Bookishly Ever After (Ever After #1)(90)
I smiled up at him, pointed at the page, and gave him the one-second gesture before turning back to the book.
“Let’s go talk,” Gideon whispered and gave my arm a tug.
I resisted his pull for a second, two seconds, but his shadows twined with my light and by second three, I was following him. He had less to lose if I became trapped—in fact, life would be better for him, but, still, he’d worked so hard to teach me how to talk to these leaders. He wouldn’t trip me up in the last minute.
We stepped through the doorway into a short, narrow hallway leading to a staircase. “Aurora, what I said earlier, about how I feel—“ he said softly making me freeze midstep. I turned to look at him, but he was staring straight ahead. “—it was only because I didn’t want Hallur to use me and my feelings against you—”
My heartbeat sped up in time with Aurora’s. This was it—Gideon’s confession. Tingles flowed over my skin.
“Just a tip, Phoebe,” Em said, reaching over and closing the book on my fingers, “Normal people don’t ignore their boyfriends for books.”
I leaned against Dev and book tingles were replaced with real-life warmth. “He’s okay with it.”
Dev’s chest shook with laughter. “I know there’s no point in getting between you and,” he craned his neck to see my book’s cover, “what’s the paranormal creature of the week?”
“Besides,” I said, ignoring his comment and swatting at his hand with my book when he tried to swipe a bite of my grilled cheese, “Normalcy is overrated.”
He avoided the book and grabbed a grilled cheese, anyway, scrunching his nose in a “so there” look before taking a bite. “Definitely overrated.”
Alec finished his cheesesteak, balled up the wrapper, and tossed it so it hit Dev’s shoulder. “Can you two please stop being so…couple-ish? Em’s been gloating since you came back from camp last week and it’s starting to get old.”
Grace looked up from her chemistry notebook, eyebrows arched and lips pressed together with the corners just barely turned up.
“Only starting?” She met my eyes, letting a little amusement slip through.
“I have a high tolerance for Em hyperbole,” Alec said, ducking the wrapper that Dev threw back at him.
“Mmmhmm,” Em said, studying him with a mock thoughtful look. “Watch out, Alec . I’m on a roll. Maybe I’ll find someone for you, next.”
“If you do, I’ll tell your dad about Wilhelm.”
“Really? Wait until your parents hear about the microwave experiment that destroyed their season 4 Enterprise DVDs,” Em said pointedly.
While they argued, Dev put an arm around me and I snuggled against him as I opened my book again. “So, Feebs,” he started, and I reached up to put a finger against his lips.
“Just one more page.”