‘Hahaha, burn,’ was Wes’s super-helpful remark.
Well, that didn’t do much for the ego.
‘She’s been hurt before, and we will not allow that to happen again,’ Laura continued, staring down the camera lens as though she could reach through and throttle me. ‘Do you understand, Patrick?’
‘Because if you don’t, we’ll make you understand,’ interjected Anna, somehow managing to look far more threatening through a phone screen than anyone had ever done in person.
I swallowed.
I’d never been given shit about hurting a girl before. And certainly not from her friends.
‘I’m not going to – she knows what this is,’ I said hastily, before trying again. ‘When we signed the contract –’
‘This has gone well beyond a contract, and you know it,’ said Laura sharply. ‘Jessy is the most important person in my life, Patrick. I half-raised her – well, got her out of more scrapes than I can count and got her through uni – and if you hurt her –’
‘I’m not going to hurt her,’ I interrupted.
For a moment, the two women held my gaze, as though considering whether or not to let me live. Then Laura nodded.‘Great. Well, that was it. Thanks for letting us borrow your phone, Derek.’
Relief flooded through me.
‘Anything for an up-and-coming tech mogul like yourself.’ Derek’s voice came from off screen. ‘So, should we have that chat about further investors now? There are a number of celebrities I manage who are looking for –’
The video call ended.
Wes snorted. ‘So … Jessylikelikes you, huh? And I’m guessing youlikelike her back?’
I threw my phone at him and laughed as it conked him on the head, a fantastic distraction from the flurry of thoughts that were roaring through my mind.
I KNEW I SHOULD be concentrating. And I was – but first, I just had to jot this down. Almost unable to help it, I slid my phone out of my pocket and tapped out a line.
As you let me into your world, I realized it was you
Central sun, letting none into your orbit – until me
God, that sundress made her look incredible.
‘Patrick!’
‘Wh-What?’ When I looked up, my cheeks burning, there was a knowing smile on Jessy’s lips that was far too comfortable.
‘Eyes up here, bud.’
It was difficult to nod, difficult to agree, difficult not to take in her stunning form again. From the moment she had stepped into the restaurant today, four days after my bizarre call with Laura and Anna, all sun-kissed glow and smiles,it had been all I could do to pay attention to what she was saying.
‘Hey!’
A noise –damn. My ringtone.
‘Sorry,’ I mumbled, shoving a hand in my pocket. ‘I’ll just check to see –’
A name flashed across the screen.
Incoming call: Unknown (Cassie Fletcher?)
I declined the call.
‘Important?’
