Page 77 of Second Act
Jessica laughed and rose from her crouch by the dog. “Evidently.”
“I’m happy for you, Doc,” Mateo said, leaning in to give her a hug and an air-kiss.
Surprised but touched, she hugged him back. “That’s nice of you. Now let’s see what’s going on with Racha’s ears.”
She led the way down the corridor to an examining room and pushed the disturbing encounter with the press out of her mind. Itwasn’t until Racha was ready to leave that she remembered the front entrance would be a problem.
“Luckily, we have a back alleyway,” she told Mateo as she walked toward the rear of the building. “It’s not scenic, but it should keep poor Racha away from the circling vultures. Unless they’re staking out the back, too.” She stopped for a moment. “I know, I’ll go out front to attract their attention. Give me a minute and then zip out the back.”
She walked to the front door, drew back the dead bolt, took a breath, and pulled it open. The paps sprang to attention, tossing cigarettes away as they once again started shooting. This time, though, she smiled and held out the hem of her bright red top. “Hey, guys, do these scrubs make me look fat?”
One of them laughed and lowered his camera. “You really are a veterinarian. I didn’t believe it. I mean, Hugh Baker with a real person? It’s strange.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Jessica said, turning to smile toward the other group of photographers. She even put one hand on her hip, remembering that little tip from the red carpet eight years ago.
Figuring that she had given Mateo enough time to escape, she backed toward the door again. “If I were you, I’d clear out before my office manager gets here. She’s pretty scary when she’s angry.” With that, she dodged back in the door and locked it again.
Sitting down at her desk, she started to reread Riya Agarwal’s résumé for her upcoming interview, but her anger at the photographers spoiled her concentration. Even Geode seemed to sense the waves of fury radiating off her, because he didn’t attempt to sit in Jessica’s lap, retreating to the top of the filing cabinet instead.
“How does Hugh stand it?” Jessica asked the cat, then answered her own question. “He lives in a bubble with back entrances and limousines and assistants named Trevor. But I live in the real world.” She scannedher cramped office with its water-stained ceiling, hideous green chair, and brown vinyl tiles. This was where she belonged.
She heard the front door open and then Carla’s footsteps pounding down the linoleum of the hallway. Geode leaped off the filing cabinet and fled. “What on God’s green earth are those creeps doing out in front of our respectable clinic, bothering the hell out of anyone who tries to come in?” Carla demanded.
Jessica’s stomach clenched. Even Carla was upset by the paps. “I know. They freaked out Racha, too.”
Carla looked insulted. “I’m not freaked out. I’m pissed off.” She sat down and pinned Jessica with a sharp look. “What gives?”
Carla angry was better than Carla distressed, so Jessica relaxed a bit. “It’s my fault. Well, technically, it’s Hugh’s fault. When you date a superstar, the tabloids want pictures. Especially once they find out about the broken engagement.”
“So now you’re dating him?” Carla raised her eyebrows.
“We’re giving it another try.” Jessica realized she was going to be saying that a lot. No one cared if she dated Pete Larson, but everyone wanted to know about Hugh Baker.
“You’re going to tell me all about it at lunchtime, but right now I got to get rid of some nasty paparazzi before they scare all our patients away.” She jerked out of the chair and marched back down the hallway.
Jessica was tempted to watch the confrontation, but she had to get ready for work. As the vet techs arrived, not one commented on the photographers, but she was too busy to ask them about it. She hoped they hadn’t felt harassed.
When her lunch break rolled around, she grabbed a bottle of water and one of the deli sandwiches Carla had ordered in before she shut herself in her office. She wanted privacy to check the texts that she’d heard come in on her phone.
Hugh’s first text said:Right now I want Julian Best to die a horrible death so we can go back to the hotel room.
His second text was:Although I may not be able to make love to you until I’ve thawed out, because the East River is so cold that my balls have frostbite.
His third text read:I need to speak to Gavin about the next book taking place during the summer months or entirely in locations near the equator.
Jessica started to giggle.
There was a gap in the time stamps before he sent his final text:What I’m trying to say is that I’m counting the seconds until I can touch you again.
Her giggles stopped on a drawn-in breath. She felt as though hehadtouched her—in all her most sensitive places.
An impatient knock vibrated through the door before the knob turned and Carla walked in with her own sandwich.
“Give me a second,” Jessica said as Carla sat down. She typed in:I’ve never had text foreplay before. I like it.
“You done?” Carla asked.
Jessica put down the phone with a little smirk.
