Page 131 of While You Were Trending

“Keep the shirt,” I say. “I’ll go.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Her gaze dips to my chest, then back to my eyes. “It’s—it’s fine.”

Her teeth are still chattering and she’s still pale.

I shake my head. It’s not fine. None of this isfine.

I want to be her hero.

I want to save her from spiders and her mother and cameras and thunderstorms and fears and insecurities and anyone who would continue to judge her on who they thought she was rather than who she is.

I want to kiss her booboos.

I want to run my fingers through that curly hair and I want to make her scream my name and I want to stroke her skin while she falls asleep.

But I can’t.

For so many reasons.

“Ribs are ready,” Heath says as he leaves the group, pulling his own shirt back on. It’s streaked with damp spots. He’s wearing the water that came off of Ginny’s body, and I suddenly hate him with an intensity usually reserved for hating Freida Rhodes. “Go get plates.”

He looks at me again.

I don’t know him well enough to guess if he’s about to tell me no shirt, no service, if he likes having another guy around, or if he wants me to prep plates for all of the ladies.

“Not every day strippers serve food around here,” he says.

“Oh my lordy, you’restrippingnow?” Adelaide says through tears. “My mama would’ve gone to one of your shows.”

Heath smirks.

Dori grins at me.

Adelaide sucks in a big breath and swipes at her eyes.

And I hold out a hand to Heath. “Gimme the tongs. I’ll serve.”

Can’t do much else out here.

As usual, I’m the backup line.

But at least I still get to be near Ginny.

25

WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE

Ginny

I’ve watchedDeclan with fans before, but tonight, with Adelaide—this is different.

They’re standing at an old wine barrel that they’re using as a table, and he’s listening intently while Adelaide tells him stories about her mama and this road trip she’s been on to do all of the things her mama always said they’d do when she retired.

I keep catching myself rubbing a hand over my heart as I eavesdrop from just outside the barn.

There’s something incredibly unjust that I traveled with my own mother for years and will be in therapy for the rest of my life over it, while Adelaide’s mama died too young to do all of the things she wanted to do for herself and with her daughter.

And there’s something even worse about the cocktail of emotions messing with my heart and my libido.