“It was fine. Worked out. Hung around the facility.” The lies come easier than they should. They taste wrong in my mouth but I keep talking. “How was yours?”
“Good! Marnie let me observe this really complex assessment. I got to see the whole diagnostic process. And she said if I keep shadowing her through April, she’ll write me a recommendation letter for the PT program.”
“That’s great, JuJu.”
“I know! I’m really excited. I mean, the program doesn’t start until August but it feels real now, you know?” She looks over at me and her smile falters slightly. “You okay? You seem distracted.”
“I’m fine. Just tired from the workout.”
“Go sit. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.”
I do, settling on the couch with my phone, scrolling mindlessly while trying not to think about the choice I just made.
Trying not to think about Sienna’s parting words:I hope she breaks your heart the way you broke mine.
Trying not to think about the fact that I’m already keeping secrets from Juliette and we’ve only been together for a few weeks.
This is fine. Everything is fine.
It has to be. Because if it’s not, if she finds out, I’ll lose her. And I can’t lose her. Not when I just got her. Not when waking up next to her is the best part of my day.
So I’ll keep this to myself. It was nothing. It meant nothing. And what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.
I just have to hope I’m right.
29
JULIETTE
Tuesday, March 18th
I wakeup before Romeo for once, which almost never happens. He’s always up first, either because of practice or because he’s physically incapable of sleeping past seven.
But this morning he’s dead to the world with one arm flung over his eyes and the other across my waist. His chest rises and falls evenly and he looks peaceful in a way he never does when he’s awake.
I slide my hand down his stomach, watching his face for any sign that he’s waking up. My hand wraps around him and he’s already starting to harden under my touch.
His breath hitches but his eyes stay closed.
“I know you’re awake,” I say softly.
“I’m sleeping.”
“You’re hard.”
“Involuntary response.” But his lips quirk up at the corners.
I stroke him slowly and his hips shift. “Still sleeping?”
“Deeply asleep. Having very nice dreams.”
I lean down and press a kiss to his hipbone. “What are you dreaming about?”
“You.” His voice is rough with sleep. “Always you.”
I take him in my mouth and his hand immediately goes to my hair.
“Fuck, JuJu.”
