Page 32 of While You Were Trending

I can’t help it.

When Mabel invited me to come here after the stupidest decision of my life went the kind of viral my mom always dreamed of forOn the Rhodes, I thought I’d stay a couple days.

Maybe a week.

But now, this is my home.

And I love it.

Once the wedding is fully cleaned up and Declan’s gone, I’ll still be here.

Part of a family.

Doing things that are bigger than me.

And happy.

Just have to get through a few weeks.

And then all will be normal again.

Hopefully for the rest of my life.

6

THE SOUND OF PANIC

Ginny

I missmy alarm Monday morning, so I’m rushing to get to my day job meetings on time.

After throwing on the first dress I grab in my closet and a quick brush of my teeth, I practically sprint into the kitchen, on my way to the converted butler’s pantry that’s now a home office for me.

Need to get coffee.

But I stop my beeline for the coffee maker when Declan looks up at me from the table.

He’s in a blue performance T-shirt that hugs his biceps and chest, his thick brown hair damp and sticking up at all angles, sweat lingering at his hairline. There’s a plate of scrambled eggs, fruit salad, and thick-cut wheat toast in front of him, and the aroma of coffee lingers in the air.

And a camera guy in the kitchen with him.

It’s the camera guy that really does me in.

Him and his camera.

His lights.

His mic.

All in my kitchen.

It takes me back to myOn the Rhodesdays, when I’d be filmed doing everything from what Declan’s doing now—eating breakfast—to doing my homework to being yelled at for leaving my room a mess or making dinner wrong to fighting going to bed.

My hands start shaking and my lungs tighten and my mouth goes dry.

The worst part though?

I knew they’d be here.