Page 81 of So in Love
He pushed out a frustrated breath.“Because I hadn’t spoken to her yet.You saw for yourself—she just got here.Never mind,” he muttered, taking off through the open doorway.
He looked up and down the street and saw her rounding the corner a couple of blocks down.Breaking into a sprint, he tore after her, catching up before she could reach her car.
“Hey!”He reached for her, but she sidestepped his hand.
“Don’t touch me,” she said.
“Is what that reporter said true?Is your screenplay a done deal?”
“Not quite.I gave the treatment to my agent yesterday.She sent it around, and it’s, uh, gotten some traction.”She looked down at the ground and kept herself angled away from him.
He circled around to stand in front of her.“That’s really great.Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to when I got here.It all happened really fast.I had no idea it would do that, or that it would cause a stir.Believe me, that’s the last thing I wanted, especially today.”She looked up at him, her eyes dark and unfathomable.“When you said you wanted to talk to me before, was that what your mom was referring to?”
“Yeah.She wanted me to talk to you about not doing it—which I’m sure is no surprise.”
“Actually, I am surprised.”She hesitated, but only for a moment.“Surprised you would even ask.”
“Crystal!”
They both turned at the sound of Alaina’s voice.She stalked around the corner quite quickly for a pregnant woman.
Alaina faced Crystal, her eyes blazing.“What the hell was all that about?There’s a screenplay out there already?”
“Just a treatment.”
Sean also rounded the corner, his phone in his hand as he joined Alaina.“Found it.”He handed her the phone.
Alaina glanced at the screen and then back to Crystal, her gaze going from mad to hurt.“You didn’t even tell me you were writing one.Who shopped this for you?”
Crystal’s entire frame was tense—from her clenched jaw to her fisted hands.“Kim.”
“She didn’t pitch it to us.”Alaina exchanged a look with Sean.
“I’m sorry,” Crystal said.“I wanted to see if anyone else was interested first.”
“First?” Alaina asked.“So maybe you’d come to us if no one else wanted it?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”She turned slightly, as if she were about to flee again.But then she pivoted back, her eyes sparking.“This ismyproject.”She shot an angry look at Jamie.“Not your mom’s.”She glared at Alaina.“Not yours.”She lifted her arms in exasperation.“Not anyone’s in this godforsaken town!I don’t owe any of you anything.”She laser-focused on Alaina.“You don’t manage my life—if anything, I manage yours.”She spun on Jamie.“And I’m not your girlfriend to be managed, contrary to what your mother might think.”
Jamie stared at her, unable to move.She lifted her hand to her mouth and shook her head.“I’m sorry,” she whispered.“I have to go.”
She jumped in the car and sped away.And Jamie still couldn’t even blink.Or speak.Or do anything but watch the car disappear around the corner and into the cold night.
Yes, it was cold.A shiver tripped across his frame, but he didn’t care.He welcomed the cool air to quell the storm churning inside him.
“I really fucked that up.”
Jamie finally blinked, his eyes tearing after such a long time.He turned to look at Alaina, who’d just spoken.“What?”
“I screwed up.I was mad.”She let out a disgusted breath.“I waspissed.And hurt, I guess.I just assumed Crystal would have us produce her screenplay.That’s where I messed up—I shouldn’t have assumed anything.”
“She won’t stay angry with you,” Sean said, his brow creased with concern but his eyes warm with support.“I’ve known her a long time, and this isn’t typical.”
“No,” Alaina agreed quietly.“Which is why I think it’s so important.She tends to just go with the flow.But this time she wanted to do things her way.Can you blame her?”She looked toward Jamie.“What’s the deal with your mom?”
Jamie twitched his shoulders.“She’s just being a pain in the ass.She hates that our ancestors were members of the KKK.Sorry, not just members,leaders.”
