His smile flickers in and out. “I just want you to know everything about me. Sorry it took until now.”
“Why is that?” I question. “Did you feel like I’d overreact?”
He pauses, gathering his thoughts. “I feel like…I missed the chance to come clean, and then after a while, it felt like something that could tear us apart.”
I lean back and turn more to him, arm on the booth behind his shoulders. “I’m glad you told me now, but Highland, I’d much rather you trust me sooner than later. Don’t be afraid to tell me anything. I want all your skeletons. Even the scrawny ones.”
He lets out a soft laugh, then nods. “I’ll save the scrawny skeletons for you, Os.”
I grin. “Thank you. For the scrawny ones and for opening up now.” I realize that Charlie’s docuseries Born into Fame really is a passion project. There is no monetary reward for Jack. He doesn’t even need his salary on We Are Calloway, which means that his career is so much more about the art.
Art is attached to the soul, and I don’t want anything hurting him that deeply.
Jack grazes a hand along my neck, rising up my jaw. Our eyes dance over our features. We’re about to go in for a kiss, and I swear to everything holy that cellphones are the toxin of my romantic existence.
His phone buzzes.
And his face falls. “It’s the execs.”
His job.
Where’s Jack Highland going to land?
In my arms, probably.
34
OSCAR OLIVEIRA
The sports bar is packed tonight for a Phillies game, and Jack and I barely got a table, but it’s squeezed right in the center of the room. Three TVs are in view, so I’m flying high tonight. I’m not even sweating pushing my way through the crowd as I return to our table with two mojitos.
“Bartender was not happy about making these.” I slide my boyfriend his drink. “If it tastes like piss, tell me and I’ll go have words.” I sink down next to Jack and he wraps a casual arm over my shoulder.
He smells his drink and eyes me in a growing smile. “By all means, you can sip it first. You’re older and hotter, so…” He pushes my glass closer to me. “Age and beauty first.”
I crush some of the mint with my straw. “Flattery gets you everywhere.” I grin just seeing his happiness. His honey-brown eyes smile a flirtatious, charismatic smile. We have reason to celebrate tonight.
Highland is still an exec producer. Production agreed that he’s essential to the docuseries, and it’d be wrong to fire him over online hatred and trivial “integrity” issues. Who knows what really swayed them? Could’ve been the famous families vouching on Jack’s behalf. Could’ve been Jack’s own reasoning during the meeting.
In the end, he still has the career he spent so much time working towards. Clinking his glass in cheers, I take a sip from the drink. It’s not too sour. “Not bad, actually. Some bartenders are way too pissy about making mojitos. You’d think I just ordered a fucking espresso martini.”
Jack takes a giant swig from the drink.
I grin. “You looking to get wasted tonight, Long Beach?”
“Maybe.” He smiles. “We’re celebrating, right? For you and me. Your newest temp trainee finished her last course of training. She’s fully-certified for temp bodyguard duty because of you.” Training the temp is also why I have the night off, but I have to be back at work bright and early tomorrow. A few drinks won’t hurt though.
“It’s not a competition or anything, but pretty sure I’ve trained the most temps for Kitsuwon Securities. So we can definitely drink to that too. Emphasis on too.” I hold up my glass. “We are both motherfucking badasses.” The mojito goes down rough as I laugh at a thought. “Oh, fuck, you have to hear this. Back when Gabe completed the course, he asked me if there was a graduation walk.”
Jack’s face morphs into a pitying smile. “Ah, man. That’s kind of sad. We could get him a cap and gown. Make it official.”
“Only if you give the commencement speech, Highland.” I pop a chip into my mouth, and he pulls the basket closer to his chest. I reach out for it. “Whoa! Uh-huh…these stay near me, meu raio de sol.”
His eyes soften at the nickname, letting go of the chips too easily. “What does that mean exactly?”