Chapter 112. The Aria Diaries (He’s Just Right Now. I’m Forever) (3)

When she looked at him again, she looked ready to burst into tears. He smiled at her affectionately.

“It’s okay, Aria. I won’t be away from you long this time either, I promise. I’ll be by your side when you’re ready for me.”

She opened her mouth to protest, to tell him not to say things like that, to beg him not to confuse her reckless heart so, when he held up his hands in surrender and led her back to the table.

“How about this? I’ll put the flirting on pause while you sort out whatever you think you need to and for now I’ll just be your family,” he said, holding a strawberry up to her lips.

“What does that mean?” she said, staring at the strawberry sceptically.

Troy bit into the strawberry, brought it back to her mouth and was about to trace her lips with it when she decided to open up and bite into the rest of it. He grinned.

“It means I’m here Aria. It means I don’t have anyone but you anymore. It means whatever happens, stay in my life.”