Mason’s mouth twitches. “I’m not sure that’s how job-sharing works.”
“It is now. I’m the boss. I make the rules.”
Atticus shakes his head with a laugh, turning back toward the windshield.
But more importantly, he doesn’t argue with my obviously very accurate assessment.
For once, I’m hesitant to get on a plane for a reason that has nothing to do with flight anxiety.
I settle into my seat, Gerald Jr. clutched under my arm, and try to convince myself that the world isn’t ending.
Mason drops into the seat beside me and immediately checks his watch.
Then checks it again.
Then checks it a third time within the span of what can’t be more than sixty seconds.
“Everything okay?”
“Fine. Everything’s fine.” His gaze flicks to mine, but he looks away too quickly and he unbuckles the seatbelt he had justfastened. “I just need to ask the captain about something. I’ll be right back.”
He’s up and gone before I can ask what could possibly require a conversation with the pilot before we’ve even closed the cabin door.
Though I’m immediately distracted as Atticus slides across the aisle to take Mason’s empty seat. He leans close enough that his shoulder presses against mine.
I let my head fall against his shoulder. The cashmere of his sweater is soft against my temple, unreasonably soothed by the slight rise and fall as he takes a deep breath.
“I need you to tell me that everything is going to work out,” I tell him quietly.
Atticus is quiet for a moment. His arm comes up around my shoulders, settling with there with casual confidence as he pulls me closer. “I know it will.”
“I wish I had your confidence.”
“Well, speaking of things working out. I have something to show you.”
He produces his phone and unlocks it one-handed, then tilts the screen toward me so I can watch as he scrolls through his email. I immediately realize that it’s a back and forth between Atticus and the director of the movie he told me about.
Atticus stops at the second-to-last message and waits for me to read it.
From: Atticus
Heard you’re still struggling with casting. Attached is a recording from a live performance and I think you’ll like what you see.
With a few swipes of his thumb, he scrolls to the last email of the exchange, timestamped from earlier this morning.
From: Julian Flynt
Wow! I’ve watched this four times. I’d love to reach out ASAP. Do you have contact info for her rep?
The words blur. I blink hard, then read them again.
“I sent him the video Mason recorded. Which was the plan all along, by the way. No idea how you didn’t figure that out.” Atticus says, voice low and warm as his chin rests on the crown of my head.”He loved it. Obviously. But it’s completely up to you whether you want to follow up.”
My throat closes around something too big to swallow. “You planned this.”
“Guilty.”
“You absolute—” A laugh breaks through, wet and shaky. “This is the best news I’ve gotten all day.”
