Page 81 of Knot Their Starlet

“It won’t be work. Come on, Andi, you just said you don’t want to be alone.”

I roll over onto my back, letting out a small sigh as I stare up at my ceiling like it’ll give me answers.

But I don’t need anyone to tell me what I really want, deep down.

Not even my ceiling.

“Okay, fine, if he’s okay with it,” I mumble, remembering the way he was on set. It’s hard to forget the fact that he was the one to bring me my robe when I was sprawled out on the floor half-naked.

“Perfect!” Beck says, sounding like a kid in a candy store.

“You don’t have to sound so excited,” I say, rolling my eyes playfully, even though he can’t see me right now.

“But I do,” he says, suddenly growing serious. “You’re not alone anymore, Andi. We’re friends, right?”

His words catch me off guard.

Do I actually have anyone I can consider a true friend?

If you’d asked me a few months ago, I would’ve said Ezra was my friend, but now? No one really comes to mind.

It’s hard to make friends when your mom always throws a fit when you’re out of the house for too long, hanging out with people she doesn’t “approve of.” And her approval was only really given to people of higher social status than us, which limited my opportunities even more.

“Yeah,” I say, my voice going soft. “Friends.”

“And friends don’t let each other spiral alone after a hard therapy session.”

“When did I say I was spiraling?” I huff.

“The first thing you said on this call was that your head was swimming,” Beck points out gently. “But you’re right, that wasn’t a spiral. Friends don’t let friends drown? Well, that’s not quite what you said either. Friends don’t let friends swim when they don’t want to swim?”

“Thank you for checking in on me,” I say, biting my bottom lip to try to suppress the grin on my face. “Maybe don’t write a song about fish, though. Your water metaphors could use some work.”

“Duly noted,” Beck says. I can practically hear the grin through the phone. “Alright then, I’ll go let Leo know the plan.”

“You mean ask him, right? ‘Cause the plan requires him agreeing.”

“Yeah, ask. Of course.”

“I mean it, Beck, I don’t want him coming over if he doesn’t want to.”

“I really don’t think you need to worry about that, Andi. Anyway, talk later!”

“Bye, Beck.”

Before the empty silence of my apartment is able to creep back in, my phone vibrates. This time, I find myself excited as I check who the message is from. Big change there.

Leo

Do you like spicy food?

I let out a soft huff of laughter.

Andi

What is it with you guys and trying to feed me?

His answer is instant. It also has my mouth going dry and something else below my waist going... less dry.