Page 79 of Love Overdose: St. Louis

“But I’m more than a visitor and they need to know it.”

The certainty in his voice heated my core.

“Yes,” I said. “You are.”

His gaze softened and Journey cleared her throat loudly. “I hate to interrupt this touching moment, but some of us wants lunch.”

“I have somewhere to be,” Naomi said. “Christian and I are meeting his mother.”

Journey looked offended. “You brought me here, tortured me, and now you’re abandoning me?”

“You can still have lunch with Frankie.”

Journey glanced at Elijah. “She has plans.”

I laughed. “Journey, why are you speaking about me as if I’m not here?”

“Because you’re not.”

I smirked. She wasn’t wrong.

“I can take all of you to lunch,” Elijah offered.

Journey straightened. “See? This is why I forgave him.”

Naomi checked the time on her phone. “I really do have to go.”

Journey hugged her. “Tell Christian I suffered because of his family.”

“Elijah isn’t responsible for the class,” Naomi said.

“He encouraged Frankie.”

“I arrived during the final song,” Elijah reminded her.

“Your presence gave her renewed energy.”

Naomi kissed my cheek, then hugged Elijah again.

“I’ll call you later,” she told me.

“You’d better.”

She collected her bag and left.

Journey turned toward the locker room. “I need to change before lunch. If my legs stop working, one of you has to carry me.”

“You’re walking fine,” I said.

“For now.”

She disappeared through the door. Elijah looked around the studio. His gaze moved over the mirrors, the platform, the sound system, and the framed photographs along the wall.

“You built this,” he said.

“I did.”

“It’s impressive.”