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"Wow, a painter," I said, impressed. "Everyone here seems so creative. I would love to come to your showing." I turned to Jackson. "What about you? What do you do?"
Jackson still looked a bit unsettled by the earlier conversation and Claire's gibe, but his face cleared at my question. "I'm one of the masses of struggling actors too, which means I spend my days working as a trainer at a gym while I wait for my big break."
"Jackson is actually in the play that I was telling you about," Claire said. She smirked as she glanced at Jackson. "He's one of the two men vying for my hand in marriage."
"I'm looking forward to seeing it," I said. "So, do you end up with the girl or not?"
Jackson grinned, his green eyes sparkling. It was getting easier and easier to look at him for longer periods of time. His gorgeousness was taking a backseat to his open friendliness.
"You'll have to find out for yourself. I can't give away the ending. It’ll ruin the show for you."
"What about you?" Mia asked. "What do you do? Do you have a job here yet?"
"Fortunately, I got a job before I moved up here. I'm an executive assistant at Mass Communications, a marketing firm. Unfortunately, it's not really want I want to be doing, but for now it's a paycheck, so I'm happy about that."
"Emma was a marketing exec at an ad agency in D.C.," Claire said, surprising me with the pride in her voice. "I'm sure she'll move up in the ranks at her company in no time."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but for now I'll be happy if I'm able to answer the phone and make copies without messing up."
"I'm sure you'll be a master copier and phone answerer in no time," Jackson said with a wink.
"Just what I always dreamed of being as a little girl," I replied with a wry grin.
"So you and Claire grew up in the same town?" Mia asked.
I took a sip of my beer and nodded. I really was a lightweight and had been nursing my drink, but I saw Nathan motion to Maggie for another round. I was going to have to be careful around this group. Drinking more than a couple of drinks always made me a little more animated than I wanted to be.
"Our mothers are friends through a charity group in our town. It's a typical small town where everyone knows each other's business." I smiled ruefully. "It's fantastic."
"I went to boarding school, so Emma and I never met before," Claire added.
"It really was a lucky break that Claire was looking for a roommate at the same time I was looking to move here," I said. "Do you guys live around here?"
"Nathan and I are roommates and we live over on 2nd Ave and 1st," Mia answered. I was surprised that they lived together, but I reminded myself this was New York, not Merrittsville where coed roommates would have raised eyebrows.
"I live around here too," Jackson chimed in. "Over on 14th and 3rd Ave."
Claire stretched, raising her arms above her head and arching her back. "I need a smoke. Anyone want to join me?"
Nathan and Mia both chimed in with wanting to take a cigarette break. Nathan groaned about having to go outside to smoke, since it wasn't allowed inside bars in New York.
"Do you smoke?" Mia asked as they got up.
"No," I replied. "I tried it once in high school and threw up afterwards. That's about as illicit as my substance history goes."
Nathan slapped Jackson on the back. "You finally have someone to keep you company while we blacken our lungs."
Jackson grinned. "Finally, another non-smoker. I've spent half my life waiting for these guys while they smoke outside."
As the smokers filed outside, I was increasingly nervous about being left alone with Jackson. I felt a little gauche in his presence. He looked to be about my age, but he seemed so much more self-possessed and confident. Never mind that he was too damn good-looking.
"So, Emma Mills," Jackson said, leaning back in his chair. "Tell me about yourself."
"Well, you already know I don't smoke, I suck at ballet and I practice voodoo on the side. What more could you possibly want to know about me?"
Jackson laughed, the vibrations of his chuckles sending excited shivers down my spine. I could imagine that low laugh in a different setting. A dark seductive setting that included a bed.
I cleared my throat, trying to chase those thoughts away.
