Page 26 of Novice Girlfriend

“You do enough. Let Derek field this part,” Taylor grumbled, not backing down when she gave him a look like she might smack him. Then he focused on me. “I’m a bit confused why I’m here since this isn’t a security thing.”

I studied him. “And why doesn’t that make you nervous?”

“Because he thinks it’s a next step in a relationship or something,” Tracey drawled. “Men are idiots.” She ignored the look he gave her this time. “Why is he here before he breaks his brain?”

I ignored when Wyatt coughed and handed the sack to Taylor. “This is for you. I don’t know what it is. I can’t tell you where I got it. I can’t tell you who it’s from. I’m assuming it will make sense.”

Taylor blinked at me for maybe a full minute before letting out the longest sigh that probably could have been heard a state away.

At least.

“We were just saying the same thing, so please remember it’s not her fault,” Wyatt said quietly as Taylor took the sack.

“I know, I know,” Taylor grumbled. “I just need less problems and more things to work out.” He bobbed his head when all three of us snorted.

We understood and felt the same way.

He opened the drawstrings of the nicer sack. It reminded me of those ones Mother would come home with that held something from a designer store to protect it. I used to joke how she’d brought home a bag that had a bag, but that sort of thing.

Simply smaller.

Taylor raised an eyebrow when he looked inside and then pulled out a smaller one.

“Are we having some Russian nesting dolls fun?” Tracey drawled.

“No, there are others in there,” Taylor said and handed it over, focusing on the one in his hand.

“It’s like a jewelry pouch,” she muttered.

Taylor gave a half shrug. “People reuse them all the time for things they don’t want to misplace or fall out of pockets. I use them for USB drives a lot.” He untied it and opened it. “Why would someone Bevin knows give me jewelry?” He turned it over and emptied the contents out onto his hand.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Wyatt sighed heavily.

“Yeah, no, much better they give you the raw gems instead,” Tracey drawled as we all stared at red diamonds in his palm. “Bev, we’re not going to be able to let this go.”

“Well, you’re going to have to,” Wyatt warned, his voice cold. “She already told you there are things she can’t tell you or she’ll be punished. Is your curiosity worth that?”

“Of course not,” she snapped, already on her phone though, but then it was gone, in Wyatt’s hand.

“She was looking up the value,” I told him quietly. “She will never do anything to hurt me. Never.”

Wyatt froze in what he was probably going to say next, noting the way Taylor had already moved in front of Tracey and then slowly brought her phone up to his face so he could see it. He let out a slow breath and then showed it to me so I knew too.

I smiled at him. “I knew. I always know when it’s her.”

His eyes flashed shock. “You’re amazing.” He nodded when all of us were surprised. “I still can’t trust anyone the way you trust her after everything they did to me and you went through so much worse, Bev. Honestly, please see how amazing you are. I have had close friends for years and years like you have had Tracey and I still would never trust them as much as you trust her.”

Tracey accepted her phone back when he offered it, understanding that explanation was for her too. “I’m not mad, and I’m glad you’ll always protect her.” She cleared her throat. “Especially when you and I have had issues.” Then she glanced at Taylor. “Thank you, handsome.”

He gave a slight nod and backed off, mumbling we needed to focus back on the damn diamonds.

“Yes, because Bevin just gave you millions of dollars in rare red diamonds, assuming they’re real, which I would guess they are,” she muttered and then rubbed her forehead. “Okay, so skipping how you got them, and I would assume from the gods somehow given you can’t tell us anything, that leaves us with one question.”

Why?

Taylor put the diamonds away and then grabbed the main sack from Tracey before squatting down and opening the other five sacks inside to reveal more gems. Each time he swore, put them back, set them on the ground, and opened a new one. Then he seemed to think for a bit and then stared up at me in awe.

“I didn’t do it,” I muttered, looking really uncomfortable.