Page 48 of Playing With Matches
“On the other hand,” Alexis says absolutely stone-faced, “You all should hear Jackson sing karaoke after he’s had a drink or two.”
“Shut up, Alexis,” I growl.
“Do tell!” Owen slides closer and leans towards Alexis, all ears. She’s got that mischievous look in her eye. I know it well. It’s the same look she gets when she’s about to say something scandalous on the podcast.
“Yes,” Rory raises an eyebrow. “I want to hear this, too.”
I shoot her a warning look, wishing that I hadn’t agreed to singing at Emily’s engagement party. But it isn’t every day your good friend and podcast co-host gets engaged, and I’d been truly happy for her and Blaze.
Emily and Blaze. Hudson and Georgia. Dean and Chelsea. My forest of friends is starting to look more like a clearing full of felled trees.
“All I can say is that Jackson’s got some pipes,” Alexis comments not-so-innocently, “which makes sense given that his dad was a bonafide rockstar.”
“Really? Who?” Rory asks.
“Nobody,” I say. “Nobody, a kid like you would know.”
“Of course she would know. Your dad recorded the theme song for this show!” Alexis blurts excitedly.
“No way!” Owen looks impressed. “That’s wild. I’ve always loved that song,” he says.
“Wait. That’s your dad? Does Rob know about this?” Rory asks, taking out her phone.
“He mentioned it once,” I say. “It’s not a big deal. Anyways, my dad and I haven’t talked in years. It’s just a funny coincidence.”
“I’ll say,” Rory murmurs distractedly as she checks an incoming text. She scrolls down quickly. “Ooops - that’s my boss now. Looks like party time’s over,” she says.
“Hey, do you think you could tell Rob that I need to talk to him?” I ask her.
“Sure, what about?” she asks.
“The shooting schedule.” I shoot a glance over at Owen, not wanting to say too much in front of him. But he’s not even listening to us. He has his head together with Alexis sharing a laugh over something.
“I was just hoping he’d have a minute to talk. Or maybe you can.” I glance at Rory’s phone, “I’d love to conference in my team and go over the plan for shooting. I’m concerned about the potential matches being compromised by the delay.”
“Hmmmm…” Rory slips the phone into the bib of her overall shorts. “That’s more of a Rob thing. I’ll let him know when I see him.”
Rory loudly slurps the dregs of her drink through the paper straw and stands to go. Her hands fly over her pockets, checking for pens and doing some kind of silent inventory before she takes off. At the last minute, she stuffs some napkins and a couple of sugar packets in a back pocket. She’s rarely still, I note. It’s funny how some people are always flapping like birds prepping for liftoff. And other people manage to cover miles and miles on steady outstretched wings. Isla is like that. She seems relatively still, and yet she’s always going places, soaring.
After Rory’s gone, Owen turns to me and says, “You seem like a numbers guy, Jackson. What do you think the odds are of Isla and Marco actually getting together? He seems really into her, and it seems like they’re a perfect match doesn’t it?”
“No way,” I say. “He’s full of shit. I am not buying it for a minute.”
“I dunno,” Alexis cocks her head at me, “I think he seems genuinely into her. He was just asking me for advice on how to woo her.”
“Oh my God, he’s not snowing you, too, is he? Come on, Alexis, you know better. Marco’s a puffed up cheeseball in hammy, spammy, processed man-meat form.”
Alexis gives me a scathing look and glances sideways at Owen. I clap a hand over my mouth. I’ve done it again. Even without alcohol. No filter. But to be fair, I’m so used to dishing with Alexis. It just popped out.
Owen chuckles. “Tell us how you really feel, Man.”
“My bad,” I apologize. “I’m very sorry, Owen. I should not have said that about our host. It was unprofessional of me.”
“Maybe,” he laughs. “But I’m not gonna disagree with you.” He looks at Alexis. “I guess this is why he can’t drink, huh?” He laughs again.
“Yeah,” she says, still looking at me funny. “But I’m not so sure that’s all there is to it. If I didn’t know better, I’d say my old pal Jackson here has a little crush.”
isla
