“Holy shit,” he breathed.
“I know,” I whispered. “I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Nothing. Leave it to me,” Blaire said, holding her hand out for my phone. I passed it to her. “I got this.”
Blaire and Piper leaned into my phone as Blaire did her thing. I trusted her to handle this since she was a viral phenomenon and I was clearly…not.
I turned to my boyfriend. He’d dropped into the seat with his head buried into his bag, trying not to let everyone see how rattled he was.
“Hey,” I said.
He smiled at me. “Hey. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks. It’s kind of…surreal.”
“I could see that.”
I bit my lip. “Are you okay?”
“Just a game,” he said with a shrug.
But there was something else. I knew it.
“I haven’t heard from you since yesterday.” My voice felt small, but the fact that I was even bringing it up was a huge step. I’d never held my own like this before.
His face looked pained, and he jumped to his feet. “Fuck, I’m sorry. My phone died yesterday. I have to get another one, and I didn’t have time today.”
“Oh,” I said softly. Such an easy explanation. “I just thought…you’d find a way to reach me.”
He ran a hand back through his hair. “Yeah. That’s entirely my fault. I’ve been swamped with work, and I haven’t looked up. I actually forgot about the game today. What with the Wright event tonight at the vineyard, it’s been nuts.”
“Right. Of course.”
“Hey, hey,” he said, taking my hands in his and bringing them to his lips. “I’m really sorry. I should have thought about how it would look to not respond. Why don’t we go and get me a new phone right now?”
“But don’t you have work for the event tonight?”
He blew out a heavy breath. “Yeah. I really do.”
“Then don’t worry about it. You can get one tomorrow.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. I have to get dressed for the party anyway. I’ll see you there.”
He opened his mouth like he wanted to say more. His eyes had gone distant. Like there was something else eating at him.
“Julian, are you really okay?”
Just as fast as the question was out of my mouth, the look disappeared from his face. “Yeah. Yes. Totally. It’s been a rough week. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay. You might need a break after this.”
He laughed. “Take me back to Cabo, will you?”
“Anytime.”
He pressed a kiss into my hair. “See you tonight, Dreamsicle.”
“Oh my God, that nickname,” I said, flushing from head to toe.
“I do it just to see you blush.”
“Everything makes me blush.”
He winked at me. “Don’t I know it?”
And then I watched my boyfriend walk away. Something worried at me though. Like this conversation wasn’t over. Like there was more that he wasn’t saying. But I didn’t know what it could possibly be.
34
Jennifer
Nora was a magician. There was no other explanation for the dream world that she had created inside the barn at Wright Vineyard. It hardly even looked rustic after she was done with it. Long white drapes covered most of the exposed walls. Chandeliers hung all around the room. Circular tables lined the perimeter with elegant floral arrangements set amid wrought iron candelabras and purple velour runners. An enormous WC—for Wright Construction—was next to the stage, draped in vines and flowers, a perfect backdrop for pictures. Everything was lush and over the top.
“You are a little genius,” I told her as I stared in awe. I couldn’t even bring my camera up to my face to see it all through the lens.
“Thanks. I’ve been working day and night. I even had August freaking build the WC because I couldn’t find anything that matched my vision.”
“He built that himself?”
“Yeah. His dad is a carpenter, and they put it together. I’m so blessed.”
“Is he here?”
She pointed across the barn to where he stood next to Tamara. She was in a slinky dress for the evening, her red hair a pile on top of her head. She had her hand resting on August’s sleeve.
“They seem…close,” I said carefully.
She laughed. “We’re all close. We all grew up together, went to college together, graduated together. He actually dated Tamara in high school. He and I didn’t get together until college.”
“Really?”
My worst-case scenario alarm went off at the intimacy between them. How could they all remain friends? How could she not suspect them? I reeled myself back in. This was my own insecurity screaming at me. If Nora didn’t have any, then why should I worry for her? Besides the fact that my anxiety didn’t give a shit.
“Yep. The guys are backstage if you want to say hi.”
“I do. But I’m going to get some detail shots of your work first.”
She beamed. “That’s so exciting!”
I smiled at her and then went back to documenting all the little touches she’d put into transforming the room into something good enough for a Wright Construction summer event. Then I dropped the camera around my neck and moved through the backstage entrance.
The first person I saw was Campbell Abbey. My image of him had gone mega viral. Like, I still didn’t know the count on comments and likes. It had been shared everywhere with and without my name attached. Blaire said I had a few magazine requests to purchase rights to it for an article. She was vetting them for me. I was glad to have her at my side as a manager because, otherwise, I’d be so overwhelmed that I’d collapse.
“Jennifer!” he crowed, wrapping me in a hug.
I was so shocked that I didn’t even move. “Hey.”
“Your picture!”
I laughed. “I know. What the hell, right?”
“I love it. It was a great experience. Actually, I pitched to the record label that you should take the cover photo for the next album.”
My body turned to jelly. My legs buckled, and then I was falling, stumbling. Campbell put an arm out to steady me.
“Hey, hey, whoa!” he said with a laugh.
“You’re serious?”
“Yeah, dude. They were into it. They think you have a special eye.”
I might die happy. I was going to take the picture for the cover of Cosmere’s next album. The record label wanted me. They thought I was special. Holy fucking shit!
“You can say something.”
I opened and closed my mouth. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes.”
I laughed. “Yes! Of course I want to do that.”
“Excellent. I’ll get you in touch with them. I’m pumped about this.”
Campbell was practically bubbling with excitement. I’d seen him in a lot of elements in the few months that I’d known him—which I couldn’t even believe that I could say—but here he was, in another world. As if embracing my passion ignited his own.