Page 98 of Broken Romeo
“It still blows my mind that Holden—our football star, Holden, from college—became a famous actor,” she says. “He was just such a jock.”
“Believe me,” I mutter. “No one is more shocked than me.”
“Tilt back,” Jill says, nudging my chin with her fingers.
I do as she says and open wide just in time for her to fill my mouth with whipped cream. With a grin, she does the same in her own mouth as there’s a knock on our door.
Still trying to swallow her mouthful of whipped cream, she slides over to the door and peeks out the peephole.
“Oh, my God,” Jill says. “There’s a freaking Greek God knocking on our door.”
“What are you talking about?” I laugh and push off the counter, walking toward the door.
She still has her eye pressed to the door. “He has to have the wrong apartment. I mean, seriously. He looks like if Hercules and Apollo had a lovechild.”
“Hercules was only a demi-God. His mother was human—”
“Oh, my God!” Jill hisses. “That’s so not the point!”
There’s another knock and we both freeze as a deep voice I recognize says, “Kate? Are you home?”
I know that voice.
I know that voice very well actually.
“The Greek God knows your name,” Jill whispers.
“He’s not a Greek God,” I whisper back. “He’s my co-star, Nolan.”
I nudge Jill to the side and open the door. Nolan is leaning casually with one arm on the doorframe. A plastic bag is in his other hand. His eyes shift between me and Jill, and he grins a wicked smile. “Hey.”
“Uh… hey.”
I glance down at my disheveled and freshly showered self. I’m not wearing a stitch of makeup. My sweatpants are two sizes too big and ratty. My favorite t-shirt is nearly threadbare because I wear it so damn much.
At least I’d put on a sports bra after my shower. Thank God for small favors.
“What, uh, what are you doing here? And how do you know where I live?”
“It’s on the contact sheet Maggie sent out last week. And I wanted to check on you after rehearsal. Make sure you’re okay.”
I feel the penetrating heat of Jill’s stare and all her unasked questions.
“Why wouldn’t she be okay?” Jill asks.
Nix the ‘unasked’ part.
“It was a tough rehearsal where we had to do all these trust exercises. I’m Nolan, by the way.” He flashes Jill a boyishly sexy grin and holds out his hand to her. As she slides her palm into his, he winks and adds, “But you can call me Apollo if you prefer.”
Jill’s face blanches, growing impossible paler.
“This is my best friend, Jill,” I say in an effort to spare her any more humiliation. Then again, knowing Nolan, he’s eating this up.
Jill gives an awkward wave and says through a giggle, “Yep, that’s me. Jill the loudmouth.”
I hip check Jill playfully and continue speaking. “And as you can see, I’m fine—”
He holds up the plastic bag. “I brought Magnolia cupcakes. But you only get them if you let me in.”