One More Time(35)

A chorus of surprise! announces Polly’s arrival inside. I wait until it dies down before I answer Amber’s question, even though it was most likely asked rhetorically. “I knew.”

It takes a second before Amber remembers what she’d asked. I see it in her expression when it clicks. “You knew about her acting or her humor?”

“Both. I always knew she had the chops. It’s exciting to see it all come together for her.”

“And do you know how nice she is to the crew?” she asks, tossing her hair again.

“I know,” I say simply.

“And do you know how good her ass looks in that dress tonight?”

“Oh, I fucking know,” I moan before catching myself.

Amber laughs out loud and claps, and my hand makes a little cut it motion at her.

But I do grin. Amber deserves kudos for that move.

My gaze flicks back to Jenna who is no longer pretending to listen to the man in front of her. Instead she’s just staring at me. Me and Amber.

She’s so jealous.

My grin widens.

Then Thurgood snatches her attention by grabbing her chin and moving it back to him, and my grin immediately turns into a clenched jaw.

“Any idea where she got that dress? It’s so cute.”

It takes effort to refocus on Amber, but somehow I manage. “I’m not sure, but I’ll ask her,” I say with gritted teeth.

Amber wraps a curl around her finger. “You don’t have to. Just tell me what it says on the tag.”

And then I don’t have to force the focus at all, because Amber is 100% insinuating I have access to Jenna’s wardrobe, and not the one on set, either.

I start to panic as I down the remainder of my drink.

“Oh. Looks like I can ask her myself,” Amber says.

That’s when I see Jenna walking directly toward our couch. This is bad. Very, very bad. The second Amber turns her laser-focused interrogation on Jenna, she’ll suspect that I’ve been telling tales outside of school.

“Hey guys,” Jenna says with a smile that’s pure acting. “Must be an interesting conversation, since you missed the surprise part of the surprise party.”

“Very interesting,” Amber says slyly. “I was just asking Tanner—”

I cut her off sharply by holding up my glass.

“And that was very rude of us. I should say hello and get a refill, care to accompany me?” It’s hardly a question, since I’ve already firmly fastened my arm around Jenna’s.

She glares down at the link between us like she’s going to pull away, but then Amber speaks. “Tanner, we should definitely catch up again soon.”

That’s all it takes for Jenna to tighten her arm in mine and start turning us away. I don’t miss the redhead’s eyes on us the whole time.

“Sure. Watch the kingdom while I’m gone.”

She’s cackling to herself as I rush Jenna away.

“Your kingdom?” Jenna quips once we’re out of Amber’s earshot.

“Inside joke,” I say, which is rude, because I know it will piss her off. But I’d rather have her jealous than freaking out about what people suspect or know about the two of us.

Jenna starts to walk me over to a little banquet, but I pause at the bar, holding my empty glass up toward my new friend the bartender. At least he only touched my girl with his eyes.

“Should we maybe pop down here?” she says gesturing to the seats she’d been leading me toward, and, from the tone of her voice, it’s more of an order than a suggestion.

“Sure…okay.” So much for going to find Polly, but whatever’s on Jenna’s mind is better out than in. Her expression is cold and distant, like she’s about to tell me off. At least that’s progress from past conflicts where she’d usually just avoid me altogether.

Without getting a refill, I follow her to the side of the lounge. We slide into the booth despite the fact that—what feels like—a thousand people are watching. Including, as she herself told me, half of IK PR. If Jenna is going to make a scene, this is about the worst possible spot in the whole bar.

But, though a scene is what I expect, a scene is not what I get.

“How’s your night going?” she asks instead.

“Um…fine.” I’m confused. “You?”

“Okay. It’s loud here.”

That’s when it hits me—Jenna has no real agenda. She’s not about to ream me out for flirting with Amber. She’s not even questioning me about it. She’s avoiding the conflict entirely. Just like Old Jenna did.

But I have no patience for that anymore.

“What are you really thinking right now?” I ask, leaning in so she’ll feel a little bit pressured. “Why are we over here?”

I can tell Jenna’s surprised that I’m being so direct. Good. Maybe it will push her to be a little more honest, too.

“Nothing! No reason,” she says, trying to be nonchalant. “I just. You know. What do you, uh, think about that bartender’s mustache?”

“Forgettable. Don’t lie to me, Jenna. That’s not why you brought me here. Are you mad at me?” I pause. “Are you jealous?”

“No!” she snaps, quickly. Too quickly. “I’m not jealous. I mean, I was. But then Richard Thurgood...”