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“They seem…close,” I said carefully.
She laughed. “We’re all close. We all grew up together, went to college together, graduated together. He actually dated Tamara in high school. He and I didn’t get together until college.”
“Really?”
My worst-case scenario alarm went off at the intimacy between them. How could they all remain friends? How could she not suspect them? I reeled myself back in. This was my own insecurity screaming at me. If Nora didn’t have any, then why should I worry for her? Besides the fact that my anxiety didn’t give a shit.
“Yep. The guys are backstage if you want to say hi.”
“I do. But I’m going to get some detail shots of your work first.”
She beamed. “That’s so exciting!”
I smiled at her and then went back to documenting all the little touches she’d put into transforming the room into something good enough for a Wright Construction summer event. Then I dropped the camera around my neck and moved through the backstage entrance.
The first person I saw was Campbell Abbey. My image of him had gone mega viral. Like, I still didn’t know the count on comments and likes. It had been shared everywhere with and without my name attached. Blaire said I had a few magazine requests to purchase rights to it for an article. She was vetting them for me. I was glad to have her at my side as a manager because, otherwise, I’d be so overwhelmed that I’d collapse.
“Jennifer!” he crowed, wrapping me in a hug.
I was so shocked that I didn’t even move. “Hey.”
“Your picture!”
I laughed. “I know. What the hell, right?”
“I love it. It was a great experience. Actually, I pitched to the record label that you should take the cover photo for the next album.”
My body turned to jelly. My legs buckled, and then I was falling, stumbling. Campbell put an arm out to steady me.
“Hey, hey, whoa!” he said with a laugh.
“You’re serious?”
“Yeah, dude. They were into it. They think you have a special eye.”
I might die happy. I was going to take the picture for the cover of Cosmere’s next album. The record label wanted me. They thought I was special. Holy fucking shit!
“You can say something.”
I opened and closed my mouth. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes.”
I laughed. “Yes! Of course I want to do that.”
“Excellent. I’ll get you in touch with them. I’m pumped about this.”
Campbell was practically bubbling with excitement. I’d seen him in a lot of elements in the few months that I’d known him—which I couldn’t even believe that I could say—but here he was, in another world. As if embracing my passion ignited his own.
“Thank you so much, Campbell,” I said honestly.
“Art is the reason we live and not just survive.”
Something got stuck in my throat, and I could only nod at that assessment. He was right. I wasn’t used to other people acknowledging that.
Campbell’s face turned serious. “Excuse me for a second.”
Then he headed away from me. I followed his direction and found Blaire on her phone. She was stunning in a gauzy dress that only she could pull off. Campbell stopped in front of her and cleared his throat.
I saw the word that she said to him from here. No.
He reached for her as she made to leave, but she used those excellent soccer skills to evade him. I sighed in confusion at the pair of them as he followed her out the side door. I wasn’t blind. I could see that something had to have happened with them at some point. Why else would they be so strange? But I’d never worked up the courage to ask Blaire. I didn’t want her to shut down, and honestly, it wasn’t my business.
“What are you looking at?” Julian asked, coming up behind me.
I jumped. “Oh God, you surprised me.”
He laughed. “Sorry. You seemed intense.”
“It was nothing.” I waved off everything I’d seen as I turned to my boyfriend. He seemed more put together than he had at the soccer game this afternoon, but there were nerves underneath all of that charm and style. I wasn’t sure if it was just the party or something else. I’d never seen him like this. “Are you ready for the event?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Nora really knocked it out of the park.”
“Yeah. I can’t wait for my cousins to see the place.” He beamed with pride at the thought. It erased whatever was festering underneath for that second, and he was here with me again.
Owen Wright stood with Jordan, talking animatedly.
“You invited your dad?” I asked skeptically.
“Jor did,” he said with a shrug.
“I can’t believe he has the gall. Did he run it by Morgan?”
Julian nodded. “Yeah. She said it was fine, but if he got out of line, she’d kick his ass herself.”
I laughed because that was so Morgan. “Makes sense.”
