Page 14 of To Love Jason Thorn

“Jason! There is a clip of you with Zoeywhere it looks like you are getting busy in your car. Now you are withJennifer, any comments?”

Ah! So thatwas her name.

“Have a nice evening, guys,” I said in a boredtone, ignoring their questions. I put my hands in my pockets and they partedfor me to pass, their voices getting higher and higher in my head. I didn’tspecifically hear what they were saying, but I knew I would be getting a phonecall first thing the next morning from my agent, Tom Symond, who had become a goodfriend over the years, and of course my publicist, Megan.

A few minutes later, I was in my car racingback to Bel Air, still as edgy and empty as I’d been at the beginning of thenight.

Chapter Six

Olive

“Can you please remind me why you couldn’tcome with me again?” I whispered to Lucy on the phone as I pressed my foreheadto the wall in the corner of the white waiting room where I sat, waiting to becalled in.

“Babe, calm down. If it wasn’t the littlebitch’s class, you know I’d be there holding your hand every step of the way.The woman already has it out for me; I can’t give her more ammo. By the timeyou get home, I’ll have the tequila shots ready to celebrate. Focus on that.It’ll help.”

I closed my eyes. I was seconds away fromthrowing up. To calm down and focus on something else, I started to pace up anddown in my little corner. Happy thoughts, I encouraged myself.

Happy, happy thoughts.

There was a blonde girl sitting on the U-shapedwhite couch. She’d been busy texting away and then taking useless selfies forthe last ten minutes. She was all dolled up and had a so very obviously faketan that was already going splotchy on her. She hadn’t let that thing—thatphone that had mickey ears on it—down even for a second ever since she’dstepped in through the doors.

I mean, for god’s sake, how many freakingpictures can you take while sitting in the exact same spot, smiling the samefake smile? I’d stopped counting after thirty.

Looking at her making another pouty face asshe squeezed her breasts together with her arms, I groaned.

“I think I’m gonna throw up,” I whisperedinto my phone.

“Oh shut up. Pull up your big girl pantiesand bra and wow them with your pretty little smile.”

“Since you are doing such a crappy job withthe best friend gig, at least remind me why Char couldn’t come with me?”

Lucy let out a long breath. “Charlottewould be trembling right beside you if you took her with you. That’s why wedidn’t tell her where you were going, remember?”

I did. She was right; if Charlotte were there,they would remember us as the shaking duo—not the best first impression you’dwant to make with anyone, let alone the studio people who were interested inadapting your book into a fucking movie.

“I hate you.”

“I love you too, my anxious babe.”

“Lucy,” I started again in a miserabletone. “The meeting was at 2:30, it’s almost 3. Maybe I should leave? Maybe theymade a mistake scheduling this. I mean, who am I kidding, right? Clearly, thisisn’t happening. I don’t want to wait around to see someone jump out andscream, ‘Jokes on you, sucka!’ I just wanna come home. Can I come home, please?”

“No, you can’t come home. I forbid you tocome home before you take that meeting and come back with good news and lotsamoney. Now, close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Do it, Olive.”

“Fine. My eyes are closed shut. You cancome and pry them open if you want to win the best friend of the year award.”

“I already own the shit out of that award,babe, so that’s a useless threat. Are your eyes closed?”

“Yes,” I huffed.

“Ok. Now, imagine you are a river.”

“Ahhh,” I groaned. Not this crap again.“What are you doing?”

“Calming you the hell down.”

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