Page 87 of A Song for You

“It’s none of your business.” I roll my eyes.

“Fucking A. I know I’m not your precious Cash, but I’m still your brother, and I deserve to know if something is wrong.”

Jay smirks from behind his desk and steeples his fingers in front of him. He knows exactly why I’m going to the doctor. I turn back to Carter with a hand on my hip and sigh. Normally, I’d ignore his outburst, but there’s a glimmer of genuine concern under the mask of outrage he’s hiding behind. Health isn’t something we take lightly. Not after losing our mother so young.

“Fine. If you must know, I’m going to the gynecologist.”

He scrunches his nose and frowns, but I continue. He asked for it.

“To get birth control.”

He covers his face. “Why the fuck would you say that to me? And in front of Jay! What the fuck?”

I snicker. “You asked.” I turn to Jay and smile as he holds back his own laughter. “Have a good lunch, boys.”

As I step into the hall, Jay teases Carter. “What? I happen to find the topic fascinating.”

“Don’t you fucking…” The end of Carter’s sentence is lost when the door closes, and I huff out another laugh.

Forty-Five

Cat

It Had to Be You by Ray Charles

Makeup artists and hair stylists arrive at the penthouse early on Saturday. Sophie and I crank Mariah Carey and Katy Perry up loud while we primp and sip champagne all afternoon. Dexter and Jay arrive around the same time, and I can’t help but feel like everything we’ve ever wanted is laid out before us, ripe for the taking. Not only our career dreams, but the men who have taken us completely by surprise.

“Are you making it official tonight?” I ask Sophie as she applies her last coat of lipstick before we leave.

Her eyes meet mine in the mirror as she blots. “I’d say your night will be more monumental than mine.”

I dip my chin and blush at what she’s referring to.

“But yes. With me going to Paris, it probably makes more sense to pull back. We’ll be long distance…but,” she spins to face me and shrugs, “he says he wants to try.”

I smile. “Of course he does. Who would want to risk losing you? It’s only six months. In the grand scheme of things, what could really change in six months?”

In reality, the pep talk is more for my benefit than hers. Jay and I still haven’t talked about what those six months mean for us. Last night, he was out late with Carter, and when he came to bed, I was more focused on returning the favor he’d given me in his office than broaching that terrifying subject. This morning, I woke up with him between my legs, and then he had to rush off for a meeting.

But tonight…tonight will change everything. Jay reserved a room for us at the Beacon Hotel for after the ball, and then I’ll finally experience what it’s like to have him sinking inside me. But I’m not naïve enough to believe that, in his eyes, having sex automatically means we’re serious. That he’s interested in trying the long-distance thing.

But I do trust in the way he looks at me, the way he’s cared for me. The way he insists on spending our evenings and nights together and how he begs to hold me every morning. Though I won’t assume to know his thoughts on the matter, I don’t think either of us believes that Paris will be the end of us. We’ll figure it out.

“You nervous?” Sophie asks.

“About the ball? God, yes. I think Jay and I have thought of everything, but this is freaking Jolie magazine! Everyone who’s anyone will be there.”

Sophie squeezes my hand. “The event will go great. I mean are you nervous for tonight?”

I bite my lip as I study Jay. He’s talking to Dexter by the window with a whiskey in his hand. Perhaps feeling my gaze, he turns to me, stops talking, and breathes deeply before mouthing, “Gorgeous.”

I smile and look back at Sophie. “No. I’m not nervous. Jay will take care of me.”

She laughs. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he will.”

I smack her, the warmth of the moment drowned out by her teasing. “Let’s get going.” I stride toward the door, but after a few steps, when she hasn’t moved from the spot, I sigh. “Are you coming?”

“Yup, and so are you tonight,” she says with a laugh and does a mock drum tap.