Page 80 of Fighting For You
“She’s so pretty,” Elise said, blinking like she’d just seen an apparition of Jenna Halter and not the woman herself.
“She’s so… normal,” Catherine added, chuckling softly to herself.
“She’s great. So is Jack. I honestly haven’t had issues with any of the celebrities we contract with so far, though I know we’ve had a few.” I glanced at Nikki whose eyes widened.
“Bruce has a few stories, which he of course hasn’t told me because of NDAs.” She smiled to cover theof course he wouldn’t breach an NDA to tell his wife about stupid celebritiesexpression.
Jo grinned, then sobered. “I love that she’s so personable. Anyone else bothered by the ‘creepy producer’ thing?”
We all nodded, and I raised a hand. “I’ll look into it.”
I might not be able to do anything, but as I sat here withmy beautiful, thoughtful, brilliant friends, I wasn’t about to let the comment go unnoticed. Nor was I going to forget that Callum whatever-his-name-was had been clinging to Elise.
Jude and I had things to work out, but I wasn’t someone who would prioritize my own drama and neglect something raising red flags.
First, I’d confront Jude and lay it out. We wanted to be together, so we needed to go all in with this thing, each of us sliding in everything we had, or agree to fold. I didn’t want to be any more invested than I already was. I didn’t have the heart for it.
I’d decided. In the last few hours, I’d nailed down what rested underneath all those fears and it was this: I trusted Jude with my life, and I wanted to trust him with my heart… if he’d onlytakeit. I’d swallow my pride and offer it up and see what happened… and if it was meant to be, we’d move forward.
If not?
I’d accept a different path. I’d trust myself to know that, to accept it, and to move forward with hope. We wouldn’t revert to enemies. We’d be friends, or if not that, then at least acquaintances. And we’d both be fine. Maybe a little hurt, a little raw, but fine.
And then?
We’d get back to work.
So… time to play capture the flag.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Jude
Kenny’s stupid grin widened so far, he practically became a disembodied Cheshire Cat head.
“So you need me…” he said, dragging every word out like my request was some kind of salacious secret and not just that—a simple request.
“Yes.”
“And you’re asking me to start a double shift a half hour early because…”
I glared at his sparkly eyes and grunted.
“Let’s use our words,” he tutted.
“Because I need to get off an hour early.”
“Because…”
Because I haven’t seen Jess in two days, and I feel like I can’t breathe.
“Because I do.”
He crossed his arms, but the wild smile wentnowhere. “Now here I was thinking you’d learned to use your words a little better lately.”
I glared.
Impossibly, he smiled even wider.
