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I shrug. “Will it be a blue wave or a red wall? Will it be the colors of a grateful nation forged into one underwear set? Time will tell.” His lips skim over mine, and I’m all goosebumpy again. “I’ll leave you to prep.”
“Set up here. This couch is pretty comfortable. I’m headed to the boys in like ten anyway.” I pull my world out of my bag and spread out on the couch. I have sheets of hated edits. The new book’s only a skeleton. Joan likes to pick it apart early. I need to print my draft and start a paper edit. I’m the only one I know who needs to hold the words like an old schoolmarm, marking up the pages dramatically in bright colors.
Alex takes up residence at the other end of the couch, tucking himself under my legs. It’s familiar and cozy. We’re sitting like this is how we do this all the time. I don’t know how to be a girlfriend. Am I a girlfriend?
His hand is rubbing my foot, and it feels like home. I want to stay suspended in this moment. Jeff shuffles into Alex’s office about ten minutes later.
“Hey. I’m Jeff. You must be Tess.”
I sit up to shake his hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. Break legs tonight.”
“Right. Right. Thanks. You know, up until this point, I’ve never seen Alex bring anything to the office except his parents’ dog.”
“I rank somewhere around the corgi. That’s cool.”
“No. I meant—”
Alex stands up. “She gets it. She’s busting your balls. Ok. Let’s do this bitch.” He leans down and kisses me. He hands me a remote. “You can come to the studio, or you can watch it here.”
“Which would make you more comfortable?”
“Come ON! She looks like that, and she’s considerate too!” Jeff walks away. I grin at the compliment. He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. I fade into his touch.
“For the first segment, why don't you just hang here. Do you want or need something?”
“Wine. But I’ll make Jerrod get it. Go. Be brilliant.”
He kisses me again and leaves.
I pull up the remote feed on the TV and plow into a couple more paragraphs. Moments before it begins, Jerrod arrives with two bottles of wine and a big glass. “Red’s all we have. I could order white.”
“Red is fine. And I think this will be more than enough. I’m fine. Go watch. Go be with the boys.”
“Cool. Cool. Text if you need anything. Alex told me to wait on you.”
“I relieve you of that duty.”
“You rock, Tess. He just wants you to stay.”
The men are funny and awkward. They don’t have data yet, so they’re just bullshitting around. I scroll Twitter and discover I’m not the only one who finds him hot, smart, and sexy. The boys vamping and rambling is the backdrop to my edits. The annoying handsy intern peeks into Alex’s office.
“Is there something I can help you with?” She scoffs at me as I repeat her phrase from earlier.
“I’m looking for wine.”
“I’m sorry, I’m going to need written permission to give you some. I wouldn’t want to get in trouble.” I’m curt and annoyed. Go away, little girl.
“Everyone seems to know who you are, but I don’t. I’m exceptionally good at what I do, and you weren’t cooperating.”
“You weren’t listening. Next time maybe listen before you start pushing people.”
She snatches the unopened bottle I offer her. “Who are you, Tess McGuire?” Her voice has a sharpness to it I don’t have time for, so I’ll shut her down because she shoved me. There was no consent. She didn’t even offer me a drink before the groping and pushing.
“Other than a New York Times bestselling author, nine times over, I’m a Virgo, um a part-time vegetarian, formerly internationally ranked professional tennis player, and I hold multiple degrees. Who the fuck are you?”
“Vanessa Schapp, coordinating producer for Extend Media company.”
Damn. I thought she was an intern. And certainly, didn’t think she was Vanessa. Dammit. She’s jilted. I’m going to need the full story from Alex. Like was it a thing? Will she claim, me too? Or worse yet, claim him?
