Page 77 of To Love Jason Thorn

Rising from my seat, I walked away from ourtable and dialed Olive’s number when I was standing in the little garden that servedas the café’s backyard for smokers.

“Jason!” she answered in a terrified voice.

My entire body locked. “What’s wrong?”

“Jason, I…I’m stuck here. There are peopleoutside the café.”

“Calm down, Olive. What do you mean there arepeople outside?”

“I mean there are ten or maybe more peoplecamped right outside of the café. I’m mortified, Jason.”

“Okay, sweetheart. Take a deep breath, andstart from the beginning.”

She did as I said, took a deep breath, andseemed to calm at least a bit. “Okay, sorry. I’m at a café called Dreamers,it’s near campus. I was supposed to meet with Lucy and Char for lunch betweentheir classes, so I brought my laptop and came here early, hoping to get in afew words while I was waiting. I’m sorry I’m rambling.”

“It’s okay. Tell me who is waitingoutside.”

“Well, Lucy and Char couldn’t make it, so Idecided to head back home since I couldn’t get into my story, but the paparazziis here, Jason. I didn’t even notice them before I walked outside, but one ofthem yelled my name and started snapping pictures and asking questions. I’mback in the café right now, but they are still out there.”

“Fuck,” I muttered, turning to head back tothe table. “Did you see the news about us?”

“If you mean the stories where theydescribe what we ate last night, then yes, Lucy shoved them in my face thismorning. What does that have to do with this?”

“Give me a second,” I said to Olive once Ireached Tom. Then I told Tom, “I need to leave. Paps are camped outside thecafé she is in, and she can’t leave.”

“Do you need me?” Tom asked, his businessface back on.

“No, I’ll handle it. I’ll call you later,okay?”

“Fine,” he nodded. “But don’t forget tocall Megan after you have your answer from Olive. She has to handle all thisand start spinning.”

I grunted, grabbed my car key, and left thecafé as quickly as possible.

“I’m on my way, Olive.”

“Thank you. How did they even know I was here?”

“Someone must’ve recognized you and tippedthem off. There is already a hashtag on Twitter going on for us.”

“Perfect.” She sighed. “I don’t have a car,Jason. I walked down here. It’s a ten-minute walk, but I can’t just walk withthem trailing me.”

“No. You stay put, I’m coming to get you.I’m sorry Olive, I should’ve known this would happen. Text me your exactaddress. Now.”

Ending the call, I got into my car and flooredit.

***

I entered the café in a big commotion.Olive was wrong. There were at least twenty paps waiting outside and I knewmore than anyone how relentless they were. When they saw me coming in for thesave, they knew they had struck gold.

Looking around the interior of the café, itonly took me a few seconds to spot Olive almost cowering behind her laptop inthe corner.

I rushed to her side.

She noticed me and jumped up to her feet,her face as white as a sheet. “Thank you for coming so quick,” she said in alow voice, her eyes darting around.

“Are you okay?” My hands acting on theirown, I cupped her face and gazed into her dazed eyes.

Her hands landed on top of mine for a briefmoment as if she wanted to assure herself that I was there with her. Then justas quickly, she dropped them down. “I’m fine. I just didn’t know what to do,what to say to them. They were all yelling at once, and the owner of the caféisn’t happy about this.” She discreetly motioned to her right with her head.“They already asked me to leave once.”

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