My therapist had asked me that once before. “I don’t intend to roll with everything tonight.”
Just as I was about to tell her we were done playing games, that Brady wasn’t taking her anywhere, that we needed to discuss our friendship being not just a friendship anymore, her phone rang.
The sound made her jump and I knew right then who it was.
She dug in her purse to silence it.
The name on the screen reminded me we had even bigger issues than Brady. “He calling you a lot?”
“No.” She sighed and pushed a finger to her temple. “Yes. Sometimes.”
“Are you answering?” Could I break her phone without her realizing it was on purpose?
“Not as of yet. But he’s persistent and he’s texted me a few times about wanting to stay friends and all that.”
“He’s trying to get a reaction.”
“Maybe, but also, maybe not. We were friends for a long time, Jay. I spent most of college with him. He knows me—”
“—well enough to use what he knows to get you to talk to him,” I finished for her. “You know I’m right.”
She shifted from one foot to the other and slid her phone out of sight. “Let’s just focus on the festival, okay? We have a ton to do tonight.”
“I know, Lorraine. I promised Mikka I’d drive her though.” Brady practically whined in his collared shirt and dark jeans. He’d gotten dressed for the date I didn't want them to go on.
“Nonsense. She can walk. Your truck is bigger than mine. I just need you all to help me load the pies in there. It’ll only take fifteen minutes for you to drive with me and unload.”
He sighed but conceded because we all knew that if you lived in this town, you did what Lorraine said.
After we’d filled Brady’s pickup with the sweet smelling apple pies, she announced dramatically. “I wish you two could fit in the pickup with us. It’d be so nice if we could all use my reserved parking spot at the fest.”
No one bought her acting especially when she winked big at me and smiled.
I patted Brady on the shoulder as we all chuckled at her antics. “See you there, buddy. I’ll keep Mikka happy on our walk.”
Mikka whined the whole damn walk. “I’m not made for small towns and the amount of gravel and dirt I have to trek through to get to these events.”
“Coachella is just as dirty and you walk just as much.”
She hummed. “True, but I belong there with the amount of potential celebrity clientele I can rake in.”
I grabbed her and pulled her close. “You don’t get to PA for anyone else for long, Meek. I’m supposed to get you full time.”
She laughed and fell into step with me. “You forget that I gave up a month for you. I’m losing clients because of it.”
“Good. I’m trying to make damn sure you lose all of them.”
“Jay, you could probably get a better PA than me.” Her step didn’t falter, and the small smile as she said it made my dick twitch. The woman knew her worth—her competitiveness would never allow her to give me up to someone else.
“No, I couldn’t, and we both know it. You’re invaluable.” As we came up to the village, her eyes lit up like she was at a more extravagant event than Beyonce at Coachella, and I muttered more to myself than her, “Invaluable in more ways than one.”