Page 85 of Serving the Maestro

I leaned against the wall as she found a brush, then freed her hair from the clip holding the thick mass off her neck.

“I was wrong about Trent, you know,” she said, dragging the brush through her hair. “He cares about you. A lot. And the way you look at him? The way he looks at you?”

Her words made my heart ache. Averting my gaze, I stared at the far wall where an accent mirror hung over a console table.

“Jazz?”

“I think I’m in love with him, Cam.” Just saying that hurt. At the same time, the bands around my heart loosened, eased, as if keeping those words trapped inside had been squeezing the air and life from me. Smiling at my best friend, I said, “And I know he cares about me. But it won’t ever work. He’s got a life and a job waiting back in California. He’s leaving the day after tomorrow, and that movie deal thing he’s doing will take several months.”

“So go with him.” Cam dropped her brush, scooped her hair back, then twisted it up, securing the strands with the clip once more, the movements were all done with practiced ease. “It’s not like your job can’t be done remotely. And anything that needs to be done in person, I can handle. For a while, at least.”

She looked down at her belly. “You hear, kiddo?”

Laughing, I said, “Babies work on their schedule, not ours. But...no. I’m not going to impose on him like that. He hasn’t even asked if I’d like to come out to California.”

“You could always tell him you want to see if this thing between you two could work.” Cam faced me, her gaze direct and no-nonsense. “Ask him if he’d like to try. He doesn’t look at you like he’s ready for things to end, Jazz.”

“Cam...” A hard breath exploded from my lungs, and I leaned against the wall. “It’s not that simple. The way the past week has been, if I asked, Trent would say yes, whether he wanted me with him or not. I don’t want that. We can stay in contact, and if things are still...well, hot, once this movie score is over, we can see what happens then.”

“Or you could stop being so practical and take a chance.” She leaned in and hugged me. “Come on. I’m worn out, so I’m probably going to make Danny take me home soon. After we order some dessert to go.”

THIRTY-ONE

TRENT

While Cam and Jazz were in the restroom, Danny smiled at me over his beer, dark eyes alight with amusement. “Dude, you couldn’t look more nervous if my mama had just walked in and found you with your hand in the cookie jar.”

“Shut up.” I flipped him off.

He just laughed, eyes moving past my shoulder. “They’re coming back. Real smooth telling the server to take her time with the cappuccino.”

“Well, I didn’t want to have a heartfelt conversation with you listening in, smartass.”

Danny chuckled, rising as Cam and Jazz drew even with the table. He put a hand on Cam’s belly, and the two of them shared a look that left me with a strange ache in my chest. While he murmured to her, I stood and held Jazz’s seat out, the pain in my chest changing, growing as she smiled at me.

“We’re going to head on out,” Danny said, turning to me as the server delivered the dessert he’d ordered and my cappuccino.

“Yeah, I’m wiped.” Cam kissed my cheek, then came around and bent over to hug Jazz from behind. As she straightened, she gave me a mischievous wink.

As the two of them left, I sat back down and took a sip of my cappuccino. “Are you in the mood for dessert?”

“I don’t know.” Jazz gave me a tired smile. “Dessert is always an option, but my mind is racing like crazy tonight.”

“I can imagine.” I wanted to pull her into my arms, make that strained look disappear forever. I settled on stroking my hand down her arm. “You’ve had a hellish week.”

She leaned against me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, taking in the feel of her softness, her sweet scent.

Please let her say yes, I thought, my mind focused on the envelope in my suit coat pocket.

“I’ve been thinking...” I nuzzled her, then kissed her temple.

“Yeah?” She straightened and looked up at me, her vivid purple-blue eyes soft, hazy. “About what?”

“You.” I stroked the soft golden-brown strands of her hair back from her face. “Always you.”

“If you’re trying to sweeten me up, it’s working.”

“Oh? Well, that’s good because I want to ask you something.” I didn’t let myself think about it another second, just pulled the envelope out and handed it over.

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