Widening my eyes at his use of ‘babe’, “Yes, please, sorry, just a little tired,” I say.
Tiffany winks at me. “I’ll be back for your order in a couple.” She pours quickly and then turns to leave.
The place is packed so it’s a great start to kick off our fake date. The news will get lots of traction and as long as Jackson can play the good, honest boyfriend part, his name will shine again.
“Everyone is watching you,” I say.
He smirks, grabs my hand and brings it to his lips. “Are they? Should I give them a show?” His tongue darts out and licks my ring finger, then he nips the pad of it, fireworks shooting off inside me. Holy fuck! That feeling has never happened before!
I snatch my hand back. “Stop being so dirty!” I whisper yell at him.
“Filthy,” he winks at me. “I’m filthy, Francesca.” Jesus, just hearing him say those words in that tone, has me wet.
“I’m learning that,” I breathe out, feeling flush. I know my cheeks are red. This must be his kink—dirty words.
He chuckles to himself, “You good? Maybe you should have iced coffee instead.”
I take my cup and take a big sip just to show him I am not bothered and end up burning my tongue. “Fuck! It’s so hot!”
“That’s what she said,” he laughs again and hands me a glass ofwater. “Chess, relax. I’ve never known you to be the nervous one. You’re safe with me.”
“Am I?” I whisper to myself, but I catch him raising a brow like he heard me.
Tiffany comes back right at that moment. We give her our order—bacon, eggs, sausage and two pancakes for Jackson, oatmeal with brown sugar and fruit for me and off she goes, leaving us as the main attraction once again. My eyes widen at his order and now I see how he maintains his six foot three, 220 pound frame. How my parents kept food in the house with the four of them is beyond me.
“So, what’s our next step?”
I tentatively take another sip of my coffee. “We let the town do the job for us for a few days. Let them talk. Their sightings of us will spark gossip, good or bad, we just want your name out there. I’d also like to take a look at some of your endorsements that are not looking to renew. I may be able to find loopholes.”
“Tony has all that stuff. I’m sure he’s looked at it, but yeah, I can have him forward it along to you. I didn’t realize you did all that, too.”
“I actually like that better. I enjoy reading the contracts, negotiating, getting the better deal for my client. I’m better at being behind the scenes, rather than cleaning up the mess afterwards. Seems that was what Goldman PR was known for. They initiated trouble then claimed they were the fixers. It got exhausting. They only took on troubled clients and even though there was never a dull moment, I hated always feeling like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop,” I pause, deciding whether to keep going, but Jackson finishes it for me.
“And then it did.”
I nod to him. “Yes, and then it did.”
He studies me for a minute. “You want to tell me about it?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the gist of it,” I roll my eyes. “Looking back now, I should have seen it. They loved turning on their own people, probably even more than cleaning up their clients’ messes, anything to bring attention to their name. I can’t believe I got sucked into such a terrible undermining place like that.”
I shrug but continue. “It didn’t start that way and looking back now, it’s dumb but I thought I could class the place up a little.” I laugh, “not to say I’m better than anyone, but I knew going in, what their reputation was like and who their clients’ reputations were but I thought if I can do good and bring good, maybe others will want to, too. Turns out, they hire the same type of people their clients are. Selfish, self-absorbed, pretentious, dirty ...” Jackson raises a brow, “the bad kind of dirty,” I reply and chuckle.
“Is there a bad kind of dirty?” he asks, his eyes lighting with fire.
I shake my head, smiling. “Filthy dirty is good, underhanded dirty is bad.” He nods, understanding my meaning.
“When all you’re surrounded with is liars, it takes a toll on you. Everyone is always fighting and clawing their way over you. Looking back now, I’m glad it ended. It has shown me what I can and can’t take and how much I’m willing to bend for a career. Also, the type of people I want to surround myself with. Nick was… he is not a good person.” I play with my napkin, keeping my eyes on the table. “He was a fake and a user. I’m just glad I found that out before I invested any more time.”
He nods as he listens to me spill my heart. I haven’t voiced this to anyone, not even Britt. There was so much more that Nick did that I never spoke of, pretended I didn’t know, just to be done with him. I recently found out he and Ava planned this attack on me, despite his cries that he was innocent in it all, and it makes me sick.
I’ve spoken to the one other person who was a decent person at Goldman. Lily was too sweet for the office. She was an office administrator and always caught water cooler talk. She had heard Nick bragging about Ava and her new position. Said it took him ‘a little sacrifice with an old chick to bring in the new’.
Lily said that Ava had promised she had contacts that would engage with her and Nick, instead of an agent like me who hid Gage from them. That if Ava was given a better chance at moving upward, she would ensure those contacts would come on board. It confirmed to me Nick was only using me for who I knew. I feel rage inside just thinking of our conversation. Luckily, our food arrives, and Jackson senses my mood and changes the subject.
“So, filthy dirty is good, you say?” Teasing me with my word choice from a few minutes ago. I take a bite of my oatmeal, moaning quietly as the sugar hits my tongue and slowly drag the spoon out of my mouth.
I answer, “Filthy dirty is fun. Is that your kink, Jacks-off?” I wink at him and think who the hell I am! Britt would be proud. I know this is her brother, and she doesn’t want to hear details, but I have to laugh thinking of how she would have high fived me with my flirty comments today.
