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My heart feels like it’s pounding against my sternum. Fireflies are ravaging my belly. Swoon, swoon, swoon. “You’re welcome.”
The air between us feels charged, like Colin’s a magnet and I’m steel. I’m not imagining this crazy pull between us, am I? Colin’s gaze drifts to my lips, briefly, and then to my boobs, and then to his drink on the table, where it remains. Was Colin thinking about kissing me just now? Or am I falling prey to wishful thinking again?
“Hey, Colin!” Logan says, pulling Colin’s attention from his drink on the table. “Do you remember that time when we were about ten and . . .?”
And that’s it. The electricity coursing between Colin and me, real or imagined, is gone. Colin is engaged in conversation with my brother now, and I’m looking at the back of Colin’s head. Shit.
Exhaling, I pull out my phone and sneak a peek at the photo Colin posted of us, and my heart physically palpitates at the sight of it. Oh, how I wish the canoodling couple in this photo were real.
“Yeah, so this guy named Nate . . .” I catch Colin saying, even though his head is turned. “Such a dick . . . sound guy . . . So, I posted a photo of Amy and me on Instagram, looking like we’re a couple.”
What’s that now?
When I’m able to tune into Colin’s voice above the chatter and clatter at the busy table, I hear him explaining that photo of us to Logan. He’s telling my brother the shot was meant to “bait” Nate into feeling like an “asshole” for “negging” me during the tour. And Logan is laughing and thoroughly enjoying Colin’s story.
“I’m gonna post a bunch of shots with Amy and the Goats tomorrow night at the wedding, too,” Colin explains, before launching into describing our strategy for impressing that employment agency in LA. “So, don’t be surprised if my Instagram looks like The Colin and Amy Show this weekend.”
“That’s so awesome!” Logan says, laughing. “Thanks for doing all that for her. You’re the best.”
I frown, feeling thoroughly annoyed. I’m grateful for everything Colin is doing for me, of course. I can’t wait to head to LA and work for him, however briefly, and stay at his place while doing it. But does Colin have to go to such great lengths to make sure Logan doesn’t think, even for a second, Colin and I could possibly be interested in each other?
After a bit, Colin returns to me and catches me scrolling through his Instagram account. “Has Nate liked our photo yet?”
“I didn’t look.”
“Well, let’s see.” He picks up my phone, taps on my screen, and scrolls for a long beat.
“Oh.” Suddenly, there’s a shift in his body language—a subtle jolt of his torso that makes me think we’ve struck gold and caught a fish called Nate on our line.
“Nate liked our photo?” I ask.
“Huh? Oh. No.” He puts my phone down on the table and smiles. “So, Amy. I just got yet another brilliant idea to help you. I’m going to a friend’s birthday party in Malibu next weekend—the Saturday before shooting starts for me. Tons of famous faces will be there, so why don’t you come with me as my ‘date’ and try to land yourself a job there?”
I gasp loudly. “Are you sure?”
“Why not? I think it’d be a blast to bring you. And who knows? You might get lucky and walk away with a job.”
I throw my arms around Colin’s neck and thank him effusively for his generosity, yet again, and Colin laughs into my hair.
“This isn’t me being generous, Ames. I’m already going to the party. All I’m doing is bringing you along.”
When we disengage from our hug, I take a sip of water, trying to calm down, but my arm is shaking disastrously. So much so, I’d literally be spilling everywhere if my glass had more water in it. “Whose birthday is it?” I ask, my voice quavering.
“Laila Fitzgerald. Her boyfriend is throwing the party at their place in Malibu.”
I slam my glass down and shriek, much too loudly for the indoor setting, and my mother throws me a harsh glare from the far end of the table. Ignoring my mother’s daggers, I lean into Colin and whisper-shout, “I love Laila Fitzgerald! She’s so gorgeous and talented!”
“Yeah, she’s a sweetheart. Lots of people from River Records and Sing Your Heart Out will be at the party, so I think the opportunities for you to network will be through the roof.”
I babble incoherently about my excitement, and then ask Colin a thousand questions. Until all of a sudden, I realize people have been getting up from the table and grabbing their purses and coats.
“Looks like the party’s shutting down,” I say.
“Yeah, we’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
