Page 106 of Ex Marks the Spot

Oh shit.

“Umm . . . Hi?”

“Give me the phone, asshole!”

That’s definitely Court’s voice. And his living room. What is happening right now?

“You’ll get your turn in just a minute,” Rhett says before turning his attention back to me. “Anyway, I figured out that you were ‘Jessica’ about thirty-seven seconds after the cast list was announced, so don’t worry, Court’s honor and bank account are still intact.”

“But your balls won’t be if you don’t give me my phone!” Court hollers.

My cheeks already hurt from smiling. “It’s nice to meet you, Rhett. I’m curious though—how’d you figure it out?”

“Because he’s a nosy bastard.”

“More like a man with a modicum of emotional intelligence who’s watched your sorry ass mope for six damn years, and suddenly you’re home from a mysterious hiking trip and halfway in love with a woman from the internet?Please. But don’t worry,” he says to me, “Court hasn’t told anyone else about Jessica. He’s actually a pretty private guy when it comes to his dating life.”

“Are you done now?”

Ignoring Court, Rhett adds, “In all seriousness, I haven’t seen him this happy in a really long time. I’m excited to meet you in person in a few months. In the meantime, my lips are sealed.”

“I’m looking forward to it too, Rhett. I’ve heard great things about you.”

“Not anymore you won’t,” Court says flatly.

“Don’t mind him. He’s cranky because Ella threatened to write him out of her will for not telling her about the show and he was really hoping to get her collection of vintage Barbie dolls.”

I’m cracking up as Court battles for the phone again. A few seconds later, Rhett finally gives in and Court appears on the screen.

“Finally,” he huffs, though his smirk reads more amused than annoyed.

“Bye Hartley!” Rhett calls.

“Bye Rhett.”

After the front door closes, Court plops onto the couch with a grunt and scrubs a hand over his forehead. “I had no idea the cast announcement day would be so exhausting. I must’ve gotten at least three dozen messages from people I haven’t talked to in years, along with texts or calls from just about everyone in my contacts.”

“Same. Corrina and Megan say hi, by the way.”

He breathes out a laugh and shakes his head. “I can only imagine what their text string looks like right now.”

“Now that you mention it, Megan did say something about ordering a voodoo doll,” I tease.

He rolls his eyes playfully, then returns his gaze to my face and releases a long breath. “I miss you.”

Ugh!

I swoon.

I literally swoon, but can you blame me?

“I miss you too, and that brings me to this evening’s good news. One”—I hold up a finger—“we made it through the first month and now there’s only three to go, and two”—I add a finger—“my dad and the guy in Wilmington signed the paperwork today.”

“He’s really going to sell it?”

I nod. “He’s ready to get a head start on retirement. We’re no longer accepting new clients or booking anything after Thanksgiving.”

“Wow, that happened a lot faster than I thought it would.”

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