There was only one way to find out.
CHAPTER 33
JAMIE
Jamie was dead asleep, cocooned in her blankets after a late-night binge of reality dating shows. The drama had been so good—the kind where contestants declared their love on Tuesday and threw drinks at each other by Wednesday—that she’d ignored her better judgment and stayed up way too late.
When her phone rang she groaned, rolling onto her stomach and blindly swatting at the nightstand. The buzzing rattled against the wood, insistent and shrill. She cracked one eye open to see the glowing screen. Ruth. Of course.
“Hello?” she mumbled, still groggy.
“Did I wake you?” Ruth’s voice was full of surprise.
Jamie rubbed her eyes. “Why? What time is it?”
“Eleven.”
“Jesus, really?” That snapped Jamie out of her haze. She suddenly remembered: “Happy birthday!”
“Thanks.” Ruth sounded deflated, which was unusual—she loved her birthday.
Jamie frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“No one’s paying attention to my birthday.”
“What about Nolan?”
“He got me a new phone case, which I love. It’s a picture of Reba.” She paused before clarifying, “The dog, not the singer.”
Jamie smiled. “That’s thoughtful.” She hated keeping secrets from her assistant but she couldn’t ruin Nolan’s surprise.
“It is,” Ruth admitted. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. He was being sweet before he left for work this morning. But I guess I just thought today would feel more . . . I don’t know, special?”
Jamie knew exactly how to lift her spirits. “How about I take you to lunch? Meet me at the Cheesecake Factory in Green Hills in an hour.” She knew Ruth wouldn’t turn down their French dip cheeseburger. For someone so small, it was impressive to watch her devour it.
“That sounds amazing!” Just like that the old Ruth was back. “Oh, I almost forgot—how were your exams? I didn’t hear back from you last night.”
“I’ll tell you everything at lunch.”
She hung up and texted Nolan. Their plan was foolproof. The Cheesecake Factory was connected to the mall, so she could keep Ruth busy shopping for hours before the real surprise.
Jamie strolled into the Cheesecake Factory in flip-flops, jeans, and aclayton langley tourtank top, grinning at her joke. She knew she’d see him later, and the thought of his reaction made her giddy.
A few minutes later Ruth walked in, spotted Jamie, and did a double-take. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Jamie smirked. “What do you mean?”
“You’re early.” Ruth slid into the seat across from her.
Jamie stood and hugged her. “Happy birthday!”
“Thanks,” Ruth said, eyeing her suspiciously before setting down her purse.
Jamie tapped the table. “Show me your phone case.”
Ruth pulled her phone from her bag and placed it on the table. “Cute, right?”
“Super cute,” Jamie agreed.
