Lydia's stomach flipped. She had been anxious about the interview, but she hadn't expected this kind of attention.
She scrolled through her phone, seeing countless posts, edits of her with George, and hashtags like #GeorgeAndLydia, #GoldenBoyAndHisMuse, and even heartfelt threads of people praising her for being "the girl who stood by him when he had nothing."
It was overwhelming.
Her heart pounded with every notification, but there was also a strange warmth in seeing how people celebrated their story, even if they didn't know the whole truth.
Her phone rang again. This time, it was a message from George.
Hey. Are you okay with all this noise? Do you want to meet up later?
Lydia smiled despite herself.
Lydia: I'm fine. It's a little much, but I'm surviving. Let's meet. I need to yell at you in person.
His reply came quickly.
George: Deal. Come to my house this evening? Grandma insists on making your favorite.
Lydia's heart softened. There was no saying no to Pearl.
Later that evening, as Lydia arrived at George 's house, she found George waiting for her at the porch, his hands in his pockets, his smile a little unsure.
"You didn't really come to yell at me, did you?" he teased.
Lydia rolled her eyes. "We'll see. Depends on how good the pie is."
Pearl welcomed her in like family, shooing George away to set the table while she fussed over Lydia, making sure she had everything she needed.
Dinner was warm, filled with laughter and nostalgia. But as soon as they cleared the dishes, Lydia and George found themselves on the back porch, away from Pearl's watchful eyes.
"So, how are you holding up, Golden Boy?" Lydia asked, nudging his arm.
George sighed. "It's been a lot. But being able to openly talk about my past, and the people I love, I can't lie, it feels... right."
Lydia chuckled. "I didn't expect you to talk about me like that. You barely looked me in the eye when we were younger. I thought you didn't like being around me."
He turned to her, his gaze serious now. "How come everyone around us noticed it but you didn't?"
"Noticed what?" Lydia asked in confusion.
"That I had the biggest crush on you" He continued "well, initially. Then later I was madly in love with you. Everyone noticed. GrandMa, Chris, even your dad."
Her breath hitched. The honesty in his voice was disarming.
"What did they do to you? I'm going to kill Chris" She was now clearly upset.
"No..no, they were all very supportive." He continued
"I just didn't want you to suffer. That's why I moved out here and worked hard to give you a good life. But when I was finally able to give you the life you deserve, you were dating...Please don't say anything for now. I know this media storm is crazy, Lydia. But if you're okay with it, I want to stop hiding. I want people to know who you are to me. Even if it's just as friends for now."
Lydia smiled softly. "Friends, huh?"
George chuckled. "For now."