Chapter 13
CLEO
Iwas already grouchy from lack of sleep and nervous about my test tomorrow.
So when Ana and Maria started whispering while looking at me, I shot them a glare from the other end of the table where our group was studying.
Then Stephanie leaned halfway out of her seat to see what they were staring at on Ana’s phone.
Her eyes widened, and I couldn’t help but wonder if they were talking about those ridiculous stories again.
Ana had been irritated when I refused to say anything about my mystery guy in the truck when she asked about him before class started, and she struck me as the kind of girl who would be petty like that.
Which was why I wasn’t that close with her little trio—I didn’t need to get sucked back into the high school mentality.
I did my best to ignore them when we finished up our test prep session a few minutes later, but Ana made it impossible when she hurried out of her seat and blocked the study room door from me. Planting my hands on my hips, I heaved a deep sigh and asked, “What do you want?”
She cocked her head to the side. “The guy in the truck was a football player?”
Ugh. There must’ve been new stories out there about me, but at least they got it right this time if they were talking about Rigby and me. “Yeah, the guy I’m dating plays for the New York Nighthawks.”
I didn’t understand why her nose wrinkled at my answer until Maria huffed, “How could you cheat on Gustavo with him?”
My brows drew together as I shook my head. “I already told you that those stories were bogus. Remember?”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “So you’re saying that they got it all wrong…again?”
Again?
I shoved my hand into my purse to grab my cell, my stomach churning as I pulled up the web browser and did a quick search of my name.
I gasped when I saw the result, tears filling my eyes.
The picture of Rigby and I kissing before he put me into the car this morning made my heart swell because of how amazing we looked together. But the headline was pure crap.
“Yes, this is just as inaccurate as those other stories,” I insisted, shouldering past Ana to race to my dorm before the press realized I was a student at Tisch.
The only thing on my mind was getting to a place where I could be by myself while I reacted to the newest round of articles because they were even worse than the first ones.
“Cleo!”
I was so upset, it took me a moment to realize the deep voice calling my name was Rigby’s. My head swiveled, and I found him jumping out of his truck, which was parked right in front of my dorm. Seeing him made the tears stream down my cheeks even more.
His hands wrapped around my biceps, and he peered down at my face. “Why are you crying, baby?”
My breath caught in my chest as I struggled to find the right words to tell him about the awful stories circulating about us.
For a moment, I worried that he would wonder if they were true—even if only for a second.
It would be understandable for him to have doubts since we hadn’t known each other long, but I wasn’t sure my heart could take the hit. “Have you…um…seen what…”
Luckily, he knew what I was talking about without me needing to say more. Wrapping his arms around my back, he pulled me close and murmured, “Everything is going to be fine, baby. I already talked to the press and took care of the bullshit they were spewing.”
He already knew…and he didn’t ask if they were true before he made a statement. He believed in me that much.
My head jerked back so I could stare up at him with wide eyes as a surge of relief coursed through my system. “What did you say?”
“That you were never Gustavo’s.” He cupped my cheeks with his large palms, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip. “And he said that he’s going to back us up in the press.”
My brows arched. “You talked to him?”
“Yeah, he called me,” he gritted out, a muscle jumping in his jaw.
Rigby didn’t have any reason to be jealous when it came to me, but his reaction anytime the subject of Gustavo came up gave me a little flutter of feminine satisfaction.
And it wasn’t as though I didn’t have similar feelings when it came to him—although his name hadn’t been linked in the press with another woman in ages.
Stroking my palms up his chest, I murmured, “I don’t care about him, but I do want to know what you had to say about all of this. You never talk to the press.”
“No way in fuck was I going to let them say shit about you,” he growled. Lifting his head, he glanced around, and his brow furrowed. “C’mon, get in my truck. I don’t want to have this conversation out in the open where anyone could walk up and snap pics of us or, even worse, take a video.”
“Okay,” I readily agreed, not thrilled by the possibility of having more ugly stories written about me because one of my peers decided to sell me out.
I thought he meant that we were going to talk in his truck, but instead, he threaded his fingers through mine and drove toward his place.
Once we were in the privacy of his apartment, he pulled me against his chest. “I’m so fucking sorry, Cleo.
This is why I keep my mouth shut. The media twists shit and rarely gets the story right. ”
“Hopefully, this will all blow over soon with Gustavo backing us up and whatever it was that you told the press…” I trailed off, waiting for him to satisfy my curiosity.
He laughed softly and shook his head. “I’m sure clips of it are online already.”
“I’d rather hear it straight from you.” I twined my arms around his neck. “Please.”
“I didn’t say much, baby. Just that they got the story all wrong and you’re the furthest thing from a cheater. You’re everything that is good, honest, and beautiful in this world.”
My breath caught in my throat at his answer. “You really think that about me?”
“Of course, I do.” He brushed his lips against mine in a gentle kiss, his blue eyes softening. “I love you, baby.”
“You love me?” I whispered, happy tears filling my eyes.
He nodded. “And I want you to come home with me for Thanksgiving. It’s our bye week, and I’ve had my flight booked ever since the team schedule came out since it’s hard to get back when we’re in season.”
“I’d really love that.” I sniffled. “As long as you don’t mind leaving Wednesday night or Thursday morning. My break is only four days, which is why I didn’t bother trying to go see my parents for the holiday.”
“I’ll take care of all the arrangements,” he promised. “But first I want to hear you say something else you love other than our upcoming trip.”
Between the lack of sleep and everything that had just happened, it took me a moment to realize what he was hinting at. “Oh, I guess I should use that particular four-letter word another way now that you’ve said it first, huh?”
His jaw clenched, and he muttered, “Only if you mean it.”
Rigby was such a strong and silent type that it was incredible how vulnerable he let himself be with me.
Beaming him a soft smile, I nodded. “Of course, I love you, Rigby. I knew there could be something special between us the moment we met, and that feeling was just reinforced when I thought you weren’t interested anymore. ”
“Thank fuck,” he rasped, kissing me again.
I was surprised that he’d been worried I would give him a different answer, but I understood—there was no guarding against love. “I might still be young, but I know you’re the right man for me.”
“Good, baby. Because no other guy will ever get the chance to be with you. You’re mine and only mine.”
I loved the sound of that and couldn’t wait to see what the future held for us.