Page 161 of Jesse's Girl

“What? Seriously?” Ada scrunches her nose.

“I had no idea you lived in Lennox! I love your work! I’ve been trying to find some young artists to pitch to the curator here, and you’re actually on my list.”

I nudge Ada’s arm, raising my eyebrows.

Fuck yeah.

She glances at me before turning back to Caroline with an uncertain smile. “Wow, um… thank you.”

When Caroline sets us loose on the auction and drifts away to check on the rest of the patrons, I dip my head down to Ada’s ear. “Hey, check you out. All on someone’s list and shit.”

“Shut up,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ear before she lifts her chin to kiss me.

We wander around the tables, perusing the items up for grabs. There are gift baskets, a catering package from Riverside Deli, gift certificates for anything from spa treatments to pest control, hand-carved wooden figurines, yoga classes… Katie was right; there’s some nice stuff here. I lean down to bid on the night at Starscape Manor.

“If Katie finds out you outbid her, she’s gonna shit,” Ada says under her breath. Then she sees the bid. “Wow, you’re really throwing the dollars around for someone who hasn’t got a job here yet.”

“I’ll be alright for a bit,” I say as I step over to check out the next item on the table, squeezing her hand. “Don’t worry. Plus, the nurses were amazing when my mom was sick, so it’s worth it. It’s important.”

“Hey, Jesse?” Dimitri’s voice comes from behind me.

I turn. “Oh, hey, man. What’s up?”

“You got a sec?” He motions over his shoulder for me to step outside.

“Uh, sure?” I tell Ada I’ll be right back and follow Dimitri out into the street.

Katie’s holding half a mini-doughnut in one hand and a paper bag in the other, laughing with a couple I don’t recognize.

“Jesse, this is my boss, Jude,” Dimitri says.

“Quit it with the boss stuff, man,” Jude says, giving him a good-natured nudge. “You’re not on the clock.” Then he turns to me, lifting his chin. “Good to meet you. Jesse, right?”

“Yeah, hey. You too.” I shake his hand.

He’s a good-looking guy—tall, broad. A sleepy Golden Retriever is slumped at his feet, the slack leash in Jude’s hand not seeming terribly necessary.

“And this is Olena,” Dimitri adds, then tilts his head in her direction. “Badass landscape designer.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say, shaking her hand.

“You too.” She smiles, then drags a few strands of long brown hair away from her face.

“So,” Jude starts, “Dimitri tells me he was talking your ear off about urban farming a while back.”

“Yeah. Back in July, I think?”

Olena reaches to take the leash from Jude. “I’m gonna take Murphy to visit Wyatt at the deli tent… let you guys chat.”

“We’ll come with you,” Katie says, motioning for Dimitri to follow.

“Okay,” says Jude, “but no sneaking him scraps of cheese and salami this time. He’s too old to eat random shit.”

“Hey, some of us survive on random shit,” Olena teases back, then kisses Jude on the cheek. “Plus, he deserves it. He’s a very good boy. Come on, Murph.”

Murphy pushes up slowly.

Jude blows out a breath and shakes his head as he watches them walk away, then turns to me. “Anyway, I hear I should pick your brain about homesteading.”

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