It was relief.
She had no idea where it had come from. It made no sense. She must’ve simply been worried Jordan’s design would be horrible, because if that were the case, what would she say?
Still, there was a tug somewhere deep inside her, one that she’d been feeling more and more lately, like it was trying to pull her clean apart.
You can’t afford to lose the Everwood job, and we both know it.
Her mother’s words barged into her brain. They did their job too, pushing out all sense of wonder and filling her with dread, with a sense of complete failure.
Her job was all she had.
Her job—succeedingat her job—was all she was.
“I used the lapis lazuli stone as inspiration,” Jordan said from next to her, startling Astrid out of her spiraling thoughts. She glanced up, meeting Jordan’s hazel gaze. Her expression was so open, so... eager.
“According to the story,” Jordan went on, “Alice Everwood wore a lapis lazuli necklace every day after her lover left her. Never took it off.”
“That’s why she’s called the Blue Lady,” Astrid said. She’d honestly never thought about it before.
Jordan nodded. “Some sightings of her ghost report a glowing stone around her neck.”
Astrid nodded and looked back at the design. Of course she understood about incorporating history into designs, but most of her clients in the past nine years had wanted ultramodern rooms like the ones they saw in magazines or in their friends’ houses, and Astrid had delivered. She’d never had an unsatisfied client.
And she didn’t intend to start now.
But this room that Jordan had created—she didn’t know how to compete with it. She already knew Pru would love it and Simon would do whatever Pru wanted. Deep down, she knew that’s what mattered here—a happy client, especially one as beloved as Pru—but she couldn’t let this job go. She couldn’t walk away and let Jordan take over. She couldn’t let her name be associated withnot good enough—not in Bright Falls and sure as hell not with Natasha Rojas.
She couldn’t endure one more brunch with her mother’s disappointed sighs filling the space between them.
Plus, logistically, she didn’t even think it was possible to walkaway without ruining their episode ofInnside America. They already had a ton of footage with Astrid as the lead designer—pretty much all the preliminary work—and her business needed this show.
Moreover, the Everwoods needed this show. Jordan might not be aware that Astrid knew about the inn’s financial struggles, but sometimes, Isabel’s nearly preternatural knowledge of everything happening in Bright Falls worked to Astrid’s advantage.
She and the Everwoods were in this together, whether they wanted to be or not.
“Well?” Jordan asked, leaning a little into her space and dipping her head to catch Astrid’s eye. “What do you think?”
Astrid held Jordan’s gaze, her stomach filling up with that nervous, fluttery feeling again, a feeling that unsettled her but also intrigued her, drew her in.
She couldn’t let that feeling go either. And if she walked away now, she’d probably never see Jordan Everwood like this again—makeup-free face, hair a mess from her attempt to sleep earlier in the night, lovely collarbone exposed through the stretched-out neck of her Henley.
“I think it’s gorgeous,” Astrid said softly. “Truly, Jordan. It’s wonderful.”
A slow smile spread over Jordan’s elfin face, lifting her mouth, her cheekbones, lighting up her eyes. It was like watching a sunrise.
“Really?” she said, her voice small and happy.
Astrid nodded. “Really.” Her own voice came out in a whisper, and something about her tone must’ve been off or given away the tender way her heart beat in her chest right now, because Jordan’s sunrise smile set just as slowly as it had risen. Her eyes flicked to Astrid’s mouth, sending a wave of want through Astrid so surprising and strong, she sucked in an audible breath and clenched her legs together.
Still, she didn’t look away.
She felt her breathing grow shallow, felt her mouth part, and her own eyes drifted down to Jordan’s lips and back up again. Her gaze traced the other woman’s face like an artist would study a subject, and... Jordan did the same. The air between them grew thick, taut, a push and pull so intoxicating Astrid felt a little drunk. She leaned in, just a little.
Just enough.
Jordan’s eyes widened, an expression that could only be described as an amalgam of wonder and confusion and lust.
Astrid could relate.
