Page 141 of Absolute Certainty
Patrick cleared his throat. “So, I’m not sure if you know this, but our director forGrungeis Roman Dane’s brother—the producer.”
“I know your director, but haven’t heard about his brother.”
She looked at Jay again, trying to figure out where this was going. Unfortunately, his expression gave away very little.
“Roman is currently contracted with Wild Card Pictures, and he’s been hunting for a limited series. He’d been by the theatre, and we got to talking when he told me he was reading scripts.” Sahar didn’t think it was humanly possible for someone’s amusement to be as vast as Patrick’s, but it kept growing. “I told him about what had happened toEvery Speck of Dust,and how we’d basically rewritten the entire thing, so he asked for the episodes.”
All at once, it clicked. Sahar pieced the puzzle together as her heart pounded with inimitable elation.
“Jay sent it to him on Tuesday night. He stayed up reading and accepted the pitch right away. The network is in, we just need to get everything settled before selling…”
Jay’s gaze tipped toward hers, and he reached for her hand. “I didn’t want to agree to anything without talking to you first.”
She looked back at him, trying not to scream out her joy. Still, she said, “Talk to me about what? This project belongs to you two.”
Jay squeezed her hips, pulling her even closer to him. “It belongs toyou, too,” he asserted. “Though nothing is settled. They can still decide they don’t want it, but—”
“But in the hands of Roman, we have a significantly better chance of it seeing the light of day,” Patrick finished. “He thinks the romantic arc will draw in more viewers because of how the shows that feature it are currently performing.”
“And he’s right about that,” Sahar added giddily.
“So, you’re in? I also need to get you in charge of the music somehow,” Jay said.God, he’s so fucking perfect like this—happy.
She leaned further into him, gripping the hand that was still fixed at her waist. “Whatever we need to get Henry and Katherine on my screen, I’m in.”
Patrick tipped closer, squeezing both their shoulders. “Fuck yeah! This is a long time coming. It just needed therighttouch,” he emphasized. Hers, he meant, and it felt so…gratifying. Apart from selfishly begging for a happy ending, she hadn’t really done anything, but if she could be responsible for even a fraction of Jay’s happiness, she’d doanything. Christ, how she hoped again—with every fiber of her being—that this would beitfor Jay.
Everything he’d tirelessly worked for.
Everything he’d ever wanted.
Everything he’d fought to achieve.
Sahar faced Jay when Patrick left and clapped her hand over her mouth, beaming at him. “Jay, I think I might actually burst. I’m so bloody proud of you.”
He stood up, holding his hands out to her. She took them, letting him guide her wherever he wanted.
Now, tomorrow, forever.
They stepped out into the yard where cicadas screamed and a light breeze had finally made its way over to combat the sticky heat. He pulled her in for a tight hug, rocking her back and forth.
“I really fucking thought I was done. I had nothing left in me, and your refusal to give up on me is the only reason there’s hope today.” His voice cracked a bit, and she squeezed him tighter in return.
Parting from her, his fingers lifted to cup her cheek. “God, I’m so in love with you,” he divulged, his voice rumbling with transcendent happiness. His confession wrapped around her, carefully mending every scar left by someone else. “I don’t want any of this without you. No man has ever had a better muse.”
She looked up at him, his brown eyes glinting behind his glasses from the twinkle lights hung over the pergola. “I love your words, Jay. I love your brain. I love your vision. I loveyou,” she paused, thinking of his tender heart and all his jagged edges, too. “Wanting more ofyouand in every way has been as easy as breathing.”
Jay’s mouth landed on hers in a sweeping kiss that was unlike any of the others they’d shared. Sweeter somehow. Softer.Special.
Mine,her heart squealed again.All mine.
An idyllic exhale left his lips as he enclosed his arms around her again.
Her heart sang louder than the cicadas. He’d told her he was hers, and he meant it. No one admitting their feelings aloud to her felt this overwhelming. Immaculate.Right.
Lifting her head to look up at him, Sahar held his face in her hands, and a breathy, freeing laugh leapt from somewhere deep inside of her. “Is it silly to wholeheartedly believe thatwe were made for each other? Because I do. Now more than ever, Ireallydo.”
His lips landed back on hers like a hearty agreement, and they stayed like that in each other’s arms, away from everyone else. A minute or two, maybe five.
