“I’ve been there, Aria,” Monroe said quietly. “The paps came after me and Brodan when he retired from acting. If you need to talk, I’m here.”
My cell rang in my purse, and I knew it was him before I even pulled it out to look at the screen.
“It’s North,” I murmured.
“You should answer. He’s probably worried,” Sloane insisted.
Part of me didn’t want to answer. I wanted to run away and hide and not deal with any of it. However, I knew that would hurt him, and I think I’d hurt North enough already.
“Hey.” The word sounded croaky to my ears as I answered.
“Gorgeous.” North sounded out of breath and panicked. “Did you see the news?”
“I did. Just this second.”
“Are you okay?”
My heart hurt that the first thing he’d thought to do was check in on me. “It’s not ideal.”
“Look, Aria, I am so sorry. I’m getting on a plane right now to come to you.”
“No.” I stood, pushing away from the table to walk out of the café for more privacy. Outside on the street, I could hear him better as he rambled on about needing to be with me to make sure I was okay. “No,” I repeated. “North, you can’t walkout on filming. And not for something that we both know was an eventuality.” It was true. If I intended to be in a relationship with North, it would eventually become public knowledge. Even if he was just a regular Joe off the street, at some point, our faces would find their way online. Because of me.
Because I was Wesley and Chiara Howard’s daughter.
I was the problem. Not North.
“It had to be someone on set.” He cursed. “I’ll have a word with Blake.”
“Don’t.” I shook my head, turning to look back into the café where Monroe and Sloane watched me with obvious concern. Their genuine worry soothed me a little. “North, we didn’t hide our relationship from the film crew. That’s on us. We just have to roll with this now.”
He was silent for a few seconds. “As long as this doesn’t make you want to run away from me, I’m fine with the world knowing about us. I’m more than fine. I’m in this, Aria, so for me this was always going to come out.”
“You’re right. It was.”
“So, we’re okay?”
Hating that I’d made him uncertain about us, I assured him, “We’re more than okay. In fact, there’s this one leaked photo that I kind of want to frame.”
North’s relieved chuckle warmed me all the way through. “Aye, I’m partial to a few myself. You’re so fucking beautiful.”
My cheeks heated. “I don’t deserve you.”
His voice was gruff with emotion when he replied, “You deserve the best, and so you make me want to be the best.”
Tears filled my eyes and I blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back. Maybe those three little words were difficult for me to say, but I needed him to know how I felt. “You are the best, North. The best man I’ve ever known.”
He exhaled sharply, his breath crackling down the line. “You would say that to me when there’s nearly a thousand miles between us.”
I grinned. “I’m cruel that way.”
“I can’t believe I have to wait a week to show you my appreciation.”
I shivered at the thought of what that might be. “I can’t wait.”
We spoke a little more and when we hung up and I turned back to the café, I marveled how just the sound of his voice could bring me back from the brink of panic and fear.
Twenty-Nine
