Page 85 of Trust Me

“Maybe I’m jealous of your outlook on life.”

“There’s no reason to be jealous when you could just adopt the same one.”

He was silent, which made me run back what I’d said.

“Did that make it worse?” I asked.

“No, I just think that you’re right, and I didn’t want to admit it.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because if I didn’t, you might think I actually can’t stand you. And that would suck.”

“Why?”

“It just would.”

“Okay,” I whispered, not entirely trusting my voice.

The way he kept his eyes on me made my skin tingle. It wasn’t just that he was studying me. This time, it seemed like he wanted to see something more, as if he thought there was something hiding underneath. If he wanted to know anything about me, all he had to do was ask and I would spill it all.

I found myself hoping that he would. It certainly didn’t help reinforce my plan to halt what was happening in my chest when I was around him.

Suddenly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. My brow pulled tight as I watched him flip it open.

“Here,” he said, holding out some bills.

“What’s this?”

“Tips.”

“I don’t—”

Without giving me a chance to refuse, he reached over and stuffed them into the front pocket of my jeans.

“Maybe I need some good karma too,” he explained.

“I don’t think you get good karma if you do something just to get it.”

He grunted. “These people need it more than I do.” I saw his throat bob, and he looked away for a second before returning his gaze to me. “I grew up missing meals and sometimes living without heat until payday, but despite what my family went through, we always had a home. I don’t want to become one of those people who hoards every penny as if it makes up for the years I didn’t have any, you know?”

Dipping my head, I smiled. “Yeah, I know.”

“Ah, damn,” Cyrus said. “Rain is coming.”

I looked at the clouds that had begun to block the blue sky. Instead of letting it get me down, I turned to Dean.

Maybe the stars didn’t only shine in the sky. His dark eyes were twinkling with a bit of their own starlight as he stared back at me.

Or I was going absolutely freaking mad.

Oh well. I’d earned it, if you asked me.