Page 78 of Unmasked

She gives me a grateful smile. “You’re right.” She lifts her chin in the air. “I need to have a conversation with him.”

“I’m here if you need me. Always.”

She stops walking and throws her arms around me. “I’m glad we’re friends. I’m so grateful for you.”

I open my mouth but am interrupted by a feminine voice.

“Hey, now. Why aren’t I a part of this love fest?” Megan throws her arms around Mandy and me.

“You don’t even know why we’re hugging,” I tease.

“Does it matter? Any excuse is a good excuse for a hug.” Megan pulls back, her eyes wide. “No one died, right?”

“Gosh, no.” Mandy’s eyes are wide like the thought is too horrific tocomprehend.

“Too bad it wasn’t my parents. Can’t say I’d miss them much.”

“Mallory.” Mandy swats me. “I know they ignored you most of your life. Left you with nannies and tutors. Didn’t parent you, from all I’ve heard…” Her brows furrow, and she frowns.

“Your point?” I stare at her, folding my arms over my chest.

“I was trying to find a reason you shouldn’t wish that on them.” She shrugs. “I’ve got nothing.”

Megan laughs. “I’ve never met your parents, but they don’t sound nice. Even though my dad has cancer and can’t do much, he’s been a helluva father. I’m pretty lucky.”

I pat her arm as we resume walking to our respective classes. “Stryker thinks highly of him. He talked about him when he told me about his past.”

Megan raises her brows, surprise on her face. “Stryker’s deeply in love with you if he told you about his past. He’s never told anyone outside of the immediate family. Until you.”

A huge smile spreads over my face. “I’m honored.”

She throws an arm around me. “Stryker is a helluva guy. He’s been through a lot of shit.” Megan squeezes me against her. “You make him so damn happy. I mean, look at this.” She pulls up a picture on her phone and shows it to me.

Mandy peers over my shoulder. “Holy shit. I think I just got pregnant.”

I giggle at her words, but my attention is still on the picture. I had no idea Megan took it because I was too lost in Stryker to notice.

It’s a beautiful picture of us staring into each other’s eyes, our lips a breath away from kissing. The love we feel is captured perfectly.

“This is amazing, Megan.”

“I like taking photos, which is why I’m a Communications/Journalism major with an Art minor.” She gestures at her phone. “I’ll text it to you. Want me to send it to Stryker, too?”

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll do a group text. Hold on a second.” Her fingers fly over the phone before a message comes through. I grin when I see her caption. “The happiest lovebirds I’ve ever seen.” Then she sends the photo.

“I could stare at it all day.”

Mandy snorts. “You better not stare at it in Biology unless you wanna fail the course.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. My new tutor is helping, though. I like her.”

“My math tutor is helping me.” Mandy’s eyes sparkle with wickedness.

I snort. “I’m sure Jeremy is helping.”

She giggles. “It can be hard to stay on task.”