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“Whyare you sorry?Whathappened?”Isnap, biting my tongue, wishingIcould take back the tone and the words.
“Iguess,Igot it.”
“Gotwhat?”Ihave no clue what he’s talking about.Yes, he got in my pants, but we’ve already established that.
“Thepart?Thesuperhero franchise.”Hisface turns up into a big smile. “Igot the part.”
“Right.”Inod, staring at him. “Thereason we’re doing all of this.”
Breathe,Selena.Breathe, damnit!
Onephone call, andIturn right back into a pumpkin.
Thisis it.It’sall over now.
“Con-congratulations.Iknow how badly you wanted this.”Asmuch asIknowIshould smile,Ican’t bring myself to do anything other than press my lips together.
“Yeah,IguessIwas feeling like it was never gonna happen.”Heruns a hand through his hair and stares over my shoulder. “Thenext decade of my life is pretty much locked down now.”
“Ican’t tell from your voice if that’s a good thing or not?”
“Both,Iguess.Thisjob comes with a lot of money, but with a lot of money comes a lot of strings.Iwon’t have time for much else.There’sgoing to be training and green screen work and tons of stunts.Andit’s looking like we’re going to shoot all the movies inAustralia.”
“Right.Australia.”That’sonly on the other side of the world.Butit probably doesn’t matter whetherJacksonis next door or halfway around the world.Eitherway, he’s going to be gone from my life.
“So, we’ve got to pack up and get back toL.A.Today.Apparently, they want to make a big deal about closing the contract and they’re setting something up for tomorrow night.Ineed to shake some hands and do some press.Thatkind of thing.”
“Goback toL.A.?Butwhat about your dad?”
“Idon’t like it either, but he’s home now.He’sgot my brothers, and he’s got his nurses.We’llcome back as soon as we can.”
Hedidn’t mean that.Hemeanshe’llcome back as soon as he can.Whichprobably means in about a decade, if his dad’s lucky.
“Gotit.I’mso happy for you,Jackson.Ihope that this part is everything you want it to be.”Myvoice is about to break.IfIdon’t get out of here,I’mgoing to lose it. “I’mgoing to go pack.”
“Whatabout my pancakes?They’remy specialty.”
“Oh, ummm, thanks.ButI’mnot really hungry.Andour… your room is a tornado of clothes.So,Ishould probably go pack.”
“Howare younothungry after last night?”Jacksonasks with a laugh.
Howcan he mention what happened last night so casually?Idon’t know what to say in reply.So,Ijust flash him an awkward smile and retreat to the bedroom.Hisbedroom.
Afterabout fifteen minutes of intentional breathing and willing myself not to cry whileIfold clothes into piles on the bed,Ihear a knock at the door.
chapterfifty-three
selena
“Comein.”
“Icome bearing pancakes.Willyou try them?They’rethe only thingIcan cook even remotely well.”Jacksonis holding two plates of pancakes, and he nods for me to take one.Heeven plated them cutely in an overlapping row with a little pat of vegan butter and a stream of maple syrup, and a fruit salad of strawberries, grapes, and baby orange segments.Theman made me breakfast and brought it to me in his bedroom.Ican’t not take the plate from him.
“Thanks.”Ipush a stack of dresses aside and sit down on the edge of the bed.
Usingmy fork,Ibreak off a piece of pancake, dip it in syrup, and take a bite.Theman knows how to make a pancake. “Theseare delicious.I’dsay you cook pancakes very well.”
“Thanks.”Jacksonseems to relax a bit.Hemoves a pair of my platform sandals off the chair by the bed and takes a seat. “Andif you need help packing,I’mavailable.I’vebeen living out of my suitcase anyway, soI’mpretty much ready to go.”
