Page 70 of Cosplay & Consequences

Her eyebrows went up. “You bought a car as a project? For a girl?”

“I got the body at a salvage yard. I thought if we could work on it together, our relationship would get stronger. I thought it would bond us,” I said, rolling my eyes. “It was stupid. She dumped me two weeks later.”

“Because of the car?”

“Partially. She had no interest in getting her hands dirty. But mostly it had to do with how much money a soap opera actor makes,” I admitted. “I guess she wanted something better.”

Jess smiled. “Her loss. My gain.” She kissed my neck and nestled back into me.

“Does that mean you’d restore a car with me?” I joked.

“I would do more harm than good fixing a car. But I would bring you cold drinks and Jorge approved snacks,” she replied, “Besides you’re not the only one who’s done something ridiculous for someone you were in love with.”

“Oh?” I rolled over on my side to face her. “Do tell.”

Her hand went to her shoulder and ran down her arm where her watercolor tattoo of the Glen Orrin crest was. “This tattoo is a cover up. The original one had my ex’s name and an infinity symbol. A week later I found a bra that wasn’t mine in the couch cushions.”

I winced. “Ouch.”

“He’s one of the many reasons I hated actors.”

“Hated? Past tense?”

“I’ve had a recent experience that has turned me around.” she said, closing her eyes.

“Good enough for me.”

She hummed sleepily in response. A few moments later, she fell asleep again and missed Angus declaring his endless immortal love for Desdemona.

My eyelids grew heavy. I tried to savor every sensation in that moment, unable to recall the last time I was this happy or content before I drifted off to sleep.

“You watched The Scotsman without me?” Faye asked in disgust.

This particular breakfast was the only meal I liked on my diet plan. Fresh fruit, cottage cheese, and an English muffin with a tablespoon of peanut butter. The ladies, however, were having Belgian waffles with fruit, whipped cream, and syrup. I was strongly considering grabbing Paige’s plate and making a run for it.

Paige scrunched up her face in disgust. “I don’t see how anyone could like that movie. It’s so bad.”

“Bite your tongue. Best movie ever. I will not be taking any comments,” Jess declared, around a mouthful of waffles. “Anyway, Faye, the movie started early in the morning. You would have been asleep.”

“Plus, you are grounded for life and never leaving my sight, let alone watching a movie. And they were watching it in Jess’s hotel room,” Paige teased. “I think you would have felt very awkward.”

Faye made a face. “Ew. I’m done.” She walked away from the kitchenette, leaving half her waffle behind. Before I could even think up a plan, Paige’s fist connected with my shoulder.

“Try it, and I’m stabbing you with a fork,” she warned me. “You might have eaten dumplings the other day, but I’m the one who heard all of Jorge’s whining.”

Jess let out a snort of laughter and almost choked on her waffle. “That was my fault,” she admitted. “He looked so pitiful. I gave in to him.”

“Yeah, if you’re in this for the long haul, you’re going to have to build up a resistance to his adorable pleading face,” Paige said, waving a fork at Jess. “Or give him a distraction.”

A devious grin crossed Jess’s face. “Oh, I think I’m already pretty good at distracting him.”

Faye let out a groan from the couch where she had been reading the book Jess gave her for the forty-third time. “You are all gross!”

Paige and Jess burst into laughter. I sat there, watching them interact with each other, not quite believing this was happening. Paige never let anyone get close to her. At best, she would tolerate anyone I dated. Somehow, she and Jess clicked with each other, which had never happened before. I began to realize that if I hadn’t been already, I was definitely in it for the “long haul.”

“Earth to Danny!” Paige snapped her fingers in my face to get my attention. “C’mon. The trailer is about to drop.”

I grimaced and poked at my cottage cheese with my spoon. “Go ahead, I don’t need to see it,” I said, shaking my head.