “Should be around the corner. He’s taking a call.”
Another one?
“All right, I’ll wait for him.” I stepped aside so they could move past me.
As they climbed the stairs, I leaned against the doorframe and straddled the threshold, one foot firmly planted inside the building, the other outside on the concrete. I didn’t want to get locked out, but I also didn’t want Alec to think we’d left him. As much as I hated to admit it, Rose was right. I needed to talk to Alec, and this was the perfect opportunity for me to speak with him privately… But where to start?
