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33
Gigi
We’d had a meeting at my place.
Well, I should clarify that the first meeting was at Jillian’s. The meeting that the show would see.
I could feel the negative vibes coming off my team. They were worried, and it was obvious to me they were holding back. Which was less than good and definitely not okay.
Ten minutes after we left Jillian’s, I messaged everyone to come over here. I was probably going to get in trouble for it. I really didn’t care. The show was one thing—my team was something else, completely.
It was my job not only to be there for them when they needed me, but also to affirm and confirm that we were all on the same page. Our opposing team was good. We were better. And we’d prove that in our first game.
After our pep talk, after a few tears, and after more hugs, they all left.
Jillian stayed behind with me.
“Everything good with you?” she asked, petting the puppies on her lap.
I came over and sat with her on the couch. “Better now. I’m used to the cameras—kind of. Sometimes they’re just so intrusive.”
She laughed long and loud, making the puppies start to whine. “Sorry, guys. Your mommy is funny, though,” she said to the dogs then looked up at me. “Try having them in your house twenty-four hours a day. I don’t blame Beau for nearly bashing yours in.”
“That’s interesting coming from a reality star princess,” I said, teasing her.
“Yeah, that was a lot different, G. There were sets and—it was just different. You knew when you were ‘on’. Here, you never know. Like last night, I was starting a new design and wanted to see how it fit before adding in the final stiches. I nearly took my top off in the living room. Completely forgot the stupid camera was there.”
I gave her a sad giggle. “That’s not good. I’m more than happy Beau and Trey removed ours.”
“And threw it in the swimming pool.” Jillian laughed, shaking her head as she kissed one of the puppies. “Your daddy got in a lot of trouble for that,” she said to the dog.
My shoulders shrugged as I sat back. “He was pretty riled up. When they told him he’d broken the terms of the contract, he pointed out they were taping past the previously agreed on hours. Then he’d threatened to make a stink if they put it back in.”
“I don’t blame him. But watching you guys was pretty cute,” she said, poking me in the arm. “I don’t have that exciting of a life, so I doubt they’ll ever be focusing on me.”
To that, I raised my eyebrows. Out of all of us women, Jillian’s life was by far the most public. If people wanted to see any of us, they’d most want to see her. “That’s not true at all, Jillybean. You’re a celebrity. You and Stuart.”
Then something occurred to me. “Didn’t you say he’s coming for a visit next week?”
Her gazed dropped back to the puppies. “Uh, yeah. I told him it wasn’t a good time. He insisted, though.”
Any and every time I brought up her boyfriend—and it was always me who brought him up, she never seemed to want to talk about him—she turned almost despondent. I’d asked her about it a few times. All she ever said was that they were happy.
That was what her words said. Her face, eyes, and body language always said something different. It didn’t make sense to me when she’d chosen Stuart instead of Cash, and it still didn’t.
Not only to me, but to the rest of the world.
She was my best friend and I loved her.
So, I bit my tongue and didn’t press.
I hated how there would always be this weird tension between us whenever we talked about her and Stuart. That was probably why I didn’t bring him up often. And maybe why she never did.
“I’m scared to give Beau head,” I blurted out in a tumble of words. I’d wanted to change the subject completely and that was the only thing I could think of.
Her jaw dropped as she set the puppy back down on the floor. “What? Why?” she asked, looking surprised at my outburst.
“I—I’ve never been, you know, good at it,” I said, feeling a hot blush rise up from chest to my face.
