My heart melts at the sight. “You made me an açai bowl?”
He starts walking over to me with the cutest, stupidest grin on his face. “It’s aproteinI-don’t-think-my-mouth-can-say-that-word bowl. At first, Iwas snarky like, ‘Mr. Jett can order takeaway,’but Tasha said, ‘What if your Uber driver gets stuck in traffic and Baby passes out?’ And she was so right! She showed me everything Ineed to have at my place to make this for you and—oh! Who do you have on the phone, Baby?”
I slide the towel off my forehead. “Jett, say good morning to Mickie!”
I trade the phone for the bowl, and he whispers, “Eat, Igot this,” before turning to the screen. “Mickie Anders! Look at you, gorgeous! Where are you in the world?”
Mickie stares at him like she’s meeting an alien from another planet rather than someone she’s known for years.
“Hi Jett! I’m in Seattle, had a big book convention and signing yesterday. An entire downtown ballroom filled with people dancing around in gowns pretending to be my characters. Itwas pretty incredible andcompletelyworth the hangover. Just about to head to the airport now to fly home.”
“Youare absolutely incredible. Iam and always have been in awe of you, Mick! I’m so glad you’re coming home. There’s this big party at Mum and Dad’s tonight, did Baby tell you? If you’re not too knackered, you should join us.”
“I think Ihave no choice but to join you, Ihave too many unanswered questions. What time?”
“Seven,” he says, turning the phone to me. “Do you think she looks different, Mick?”
“Actually, Ido. What the hell did you do to her, Jett?”
“More like, what didn’t Ido! We’ll tell you all the juicy details later. Excited to see you, love.”
“You too,” she smiles and shakes her head.
I blow her a kiss and we end the call. “How do Ilook different, Jett?”
He puts his phone in selfie mode so Ican look at myself. There’s nothing different Ican pinpoint, exactly, but they’re both clearly correct. Ilook at Jett, who’s still grinning like an idiot, and then back at myself, and it hits me. No one glows like that unless they’re falling in love.
Chapter 24
Maddy
“You really like this car that much, Baby, cuz I’ll buy it for us, just say the word.”
When he says this kind of thing, especially theuspart, my body erupts in goosebumps and shivers. Ijust can’t seem to get used to it. It’s not just the cool air whipping around us as Jett drives the PCH back towards the city. It’s Jett himself. Wild, unhinged, sexy as all hell rockstars are not supposed to promise the kind of commitments he’s promising. No wonder the anxiety buzz has been hanging around in my solar plexus since Jett kissed me by the pool. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, and I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to stop waiting until it does.
“Baby?”
“Hmm?”
“The car? Want it? It’s yours.”
“I love this car,” Iadmit, “and the way you look in it, baby.”
“Tingly everywhere, right, I’m buying it, fuck it!”
I snag the prop cigarette from the ashtray and light it. Yes, it’s gross, but it helps with my nerves, thank fuck, my fingers are shaking.
“God,you are fit, babydoll. You said every minute with me is pure wanting? Every minute with you is pureneeding,darling.” He notices my fingers. “Your sugar dropping, Baby?”
“I don’t think so.” Ipuff.
“What is it? Nervous about talking with your family later? It’s not still … stuff your family said to worry you?”
“Yes,” Ihuff, “this is so stupid. Iknow you signed in blood, you spelled it in rose petals! But you’re so perfect, and you know what people say about things that feel too good to be true.”
“Baby, I’m the least perfect person in existence. You’re saying that right now because you’re … well, Ithink, Ihope, you’re maybe … falling for me. Don’t you realise, if at any point in the last eight years you’d expressed interest in me, I’d have dropped literally whoever Iwas with to fall at your feet?”
I pinken, and about fifty percent of the anxiety disappears just with that. “I donow! Iswear I’m not insecure, Jett, there’s just something—”
