Page 75 of Always on My Mind

The director shook his head and came over with his hand extended. Tessa shook it. Dave was a generically handsome man—dark hair and eyes, a strong angular jaw with some stubble across it, and a crooked smile.

“Hello, Tessa,” he said. “Dave Dixon, nice to meet you.”

“Tessa Gallagher,” she replied. “You as well.”

“How do you know Jamie?”

“We’re—”

“Good friends,” Jamie cut in. “Tessa works for the club, running the social media page for the women’s team. I invited her to come along and get some content. I hope that’s alright.”

“Certainly,” Dave said. “You’ll tag the product, won’t you?”

Tessa hardly heard a word. Her mind stopped comprehending anything past Jamie’s interjection and “good friends.” Did she think Tessa was about to say they were girlfriends to this stranger? What compelled her to interrupt so harshly? Tessa stared at Jamie for what could have been hours, willing her to divert from this conversation and explain herself.

“Tess?” Jamie said. “Will you tag Luxora in any posts?”

Tessa shook her head to clear it. “Oh. Sure. Of course.”

“Excellent,” Dave said. “I’m off to watch the rough cut. Hang tight, Jamie.”

“Sure thing,” Jamie replied with a nod. Once Dave was out of earshot, she rounded on Tessa. “Are you okay?”

“Areyou?” Tessa retorted.

“What are you on about?”

“Did you hear yourself? Jumping in before I could answer to say I’m a good friend before further reducing me to an employee.”

Jamie blinked and lowered her voice. “Tessa, you agreed that we’d only be out with my teammates.”

“Don’t spit in my face and call me gorgeous,” Tessa snapped. “I know what I agreed to.”

“Keep your voice down,” Jamie hissed.

Tessa scowled and folded her arms over her chest. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

“What?” Jamie reeled back. “How can you say that? I’m trusting you with everything.”

“Then why didn’t you let me answer Dave? And why are you reminding me of things like keeping my voice down?”

“Because I thought you were about to start shouting!” Jamie shot back. A few heads turned in their direction and her face flushed. Tessa lifted a smug eyebrow before Jamie whispered again. “I’m sorry about interrupting you with Dave. It’s an impulse I have. I feel like I have to control the narrative at all times.”

“What did you think I was going to say, Jamie?”

“I don’t know. I think that’s why I interrupted.”

Tessa sighed. “It makes me feel like on some level, you don’t trust me to keep your secret. Our secret.”

“It’s not personal, Tessa. I often feel like I can’t trust anyone.”

The balloon of anger in Tessa’s chest burst, leaving in its wake a deep and cutting hurt. She had expected Jamie to deny it. To insist she trusted Tessa because their relationship was above any others in her life. By her own admission, Tessa was lumped in with everyone else. Despite the year they were together keeping her secret. Three years apart, keeping her secret. And the months since November, keeping her secret.

A lump formed in her throat and hot tears sprang to her eyes. Jamie startled and reached for Tessa, but stopped herself. Tessa sucked in a shaky breath. If the words were a knife in her heart, Jamie’s refusal to even touch her twisted it.

“I’m sorry,” Jamie said. “I didn’t mean that. It’s only—”

“No, I don’t think you should say anything else,” Tessa stopped her. “I think you’ve done enough damage as it is.”

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