Then she steps around me, leaving me with a slack jaw and thoughts that I’m going to have to repent for.
“What’s going on over here?” Hadley asks, her eyes shifting from me to Karoline, a twinge of suspicion carrying through her voice.
“Nothing!” we both shout.
“Okay, well, Genevieve and Presley will be here soon and we can get this meeting started,” Hadley says, walking into the back room. Rob follows after her, throwing a narrow-eyed glance at me. Apparently, Hadley wasn’t the only one to witness me backing Karoline against the wall like we were the only two people in this building.
I glance at Karoline, who’s wearing a smug expression like she got one over on me, which admittedly, I didn’t expect her response, but I appreciated the confidence she exuded. On the hike, she seemed unsure of herself, unsure of how to interact with me now. I’m glad to see she’s getting back to the girl I used to know.
We follow Hadley and Rob to the back. We all take a seat on fold-out chairs at a fold-out plastic table. The door opens, and Hadley bounces out to greet Genevieve and her agent.
The three of them enter the back room. Genevieve waves at me with both hands and wrists full of bangles clacking together, wearing ripped jeans, a tassel crop top, and hooped earrings that are almost as big as her elongated face. Her makeup is heavy, making her look like a gypsy princess.
She sits next to me, her agent, Presley, sitting on her other side. Rob, Hadley, and Karoline sit across from us, Karolinedirectly across from me, her eyes flicking between me and Genevieve.
“It’s good to see you again,” Genevieve says.
“You too, Gen.” I smile at my friend who has helped me navigate this world over the past few years. I knew she’d help me with this promotion without asking for much. She’s always been a big supporter of me and my work as I have been for her.
“All right, everyone. I believe we all know each other,” Hadley says then turns to face Karoline. “Well, except Karoline. Karoline, this is Genevieve Rhodes and her agent, Presley Saint.”
Karoline smiles softly, standing up and reaching a hand diagonally to shake first Genevieve’s hand, then Presley’s. “It’s nice to meet y’all.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Genevieve turns to Hadley. “Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this huge moment for your store and jewelry line. I hope our names can drum up a lot of business and success for you.”
“We are grateful! I’m going to turn this meeting over to the spearhead of the campaign, Karoline Wright.”
All eyes lock in on the pretty girl sitting in front of me wearing black leggings and a chunky maroon sweater dress, a color that brings out the warmth in her tanned skin.
She nervously twiddles her fingers then smiles tentatively.
“Thanks for meeting today, guys. We are going to begin filming tomorrow…”
As Karoline goes over all the details of the promotional video and different ads that we are going to do, I get lost in the animated way she talks about her marketing plan. She truly loves this job. It shows in her bright eyes, half-moon smile, and the way she leans forward, her focus attentively attune to every person she speaks with.
She’s grown so much over the past three years. Karoline exudes confidence, grace, and a fiery passion that is so. freaking.attractive. Man, I was such a douche for doing what I did to her… If I would have been mature, sober, and the man she thought she loved, Karoline and I could be a thing right now. We could possibly be married, maybe with a little Karoline or Mason on the way…
“Mason?” Genevieve places a hand on my knee then leans in to whisper against my ear. “Everything okay? You look like someone stole your favorite guitar. I thought your text said everything was good between the two of you now.”
I place a hand over hers and squeeze. She’s always been in my corner, calming me down when I get nervous or anxious, listening to me drone on and about Karoline…
“I’m okay. Just thinking about what a tool I was in my past.”
She chuckles, leaning away.
I glance at Karoline, who is still talking, but the way she flicks her eyes from Genevieve to me screams that she thinks something’s going on between us. I make a note to correct that assumption as soon as possible. Though Karoline says she forgives me, she made it clear she didn’t trust me, and I have every intention to change that.
This woman is not going to get away from me.
Better yet, I’m not going to screw up again. At least I’m going to try like heck not to.
The meeting eventually draws to a close, and we all go our separate ways. Karoline continually side-eyed me and scrutinized every interaction me and Genevieve had.
When Rob and I drive back to the house, he asks to go see the progress on the home I’m building down the road, so I oblige him, hoping after this I can shake him and go find Karoline to make sure the air is clear between us.
As we roll up to the house under construction, my phone buzzes, and I reach in my back pocket to grab it.
Vroom:Here is the itinerary for the filming of the commercial. Let me know if you have any questions.
