Page 108 of Absolute Certainty
It was moments like this that made everything with Jay feel more fragile as she remembered how irritated Martin would get when she’d initiate physical contact at a moment whenhedidn’t want it. How, especially toward the end of their relationship, he would look at her with an irritated glare when he wasn’t in the mood for her touch.
He looked down at where her hand covered his and flipped his palm over, allowing her to lace their fingers together.
See, Jay isn’t like Martin,a small voice in her head whispered.
“Was there anyone else after her?” she asked.
“No, a few women I’d been interested in weren’t willing to get involved long-term with a man who had a kid.”
Fuck.That one hurt.
“I’m sorry,” she managed to say.
“It’s all good,” he returned. “What about you?”
“I’ll answer that in a sec, but how long were you in LA?”
“Four years. Maya did her residency at USC. I went with her, watched Ellie when she was at work, and then worked freelance in film when she was off.”
“That’s so sweet. The kid really scored with good parents.”
Smiling, he waited for her to speak next.
He’d opened up to her, and now, she owed him some parts of her truth. “I’ve had my heart broken a few times.”
Jay held her hand tighter. “Was Martin the worst?”
“Maybe?” she phrased it like a question. “A lot of them were the same. He was just great at apologizing and fooling me over and over again, so he was more like my last straw.”
“How long were you with him?”
“A year and some change. We met at an audition before I got cast inMidnightsand ran into each otherafter I got back from the Boston tryouts.”
Eyes back on the road, Jay said, “I looked him up, so I’d recognize his name and face to make sure he’s never cast in anything I’m a part of.”
She laughed. “He’s got a decent singing voice, but he’s a mid-level actor, sadly. Sam had actually auditioned for his role inHatchard’sand forMidnightsaround the same time,and he got both but choseMidnights. Martin was bitter because he auditioned for all three major roles inMidnightsbut didn’t get callbacks for any of them.”
“He’s certainly not getting a call back if I’m there.”
“I appreciate the loyalty.”
“Always.” The word left his mouth so seamlessly, so sincerely, that her heart burst. Sahar wasn’t sure about many things, but she knew that Jay’s benevolence wasn’t a mask to get in her good graces. He knew pain and suffering well, and while it was clear it hardened him, it hadn’t shredded his humanity. Instead, it had deepened his empathy, and she could tell as much by the stories he’d written. From the way he spoke and behaved. The way hecaredto get toknowher.
She looked up ahead toward the sky. Dark clouds seemed to be rolling in, but rain hadn’t been on the forecast earlier. “Is it going to rain?”
Jay ducked his head a little, squinting to see. “Shit, it might.”
“Fuck.”
“Not a fan of rain?”
“I am, but it depends on my mood. Are you?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I prefer the rain.”
“Do you run hot?”
Laughing, he gave a quizzical look. “Yeah, why?”
