Page 100 of Beneath the Hood

“Hi yourself.” I smile. My heart swells at his attention, but my nerves are stinging me with every motion, reminding me there’s a lot to feel nervous about.

He steps back, running his hand down my arm until our fingers tangle together, turning so that he’s standing next to me and facing his friend.

My gaze follows his and I hold my breath as I take her in. She’sgorgeousand when she smiles my chest tightens with envy.

Her baby blues land on me, a shade of curiosity crossing her features, her head tilting the slightest amount. It would be unnoticeable to the average person, but I’ve been trained since birth to learn how to read people, to know what they’re thinking before they’ve even finished the thought, and I can tell she’s sizing me up. Making sure I meet her standards. That I’m worthy enough for a man like Jackson.

Spoiler alert: I’m not.

Slowly, a smile spreads across her face. “You look familiar,” she says.

My stomach cramps.

“Do I?” Keeping my smile in place causes so much strain it pulls the muscles in my cheeks.

“Yeah, I don’t know... somethin’ about you.” She glances behind me, her eyes widening as she takes in the expansive foyer and the ornate chandelier hanging above our heads. “Dang, this place is massive. You ever get lost when you’re tryin’ to get around?”

Her thick accent paired with her unfiltered words catch me off guard, not used to people who aren’t polished and proper, especially during introductions, and whether I like it or not, a tiny sliver in the center of my chest warms.

The corners of my lips twitch. “Not since I was a kid. Come in, please.”

I move to the side, tugging Jackson’s hand to make more room, and Alina walks in, whistling as she peers down the hallways.

She spins back around, her hands in her back pockets as she glares at Jackson. “Teeth, I think you and introductions are a lost cause. You’re terrible at ‘em.”

He chuckles, squeezing my fingers and gesturing toward her. “Blakely, this is my best friend, Alina, but you can call her Lee. Lee, this is Blakely.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” It’s the nicest thing I can muster, my insides split down the middle, raging between wanting to be mean because she broke Jackson’s heart, and wanting to be nice because she clearly means a lot to him.

And I’m instantly jealous of the way they are with each other.

There’s an obvious comfort to them. One that only exists when you’ve known each other for years, and a niggle of doubt worms its way into my brain, wondering if there was more to the story of them than Jackson wanted me to believe.

Her smile widens, her golden hair shining underneath the lights. “I’ll be honest, I can’t say the same, but I’m just dyin’ to get to know you.”

Surprise pushes into my stomach, stealing my breath away.

She wants to get to know me?

Is this some kind of trick?

Keeping the grin in place, my free hand clenches at my side, confusion spinning my brain in circles, trying to figure out if she’s being genuine or if she’s putting on a show. I’m not used to dealing with someone outside of Hollywood, and years of learning to think the worst of people have whittled my ability to trust a stranger down until it’s barely a nub.

Jackson clears his throat when I don’t respond right away, pulling me into him and kissing the side of my head. Satisfaction buzzes through me at the fact that he’s not afraid to touch me in front of her.

I watch Alina close, looking for a sign—something that shows me she’s bothered by his affection. But her eyes soften as they take us in, a peaceful look covering her face, and if I didn’t know any better I could swear she was close to tears.

“Let’s go sit down somewhere,” Jackson says.

“Yeah, I set out some food if you guys are hungry.” I move forward, walking briskly into the kitchen, my mind jumbled and my heart palpitating. I’ve only known her for two minutes, but she’s already so different from the image I had in my head.

As we reach the kitchen, I take a deep breath, telling myself that I’m going to be mature about this.

I’m going to give her a chance.

Because I love Jackson, and Jackson loves her.

And I’ll just have to find some way to be okay with that.

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