Page 77 of Stolen

“Speaking of the snowstorm, I’m sure that caused some complications for you. Was there anything that made it easier? Doing yoga? Practicing your meditation?”

“Uh…” Leo looked over toward me, with a question forming behind his expression. “Hey, Jacob?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you mind coming over here? Really quickly?”

I quirked an eyebrow, even as I walked over to him, not stopping until I was standing next to him behind the bar.

“So, this is Jacob Bronson,” Leo started. “He actually works at Wild Woods, a high-end camping experience that he operates out of Roanoke with his best friends turned business partners. He was helping us bring our stuff up here, the cameras, the equipment for the photoshoot this week. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he ended up trapped with us here the whole time.”

Leo took a breath, before he went on. “And it turns out, that Jacob is really fucking good when it comes to pitching photoshoot ideas. Like, he pretty much ended up being my right-hand man when it came to helping all my ideas come alive, genuinely offering me assistance every step of the way. Which is why I couldn’t let this interview go by without giving him all the credit that he deserves. You asked me if there was anything thatmade this process easier? Well, it wasn’tanything. It was Jacob Bronson and his incredible insight and input.”

“Wow, Jacob. It sounds like there might be a future in PR for you, too, if you wanted it?” There was a hint of playfulness in Tommy’s tone. “What do you think? You think you’ll be leaving Wild Woods anytime soon to strike out on your own?”

“Not a chance.” I laughed away the question. “But I can’t deny that working alongside Leo this week gave me a new appreciation for the field of PR and for what the athletes who were part of the shoot do, too. Everyone here was a hardworking group of people, and it was an honor to work and learn alongside them.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Tommy brushed off the compliment, even though there was a grateful grin on his face. “Get out of here, Jacob! We’ve got to get back to the star now.”

“Yes, please. I’m ready for my close-up.” Leo laughed as he framed his face with his hands. “It’s time to get back to the star of the show!”

I smirked as I stepped away from Leo, happy to see him feeling more like he was in his element. He went right back to answering Tommy’s questions, effortlessly fielding each and every one of them. Pride swelled in the center of my chest as I leaned against a nearby wall, as I watched Leo shine so brightly it was like I was watching a future star in the making.

Like I was watching him fully step into being the best version of himself, without the anxiety, without the self-doubt.

Without taking up less space in the room, just so other people could feel bigger.

19

LEO

“Brent, why aren’t you answering your phone?” I asked, in a sing-song tone, as I heard Brent’s phone ringing away. “You’re going to give me an anxiety attack if you don’t answer your phone.”

It’d been about an hour since the interview with Tommy, and I was pacing back and forth in the bar. Tommy had gone to a different room to get started on editing, and Jacob had disappeared to catch up with Bradley, which meant that I’d been all alone with my thoughts in the meantime. As it turned out, most of my thoughts were about how hard we’d all worked to clean off the airstrip and whether or not that’d given us a better shot at getting out of here in time.

Apparently, Brent didn’t share the same concerns as I did, since it seemed like he’d thrown his phone into a random corner of his office and forgotten all about it.

“Brent, please answer your phone,” I sang again, just before the ringing stopped and I got his voicemail for the umpteenth time.

I huffed as I ended the call with a click, now turning my attention to the bar. I pulled myself up by my hands, so I’d beable to sit on top of it, my thoughts seamlessly shifting from the airstrip to Jacob, a new anxiety taking over my mind.

Were we together? As in, actually together?

I’d never really operated in a relationship without a proper label before, but it wasn’t like Jacob had asked me to be his boyfriend.

Although, he had said that I washis.

And that had to be something, right?

“What are you overthinking?” Jacob’s voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts, as he stepped back into the bar.

“What?” I folded my arms against my chest. “Who said anything about overthinking?”

“I can see it all over your face, baby.” Jacob smirked. “What were you thinking about just now?”

“Brent,” I answered, telling half of the truth. “He isn’t picking up or getting back to me, and I want to make sure that we’ll still be able to fly out of here when it’s time.”

“Maybe he’s just busy?”

---