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“I don’t sing.” Brick knew Jezebelle had a beautiful voice, though.
Jaxson slapped him on the back, chuckling. “You’re so in over your head, dude. Do you have any idea what you’re up against?”
Brick was starting to realize no, he had no idea what he was up against.
* * *
“Oh,my gosh. I’m in love.” Mia’s eyes sparkled with delight, and Jezebelle’s stomach filled with unease.
She loved the dress Mia was clutching in her hand. It was glittery gold, with thin straps on the top, stuck to her every curve, and stopped super low on her thighs. It was her going-out-looking-for-a-hot-guy dress. The times she went out to clubs looking to party anyway. It’d been a while since she had done that kind of thing. The last few months she’d had to focus on work and nothing but work. She needed money to survive.
Because the situation she was in now told her she hadn’t worked hard enough. Caving in to her mother’s demands would never happen. In the end, no amount of focusing had helped her. She was still in financial straits.
Yet, she had wonderful friends. Brick stepping up to help her without blinking an eye. And her other friends, jumping in to help pack without questioning why. Well, she saw the questions sprinkled in their expressions—Gabby’s narrowed eyes on occasion, Mia’s lingering looks.
Now she was on the verge of losing her favorite clothes.
“Put it gently in the suitcase and back away.” Jezebelle pursed her lips like she was dead serious, yet her eyes twinkled with mischief.
Mia’s smile widened as she clutched the dress tighter. “Where did you get it? I seriously need it.”
She didn’t even remember. Like Mia, she loved clothes and dressing up, donning the latest new makeup. Her nightly routine was insane with the different lotions and creams and soap she used. She liked making sure she always looked her best. Old age would eventually be upon her—years and years from now—but she had to take care of her skin at all times.
“I can’t remember.”
Mia shifted away from her as if she were about to bolt with the dress.
“Oh for heaven’s sake. We’ll be here all night, Mia, if you want to steal all her clothes. Put it in the suitcase.”
Mia’s lips thinned, her eyes narrowing at Gabby for bossing her around. But then she carefully folded it and added it to the already half-filled suitcase.
Jezebelle sighed at all the jewelry she had spread across her dresser. Some of it was quite expensive. Her parents were rich. Prestigious jobs. Involved in a few charities. Sometimes she had to accompany them to big, stuffy events. She only wore the very expensive jewelry for those kinds of events. She wouldn’t be in such a financial pickle if she sold some of them.
She rolled her eyes at her ridiculous thoughts. Yeah, her mother would pitch a fit. She might disown her.
Of course, at times, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
“Okay, I can’t stand it.” Gabby huffed, throwing a nice blouse in the suitcase. “You’re sighing constantly over there. Rolling your eyes, smiling, just all these weird expressions I can’t keep up with. I can’t tell whether you’re practicing for a play coming up while we pack or having a mental breakdown.”
She licked her bottom lip, almost glancing away from both their intense stares as they waited for her to respond. Which one was it? Practicing for a new role, or losing her ever-lovin’ mind?
“You can tell us anything. We’ll keep it to ourselves,” Mia said softly, her eyes zoning in on her licking her bottom lip again.
Ugh. It was such a bad habit she had. Whenever she got nervous, she licked her lips. Usually the bottom one, but sometimes the top one got attention as well. She rarely got nervous. Being on the stage had always been a dream of hers. Performing, bringing joy and laughter to people’s lives filled her with immense pleasure. That made her excited more than nervous. But, sometimes, depending on the part she had, she could get a touch nervous, wanting to do the best damn job she could.
“Yeah, Mia is an expert at keeping secrets.”
Gabby ducked when Mia threw a tank top her way. They both giggled, which made Jezebelle join in the laughter.
Her room looked like a bomb had exploded. She could admit, she wasn’t always the neatest person around. Brick had made the comment he was a fairly neat guy. What would he say when he found out she was a bit messier? They had taken half her clothes hanging in the closet and set them on the bed. Most of her things from the dresser drawers were piled on the bed as well. She wasn’t sure why they tossed it all in one big pile, but nothing today had made a lot of sense to her.
She let out another sigh—a very large, audible one this time—and let it spill. The entire conversation she and Brick had earlier.
“So, this is all fake?” Gabby asked incredulously.
“But you like him. Don’t try to deny it.” Mia’s brows rose, daring her to deny it.
“I hate to admit I can’t afford to live here anymore on my own. The landlord is being kind enough to let me out of my lease early. I think he already has someone lined up to move in at the beginning of the month. Otherwise, he would’ve put up a fit. Brick is doing me a huge favor. As soon as I can get back on my feet, I’ll find another place. I don’t want to impose on him too long.”
