Page 99 of Tempt Me

“And you have some valuable experience to put on your resume.”

“My resume?”

He pulled away to look me in the eye. “I’ve never seen you as happy as you were while you were working at Jamilow. Part of that was because of Jamila, but you truly enjoyed the work. I think you should give PR another go. If Della Lippman doesn’t have a position for you, I’m sure she knows someone who does.”

“Huh. Maybe you’re right.” Jamila would never recommend me to anyone, but Hannah could give me a recommendation to her aunt. The thought of diving back into public relations work sparked excitement in my gut, the way culinary school, the florist shop, and the fashion program hadn’t.

“I’m almost always right,” he said, releasing me. “Now, Sammy, you’ve got to get to the airport. Come on, I’ll drive you.”

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Sam asked, peering into my eyes.

“Eventually, yeah.”

“My place will be done when I’m back in two weeks. Come see Bilbo Baggins and me then?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

She patted my shoulder. Bilbo was more generous with his love. He jumped into my arms and licked my chin. I didn’t even flinch. Maybe I’d get a dog once I got my life together and moved out of my parents’ house.

For the first time, that felt possible.

29

After Andrew droppedme off in front of Jackson’s townhouse on a Saturday evening in early July, I glanced up the street and felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. A red convertible Porsche like the one I used to drive when I was with Jamila was parked in front of his place.

I squinted at it. In the sunset glare, I couldn’t be sure it was red. It might be brown or orange. And it might be a different year.

I shook my head. She wouldn’t have kept the car after I’d given her back the key. She’d have ended the lease early because that was the smart financial move.

Both Charles and Jackson said she was fine, but I wished I could see for myself. I’d stare into her beautiful eyes and see if the pain of betrayal was still there, or if a glimmer of hope had replaced it. Before I got close enough to read the license plate or identify the driver, it pulled away.

I snorted at my ridiculousness. It was silly to get worked up over a car that reminded me of Jamila. It was also silly of me to stalk Hannah’s carefully curated Jamilow social media account. I had to set a timer for ten minutes, or I’d get sucked into it forever. It was even sillier of me to masturbate to memories of the few nights we’d spent together.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t so silly.

I’d probably treasure those memories forever becausehot,but it was laughable to think it had ever meant anything. I was another fling to her and not special enough to deserve her love.

I rang Jackson’s bell, and like he’d been waiting there for me, he opened the door.

“Ready for date night?” I asked, forcing a saucy grin onto my face.

“You bet. Thanks for babysitting—”

“I’m not a baby.” Noah pushed his way to the door. “Tell Jay I’mthirteen,which is too old for a babysitter.”

Remembering all the times my family treated me like a baby—heck, they still treated me like the baby—I flashed him a lopsided smile. “You don’t need a babysitter. But Val does, and I need all the help I can get. You’ll help me, right?”

“Yeah, I guess. I know where all her stuff is.”

Valentine toddled up to us and raised her hands. “Up.”

Noah bent and picked her up, parking the toddler on his hip the way I’d seen Alicia and Jackson do a hundred times. My heart gave an enormous thump.

“So it’s me helping you,” I said.

Valentine leaned forward, reaching her chubby fists toward me. “Tee-Tee Na.”

I took her from Noah, inhaling the baby shampoo from her bath. “Auntie Nat’s so happy to see you, Val.”

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