“No, what?” I questioned.
“You’re not…” She shook her head, looking at me like I had just grown two more heads myself.
“Not what?”
“You’re not datingGenesis Milan?”
Milan was her middle name, it was where her parents conceived her, which I always thought was TMI. She used it as her professional name.
“How the fuck did you—” I cut myself off and lowered my voice, hoping the twins didn’t overhear me cursing. “How do you know her? How did you know it was her?”
“London. Military. Model,” she listed off as it was obvious. “Come on, how many people fit that criteria? Is she shootingSAS?”
I used to think Billie Bliss could read my mind, now this was proof she could.
“I can’t say?—”
“Sheis, isn’t she?”
“Billie, stop.” I couldn’t believe that she’d not only figured out who Genesis was, she’d figured out what she was filming. I had guys I in my sqad who had no clue who I was seeing. “How do you know who she is?”
“She’s not justa model, she’s an influencer. She has a podcast.”
“A podcast?”
Shit. I forgot she’d started a podcast with two of her friends. It was about reality television. I didn’t watch reality television, so I hadn’t listened to it.
“She has five million Instagram followers,” she continued. “Oh, and she’s the brand ambassador for my favorite athleisurewear.”
“Oh, right.” I knew she’d signed a big fitness brand deal she was excited about two years ago and I’d seen her on billboards.
“Holy shit.” A slow smile spread across her face, but then I saw there was sadness behind it. “You’reG.I. Joe.”
“I’m what?” I asked, not really paying attention to what she was saying. I was too distracted by the look behind her eyes. I never liked seeing Billie sad. In fact, I forgot just how much I disliked seeing Billie sad. It felt like someone just kneed me in the balls. In that moment, I would do anything to make that sadness go away.
“You’re her mysterious American military boyfriend. You have your own segment on the podcast. “How’s it Go with GI Joe?” Listeners and the other cohosts check in to see how it’s going with you two.”
It finally clicked what Billie was saying. “Wait, she talks about me?”
“Wow.” She smiled and took a drink of her Capri Sun, but I could tell the subject bothered her. A lot. She didn’t like me dating Genesis. “Okay, Boomer. Youreallydon’t know what’s going on online, do you?”
“I know enough.”
Billie lifted her hand and started counting on her fingers. “You had no idea how many followers your girlfriend has, that she has a podcast, or that she has a segment on it about you.” She pointed her finger at me, stabbing me in the chest.
I covered her hand with mine and took a step closer to her. “I know that you don’t have any social media, and in all the pictures of you that your sisters post, your face is obscured.”
Her lips parted, and she sucked in a sharp breath, but she didn’t respond, just stared up into my eyes. Her hand flattened against my chest, and I held it tight.
I could feel my heart pounding wildly beneath her palm that was now spread out, I knew she could feel it, too. I felt myself leaning closer to her. “Billie, I?—”
The doorbell rang, and both girls jumped up. “Pizza’s here!”
Billie jerked her hand away and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Pizza’s here.”
She stepped around me, and I stood in the kitchen asking myself what the fuck just happened. What was I going to say? What was I going to do? Was I going to apologize? Declare my love for her? Kiss her? Or D. All of the above.
I was so exhausted, and sleep deprived I couldn’t trust myself right now. I needed to eat, get the girls to bed, and go to bed. Alone.
