“Bad ideas are usually the fun ones,” I whisper, leaning in.
Her phone furiously vibrates again, and Jade’s shoulders bunch, distress making its way onto her beautiful face. She lets the call go to voicemail, but only a second goes by before a series of text notifications appear.
“Do you want to take care of that?”
“No, it’s just my manager calling me to tell me how deeply disappointing I am, that I’m failing my companies and staff.” She aggressively digs into her dessert.
The statement shocks me still for a moment before I recover. “How could anyone think that? I’ve never met anyone more singularly dedicated to their work than you.”
“Tell that to her.” She points the spoon at the device lighting up again with more notifications. “She believes I’ve become distracted by my responsibilities here. She tried to convince me not to do this in the first place.” She casts her eyes down. “The problem is, she’s not wrong. My engagement on socials drops daily, I’ve been turning down easy brand deals, and my investors aren’t happy with me. I just…I finally feel like I have purpose, but I don’t want to let everyone else down. It seems like no matter what I do, it’s not good enough.”
“You aren’t a machine. If she’s determined to treat you like one, why don’t you sack her? I’m sure there are plenty of other people who would gladly step in. You deserve more than someone who constantly harasses you.” It comes out harsher than I mean for it to.
“It’s not as simple as it sounds,” she sighs deeply, casting her gaze downward.
Bringing my hand under her chin, I tilt her gaze up to meet mine. “Why not?”
“Because she’s also my mom,” she admits, and the shock must be written clearly across my face, because she laughs mirthlessly.
My mouth drops open, but nothing comes out as my brain starts processing everything she’s ever mentioned about her manager—every selfish thing she’s said, every callous thing she’s done, every boundary she’s crossed without a second though. All along, it was hermumwho did those things to her, who caused her pain.
“Jade—” I start.
“Yeah, I know, pretty fucked up. It seemed like a good idea when I was eighteen for her to move with me to L.A. and help me start my career, but somewhere along the way, it changed her. It was helpful at first, but the work never ended. Every day, she had twenty more opportunities for me, and there was no time to relax or have fun. Even dating was a pre-determined, mutually beneficial arrangement. I couldn’t do anything for myself.” I settle my hand on her waist, trying to infuse comfort into the touch. She breathes in deeply, placing her own palm against my forearm, keeping me in place. “The ironic part is, it worked. All her pushing, all her overbearing managing…it’s brought me here. So I can’t be too mad, right? Where would I be without it?”
“You would have made it here without her. Everything you have is earned becauseyouworked hard for it. Every company, every investor, every person on the internet has backed you because of who you are and the name you built for yourself. You would still have everything without your manager. The reason she’s relentless is because she lives in fear of the day you realise she would have nothing without you.”
Her gaze grips me as her eyes flit back and forth between mine. “We’re not that different, are we?” Confusion must register on my face, because she continues, “You’ve fought to get to where you are; youdeserveto be where you are. I want you to have more—everything.”
I scoop her into a hug, arms wrapping around her waist, constricting in their grip but never wanting to let go. I can feel it course through me—love. The four letter word sits right on the tip of my tongue, begging to burst out.
The doorbell rings, breaking us out of the moment, lightening the heaviness in the air.
“That must be our food.” I pull back slightly.
“Finish putting the dishes away, and I’ll go get it.”
Jade turns to head towards the door, her hips swaying hypnotically beneath the short hem of my shirt, and the thought of a Deliveroo driver seeing her in a state of undress has my brain short circuiting. It’s the only logical explanation for the caveman reaction my body has when it acts of its own accord by chasing after her, hands wet, wrapping around her waist.
Jade squeals when I lift her off the floor, hauling her over my shoulder, spinning around and walking her back into the kitchen. “What is wrong with you?”
The chime of the bell sounds again.
“If you think I’m going to let someone else see you like this, you’re sorely mistaken, love.”
“Oh my God, don’t be so territorial.” The crack of my palm against her arse causes her to yelp and squirm in my grip. “Set me down you brute!”
I place her gently on her feet until she’s stable.
“Ugh, now I'm all wet.”
“Isn’t that always the case when you’re around me?” I wink and step out of her reach when she tries to swat at me.
“Go get the food before I have a good reason to plead insanity at the trial for your murder.”
“You’re cranky when you’re hungry.” Jade grabs the kitchen towel from the counter behind her and chucks it at me. I dodge, narrowly avoiding the assault, and call out over my shoulder as I walk away, “I love learning new things about you.”
We’re sitting on the couch in my living room, takeout from Send Noods, a Vietnamese pho shop nestled around the corner from my flat, scattered atop my coffee table while the tv plays softly in the background. Jade’s long bare legs are crossed over my lap, shoulders slightly damp from where her dark hair is still drying from the quick shower we took before sitting down to eat.
