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“I mean, isn’t it obvious?” Campbell said.
No, it wasn’t obvious.
Then I replayed every interaction over the last several weeks. Every touch and smile and flirtation.
I lowered the camera this time. My mouth falling open as I rewrote all the things we’d done together, layered with this information. I felt kind of stupid. But I’d convinced myself that there was no way Julian really wanted to date me. Why would he when he could have better? But if he’d liked me all along, then every time we had been together was him getting closer and closer to me.
“He likes me,” I whispered.
“Yeah, dude, but don’t tell him I told you. I don’t think I was supposed to do that.”
I laughed softly. A smile hit my features. Julian liked me.
And we were going out tonight. I rewound to the time when he’d asked me. I was the one who had suggested it be a fake date. He hadn’t said anything like that. Jesus Christ, had I been self-sabotaging myself this whole time? Could I actually have Julian Wright?
“Forget I said anything. What should I do next?” Campbell asked with a sly smile. Like maybe he’d said it all on purpose. Little matchmaker.
21
Julian
Milli hummed almost noiselessly as I put her into park outside of the studio. I was a few minutes early to pick up Jennifer, but I wasn’t looking forward to this dinner and couldn’t help myself. I dicked around on my phone for a few minutes and then gave in to the inclination, getting out of the car and knocking on the door.
After a minute, I heard Jen yell, “Come in.”
I stepped inside and froze. Campbell was lying on the ground, shirtless, while Jennifer hovered over top of him. She had one knee against his hip, practically straddling him, and grounded herself with her elbow on the other knee. She was taking picture after picture, shifting here and there to get different angles. I had no idea what was going on, but I immediately didn’t like it.
“Hey,” I said, clearing my throat loudly.
Jennifer pulled back from her camera. Her smile was magnetic when she swiveled to face me. “Hey. Is it time already?”
“A few minutes early actually.”
She turned back to Campbell and laughed at something he’d muttered.
“We got all we need.” She hoisted herself to her feet and offered him a hand, which he declined.
He reached for his discarded white T-shirt and slung it back on. “Hey, man.”
He must have seen the scowl on my face because he chuckled softly. I suppressed the urge to be pissed at him. This was Jen’s job. Nothing about what had happened was inappropriate…probably. And anyway, I was clearly being a jealous dick.
“How’d it go?” I asked.
“Really great,” Campbell said. “Jen’s a natural. I saw a few back-of-the-camera pics, and they’re crazy good.”
Jennifer flushed at the praise. “Thanks.” She smiled back at me. That same smile she’d given me when I first walked in. Something different than I’d seen from her before. I didn’t know what it meant. “I’m going to get changed, and then I’ll be ready.”
“Cool.”
She disappeared into the bathroom, leaving me alone with Campbell. We shook hands, and then he reached for his perpetual leather jacket.
“Where are you two headed?” Campbell asked.
“Dinner.”
“A date?” He arched an eyebrow.
“With my dad.”
“Oh,” he said with a laugh. “Why? Uncle Owen’s a dickbag.”
“He is. Hopefully, this is the last time I have to see him.”
Campbell nodded. “Good luck with that. Parents are complicated.”
That was an understatement. I’d learned that the Abbeys’ mom had died when Campbell was a senior in high school. Hit-and-run. Their dad had stepped up and tried to make up for it, but it would never be the same. Hollin didn’t really talk about it. I assumed Campbell was the same way.
“Okay. All set,” Jennifer said, stepping out of the bathroom.
Campbell and I both froze at the sight of her in a little black dress. But she only had eyes for me. The smile on her face was perfection. No averted gaze. No pulling back. Just me and Jen. Seriously…what had changed?
* * *
We arrived at Funky Door right on time. Punctual as ever, Jordan and Annie were already waiting at the entrance. Our father was nowhere in sight. Shocker.
Jennifer ran right over to Annie and enveloped her in a hug. Jordan shook my hand, his gaze drifting to Jen in surprise even though I’d told him I was bringing her. I wasn’t the one who ambushed people.
“So, where is he?” I asked.
“He’s on his way,” Jordan said.
“And no one is surprised he’s late.”
“It’s five minutes, Julian,” Jordan said with a sigh. “His flight was delayed, or he would have been here hours ago. Can you cut him a break?”
I bit my cheek to keep from retorting. Because, no, I wasn’t giving my dad another undeserved break. He’d done enough. I didn’t believe that he was here just to see us. Not after everything.
