Option one: turn around and desperately look for a man who may be nowhere in sight, and I walk away looking like a fool.
Option two: keep walking, and pretend as though I never heard a damn thing.
I think you know the option I chose.
I’m a coward.
Whatever.
Chapter nine
Jenna
“You’re here!” Cassandra squeals,leaping onto me. We topple over, sending me backward as she lands on my chest, with my back flat on the pavement in front of the arrivals gate at the Grangewood Creek airport.
The air is so thick I can barely breathe. Add the weight of her tiny body, and it’s almost suffocating, but I’ve missed her so much that I don’t even care. While her wedding was only three weeks ago, I still had to leave not long after. But when you have a countdown going until you see your best friend again, the days feel likeyears.
“I’m here,” I reply with a soft laugh, attempting to match her energy, doing my best to fan away her hair that’s curtained around both of our faces.
Our bodies remain firmly glued together, and have become one with the ground.
“How many bags did you bring, Rogers? Damn,” Harley complains, piling bag after bag in the trunk of his Range Rover.It’s a far cry from the single suitcase I’d packed the last time I was here.
“I needed supplies. I’m the head of hair and make-up, Wingrove. I had to come prepared.” I thinkpreparedis a complete and total understatement, but I’ve never worked on a movie set before, so I don’t know what to expect.
In true Jennifer Rogers fashion, I bought brand new…well, everything—just in case.
I had a checklist, and ticked everything off eight times before rearranging them like a game of Tetris so they fit neatly into my suitcases.
“Why is this one so heavy?” He groans, picking up the last of my luggage before shoving it into the back of his car. He rubs his shoulder once my bags are all secured.
“Less questions, more movement,” I tell him, patting Cassandra on the shoulder to urge her to get off of me so we can get in the car and head to my new, temporary, home.
Slamming the car doors shut, Harley winces at the sounds echoing through his precious vehicle. “Olive is playing a show at Bridie’s tonight. Are you in?” Cassandra asks, winding down her window.
I clip my seat belt into place, sitting anxiously in the middle seat, my two duffle bags on either side of me, and my forearms are perched on top so my fingers don’t fiddle.
I’ve lived in California since I was eighteen, so this is going to be the longest time I’ve spent away from home and my business. I don’t want to fail, and I think part of me is terrified that I will. “Absolutely. As long as I have time for a shower, I can meet you there,” I tell them. I smell like airplanes, sweat and germs from the person beside me who wouldn’t stop coughing, and I don’t exactly want to go to Bridie’s in the travel clothes I’m wearing, either. Maybe I can sneak in a nap, too? “Though it can’t be a late night. I promised Margot and Tahnee that I would take bettercare of myself while I’m here. Treat myself to a little rest and a little less social life.” I roll my eyes, scoffing sarcastically while I focus on the tiny, picturesque town.
A lot of the journey between the airport and the main part of Grangewood is open, empty land. Most of it green, some of it dry and in desperate need of some rain.
It would make the perfect backdrop for a postcard.
“Have you been drinking more than usual?” Cassandra whips around to eye me suspiciously
I raise my hands in defense. “No.” I shake my head. “I only ever drink socially. You know that. It just happened that I had the award show, then your wedding back to back.” I smile at the way she blushes while looking directly at her new husband.
“I may have gone out to dinner a couple of times, but nothing out of the ordinary,” I say, finally allowing my hands to remain firmly in my lap, my anxiety easing the further into town we get.
“Dinner?” She wiggles her brows. “Did you find out the name of Mr. GQ?” she asks. Her body is still turned to face me, and she grins in my direction, watching as I shift uncomfortably.
“Dinner withfriends, C.Friends. Besides, even if I saw him again, it was one night. I have a lot of those,” I tell her to get her off my case, and she groans, swinging her body back to face the road. I watch as Harley takes her hand, and kisses the back of it, before placing both of theirs in her lap.
A weird feeling rushes over me.
Jealousy?
Contentment?
