Page 84 of Is It Casual Now?

“Ugh, I hate you sometimes.”

“Yet you beg me to come take care of you and clean your apartment.”

“Hey, I didn’t ask you to clean up.” Jamie pointed at her. She really must be feeling better if her brain was kicking up this much of a fuss. “I told my boss that I was writing an article for the interview that I never went to.”

Jessie wrinkled her brow. “So you’re going to make it up?”

“Nope. I hadn’t thought about doing that, though that’s a much better option.” Jamie curled her legs under her andsipped at the lukewarm water that Jessie had brought her before. “I really should have just made up a story.”

“What story were you thinking about writing?”

“One that Siena asked me not to publish anywhere.” Jamie frowned into the glass. It would be an ultimate betrayal, wouldn’t it? Jamie filled Jessie in on the fake engagement scheme, at least what she knew of it—it still didn’t make a whole lot of sense, especially since Siena had been involved, but whatever. Jamie wasn’t going to think about it too hard. She had information, and that was more valuable than anything.

“So let me get this straight, Siena trusted you—someone she never trusted or even liked before—to help her with something super sensitive and you want to backstab her by printing it in the paper so you can keep your job.”

“Well when you say it like that…” Jamie trailed off. “I’m a jerk, I know I am. I never claimed not to be.”

Jessie growled at her, full on growled. Jamie jerked back, her eyes wide in surprise.

“What the hell did I do now?”

“Look, you aren’t a jerk. You aren’t an asshole. You aren’t unlikeable.” Jessie stood up, fists clenched at her sides. Jamie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her be this mad about something. “I’m sick and tired of you believing that about yourself.”

“It’s true!” Jamie fired back. “No one likes me. I know that, and I fully accept it. The only reason you put up with me is because you have to.”

“That’s the only reason I’m sitting here right now.” Jessie rolled her eyes. “That and I love you.”

Jamie narrowed her gaze. “Don’t get all mushy now.”

“Oh my God. You’re impossible sometimes. Do you really want to do this to Siena? You like her, James. I know you do. I’ve seen it in your eyes.”

“I said no mush.” Jamie narrowed her gaze and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s gross.”

“You’re ridiculous. You like her. She likes you. Stop trying to ruin it all because you think that you’re the pariah of the planet, the scourge of the earth.”

“Now who’s using hyperbole.”

“Jamie!” Jessie screeched. “I’m going to give you another damn migraine if you don’t shut up.”

Jamie sighed again and deflated. “Fine. I’ll listen.”

“Siena trusted you with this. That’s huge for her, James. Don’t you realize that? And you just went in and told your boss about it and planned to write an article? If you ever want a chance of being with her again, you can’t do that. This isn’t just about the ethics of love, it’s about ethics of being a decent human being. You will hurt her so much if you do that.”

“I know,” Jamie whispered. It had been why she’d immediately regretted saying anything. “I’m so…tangled up in her that I can’t think straight anymore. And everything’s crumbling down around me. I don’t know what to do, but I do know that if I continue this with her, I will hurt her.”

“Not if you start being a decent human being again.”

Jamie snorted lightly. “What makes you think I ever was?”

“Because I’m your older sister, and I’ve been around your entire life. You are not an asshole. Most days.” Jessie’s lips curled upward into a sweet smile.

“But I need my job. I’m short on rent this month as it is.”

Jessie rolled her eyes hard. “I’ll loan you some money. But you can’t compromise your ethics for cold hard cash. That’s a very lonely life to lead.”

“She’s rich you know.” Jamie wrung her hands together. “Well, she said she’s not, but she has a house in Eastmoreland, and it’s fancy.”

“She works hard for her money, just like you do. She just has a job with a higher ceiling than writing the gossip columnat the local paper and running blog websites that generate zero income but use all your time.”

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