Page 87 of Sky Full of Stars

Elsa sits beside me talking about lunch, she might invite a couple of her friends to go with us, it all sounds great and I’m sure Adam won’t mind me doing it. Then I start thinking about what would happen when he got home. Home, it feels weird to think of his house as home. But I like the sound of it.

And when he does get home and he finds me lying on my stomach at the end of his bed in nothing but a pair of stilettos, he comes at me with darkening eyes and a sexy smile as he loosens his tie.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“You’re lucky snagging Aidan Gass,” Lucinda, one of Elsa’s friends says.

“Luce,” Elsa snaps at her. “That is not cool. Jenna didn’t snag him, they’re together.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Lucinda glances at me. “Sorry, Jenna.”

She looks contrite but it seems less than sincere, if she’d not been called on it, I wouldn’t have got an apology. I give her a slight smile and then glance at Elsa who winks at me.

Reality is knocking on the door now. I’m going home tomorrow and won’t see Adam until we are in London.

“Girl, you just cannot wait to get the hell away from us,” Elsa nudged me with a laugh.

We are in a small restaurant that was catering to a fairly decent, lively bunch of the younger LA crowd. The sun is shining in through huge open windows and the AC is heaven. It sometimes got this hot back home in the height of summer but it was like this most of the year round here, I wasn’t sure it was something I would want to get used to. I’d always loved the changing seasons and there was nothing like freezing your ass off at Christmas in New York.

“I have to leave him tomorrow,” I say with a pout.

“Won’t stop him seeing you though, you’ve made plans right?” she says with a soft sigh. It makes me wonder what plans Nick has during the tour. He called her last night to say Jordan convinced him to go out with him and Archer as they would be leaving him behind. I’d commiserated with her but Jordan probably needed the reassurance.

“I have a thing in New York in a few months,” she tells me, as Lucinda and Clara leave to use the ladies room.

“That is awesome, we should do something,” I say. “My friends Brooke and Megan will be down to party.”

“I like the sound of that,” Elsa gives me a crooked grin. Her eyes move away from me and the change on her face happens instantaneously.

“What?” I ask looking up at the TV in the corner. There is a picture of BreakNeck on the screen with a talking head. We can’t hear what is said and I’m not overly surprised to see they are being discussed but the image cuts away to a video clip of the three guys from last night. The host is still talking and I’m expecting some kind of crazy story about Jordan, but it isn’t Jordan they’re focusing on. It’s Nick, with his tongue down a woman’s throat, then he slung his arm around her and they climbed into a car.

“Oh shit,” I gasp and look back at Elsa. Her bottom lip wobbles a little and her hands wring together. She glances at me, gives me a tremulous smile.

“Maybe it’s an old video,” I say, but it isn’t. Nick definitely had that shirt on last night.

“It’s okay,” Elsa says, her eyes fill but she takes in a huge gulping breath and shakes her head slightly. “We never said it was serious,” she trails off and looks down.

“Elsa, you’ve been seeing him for weeks, it was serious to you, he said he wasn’t gonna mess around,” I put am arm over her shoulder. I am furious with him. I don’t know him very well but anyone can see how smitten Elsa is and he was supposed to be with her last night. “I’m so sorry,” I tell her.

“Hey, don’t worry about me, I’m tough, I’ll deal.”

I didn’t believe her. Especially when she asked if we could get out of there before Clara and Lucinda got back, something tells me they wouldn’t be as sympathetic as Elsa deserved.

“Of course, let’s go, you can text them I got sick or something?”

She nods and gathers up her purse and jacket. I slip off my stool and we head for the door. Elsa text Clara as we left. “They’ll find out soon enough,” she says quietly then gives a harsh laugh. “I’ll look forward to their calls.”

I want to ask her why she hangs around with them if she expects they won’t support her but I don’t know her well enough to question her friends. I suggest we go somewhere else, somewhere quieter for a drink but she waves me off and says she will be okay and I should go back to Adam.

“He can handle me not being around for a little while longer,” I tell her.

“I appreciate it, Jenna, you’re such a good person, but I think I’d rather be alone.”

“Are you sure?” It is one thing being cheated on, seeing it is something completely different and all the more heart breaking.

“I’m positive,” she gives me a bright smile and a hug, I hold on to her tight to let her know I am here if she needs me. “You get your ass back to that sexy man of yours.”

I took her hand and gave it a squeeze, then she headed to her car. Adam loaned me his SUV because it was near impossible to walk anywhere in this city. I watch Elsa go, her shoulders back and chin held high. I don’t doubt she is strong enough to deal with this but I wish she didn’t have to.

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