“Whatever,” Emma said. “I just want you to be happy, and if I am sometimes the one who makes you that way, great.”
That felt too heavy. God, especially with the rumors, what was Emma thinking, coming over and saying this to Jo? She tried to power through like it wasn’t awkward.
“I can probably make you laugh, actually,” she said. “My sister and I are doing ‘A Whole New World’ fromAladdinnext on karaoke. You should come watch.”
“Have you done the proper warm-ups?” Jo’s voice was overly serious.
“If singing backup while Aly rocked ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ counts as warm-ups.”
That, at least, got Jo to smile. Emma took a sip of her drink to hide her grin.
“You know I appreciate everything you do, Emma,” Jo said. “That award belongs to you, too—I wouldn’t get half as much done without you.”
Emma shrugged it off. “Sure you would.”
“I wouldn’t,” Jo insisted.
She held eye contact for a moment before glancing over Emma’s shoulder.
“I believe your sister is trying to get your attention,” she said. “It must be your time to sing.”
“Right,” Emma said. She turned to go, then turned back. “You really should come watch. Better than the original, I swear.”
Avery was on the other side of the rooftop. She could have walked over, but apparently she’d rather try to get Emma’s attention like an idiot, waving her arms around. Emma planned to tease her for it, but Avery teased her first.
“How’s yourgirlfriend?” Avery asked, dragging out the word.
Emma smacked her on the arm. “Seriously, could you not do that? Especiallyhere. God, what did I tell you about this? I donotneed people thinking you’re serious.”
Avery rubbed the place on her arm Emma hit. “Somebody’s touchy.”
“Somebody’sannoying,” Emma grumbled. “You don’t even knowif she’s interested in women anyway. She’s probably straight and definitely isn’t my girlfriend.”
Avery leveled her with a look.
“No straight person writes queer characters as well as Jo Jones.”
“Maybe she’s got a lot of gay friends!”
Avery gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “No straight woman would’ve watched you walk away from that conversation the way she did.”
Emma could feel her face go red. “I said shutup. God, some of the crew already believe the rumors.”
She didn’t wonder how Jo looked at her. It didn’t matter. Jo was—Jo was her maybe straight boss, and Emma didn’t have a crush on her anyway.
“I’ll make it up to you,” Avery said, “by singing Aladdin’s part.”
Emma gasped. “You never let me sing Jasmine’s part!”
“A one-time offer.”
Emma squealed and threw her arms around her sister.
When Emma sang about an endless diamond sky, she spotted Jo, at the back of the crowd, just inside the door from outside. She was smiling.
Emma really loved wrap parties.
—