Model Behavior #2
Looking in his eyes, Nova saw the battle there. The love he had for her made him keep quiet about the fact that he’d become her spouse, best friend, and a soon-to-be father to their growing child.
“I need to straighten everything out,” she said, “I need to talk to Lane, to KC, to the label, to PR. I need to get ahead of it because if it comes out wrong they’ll make me look like a liar and clout chaser.
I don’t want to be seen as a fraud for protecting my privacy, but they'll turn the out love story into a scandal before I even get to be happy about it.”
His jaw flexed.
“I know I created part of that,” she said before he could point it out. “I know, but I need a minute to fix it.”
“A minute,” he repeated.
“A real one, not forever,” she said quickly, “I love you.”
His face softened then, because that still got him.
“I love you,” she said again, “And I don’t want to hide you because I’m ashamed. I’m not ashamed of you. I’m scared of what they’ll do to everything I'm working for. And I hate that I’m letting that fear make you feel like something I need to keep quiet.”
Tariq’s eyes shone, but he blinked it back. “I’m your husband,” he said, “Or your little secret.”
Nova’s hand moved back to her stomach. “I know.”
He stared at her for a long moment before he exhaled a long and reluctant sigh. “A little while longer,” he gritted out.
Relief hit her so hard her shoulders dropped.
“But not months and no more fake dates,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“No more fake dates,” she agreed hesitantly, making his expression go flat.
“And we need to tell everyone so you’re not stressing and feeling alone,” he suggested, making Nova grimace at the thought.
Tariq’s mouth twitched. “Scared?”
“Terrified,” she admitted
“As you should be,” he chuckled.
Nova laughed softly, then lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed his wedding band, causing Tariq’s mood to soften.
“There’s my wife,” he murmured.
The word moved through her like music. They eventually ate, and for a moment they were husband and wife, not an artist and her secret. Not rollout and risk. Not fantasy and fallout.
When they left the restaurant, Tariq kept her hand in his and Nova didn’t pull away.
That was how the pictures got them, though they didn’t know it then.
They walked back to the villa under a sky full of stars with their rings visible.
Tariq’s hand resting protectively at the small of Nova’s back and her body leaning into his because she was tired and pregnant and in love.
For one brief walk they didn’t have to pretend otherwise.
By the time they reached the villa, Nova noticed how quiet things had gotten.
The terrace was still lit, flowers still everywhere, and the ocean still rolling beyond the rail, but the mood had shifted.
Without decorations, you wouldn't know a proposal had taken place hours earlier.
When she and Tariq made it to the main living area, everyone was just standing there, seemingly waiting on them.
Khalil’s face was tight, and Lennox looked murderous in the quiet way that meant someone’s servers were already begging for mercy.
Lane stood beside him with her phone in her hand, and the expression on her face said she was facing a manager’s worst nightmare.
Cadence stood in the center of the room in a flowing robe with a baby monitor clipped to her pocket.
Her hair was wrapped, and her face held enough fury to make Nova’s soul consider leaving her body early.
“Oh,” Tariq mumbled, “This is not a welcome committee.”
Nova’s stomach dropped as Cadence lifted her phone and marched toward them.
“Do either one of y’all,” she said with the tone of her voice dangerously calm, “have anything you want to tell us before I start swinging?”
“Cadence—” Nova’s mouth went dry.
Cadence slammed the phone down so she and Tariq could see the gossip blog headline preparing to spread across social media.
EXCLUSIVE: NOVA RAE SECRETLY MARRIED? RISING R now here she was looking at the hurt in her friends’ faces.
There wasn't a song she could sing or a joke Tariq could tell to make this go away. She knew that they’d have to earn everyone’s trust back, and she prayed they loved her and Tariq enough to let them.