The casino noise fades into white noise. As I move to pull her closer, my hand finds the small of her back, and that’s when she breaks the kiss.
The look of genuine shock on her face is priceless. I would laugh, but then I spot Madeline approaching, and I need Jess to pull it together. She can’t look like this is the first time she’s ever kissed me. Her hand flies to her lips, and I grab it, lacing my fingers through hers. I lean in, and my lips graze her ear.
“Get it together, Scoop. Now’s not the time to start falling for me.” The nickname slips out before I can stop it. It’s what I used to call her when she’d show up at practices and games to watch her brother.
That does it. She snaps out of whatever daze the kiss puther in and squeezes my fingers so hard that I think she might break them.
“Hey, Lucas,” Madeline says, lifting her hand in a small wave, approaching with the practiced hesitation of someone who’s been taught to appear demure. I watch as her gaze flits between Jess and me. She’s probably hoping this blonde isn’t actually “the girlfriend” I mentioned when responding to her texts earlier.
“Hey, Madeline. So good to see you again.” I slip into PR mode automatically, my voice taking on that polished edge I use at press conferences. “I’m glad we were able to grab a drink. Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Jess.”
Jess steps forward and right on my foot. Hard. I just got these Common Projects sneakers last week for this event. Four hundred bucks, crushed under her heel.
“Madeline, so great to meet you!” Jess chirps in her “on camera” voice. “I’ve heard such lovely things about you. Lucas is a fan!”
Madeline’s cheeks flush as she looks my way, and I imagine pushing Jess into the hotel’s famous fountain. She has no idea the drama she’s just ignited.
“Oh, wow,” she says. “Well, Lucas and I do go way back. Our families have been friends for as long as I can remember.”
I internally roll my eyes. If, by “friends,” she means “political allies,” then sure.
“Jess and I go way back, too,” I counter, sliding my arm around her waist. “We met at one of my college baseball games. She couldn’t take her eyes off me.” I give Jess a wink and shift her weight off my abused shoe. “Limited-editionsneakers. Keep your monster feet off them,” I whisper, catching the floral scent in her hair.
“I was there to see my brother play,” Jess clarifies. “But I do remember Lucas tripping over his ego and faceplanting into a Gatorade cooler.”
“I don’t remember that at all, dear,” I say with a smile plastered on my face.
“Oh, Lukey-bear, are you taking all your vitamins?” Jess pats my cheek condescendingly. “I don’t want you to forget about our first real conversation, when you told me PR was ‘just journalism with better paychecks and lower ethical standards.’”
I blink. God, she’s sharp with an insult.
“Should we get a drink?” Madeline suggests.
I guide both women to a curved booth at the hotel bar. Jess maneuvers so that I’m squished in the middle, with her on my left, sitting as far away as possible without looking suspicious; Madeline is on my right, sitting inappropriately close.
“Lucas, tell me how work has been.” Madeline leans in, her perfume is overwhelming and makes me miss Jess’s fresh scent. “Daddy said your studio is making all the best movies right now.”
“It has been a good year for us,” I say, sipping my Macallan 18. I shift casually, trying to get Jess’s attention. She’s on her phone, and I need her to act like she’s into me.
Madeline turns to face me more directly. Bringing one of her legs up onto the seat, she places her hand on my shoulder before starting into some political drivel about polling numbers and constituent outreach that I stopped caringabout the day I chose USC over Stanford and baseball over becoming the third generation of Carmichael men in politics.
I kick Jess under the table. She kicks me back harder, still focused on her phone.
“Jess! You’re not following me, are you?” Marcus’s voice slurs after what appears to be one too many cocktails. He slides into the booth, pushing Jess closer to me. Well, that’s one way to get her attention.
“Oh, Marcus, you are too funny!” Jess’s voice drips with synthetic sweetness. “Looks like you’re having loads of fun!”
Jess nuzzles into my side, placing her hand on my thigh. My skin prickles with unexpected heat, and then she’s grabbing my leg so hard she’ll leave a bruise. I take that as a cue to place my arm around her and pull her closer.
I admit that Jess is attractive, with her sun-kissed skin and effortless beauty, but her personality should make it impossible for me to notice.
“I thought you and Lucas were together?” Marcus stage-whispers. “Who’s the hot babe with him?”
He’s not exactly whispering, and we can all hear him. His voice carries across the bar, and a few heads turn our way.
I see red, but I smile anyway. The PR version of me might be polished, but the man part of me? That one’s about two seconds from dragging him across the bar.
“Marcus,” I say evenly, “Madeline is a longtime family friend. She’s also terrifying in a courtroom, so I’d suggest not calling her a ‘babe’ unless you’d like to get acquainted with the concept of a cease and desist.”
