Something to Talk About(69)

“Look, Jo, it’s almost three in the morning. Can you drink some water and go to bed? I’m going to call you in the midst of your hangover and bother you about this, but I’m really fucking tired right now.”

“Yes, yes,” Jo said, waving the hand holding her drink around and almost spilling it. She set it on the table. “Go to sleep.”

“You promise not to do anything stupid tonight?”

Jo rolled her eyes but promised anyway.

When Evelyn hung up, Jo did as she was told: got water, went to bed. She looked at her phone as she settled under her sheets. It would be easy to send the text to the right person. But it was past midnight by now, and she did promise Evelyn, and she was sober enough to know she was still a little drunk. She set her phone aside and turned off the light.





18


    JO


Emma made a valiant effort to act like everything was normal between them the next day. But her smile when she offered Jo coffee was stiff, and Jo knew her too well to think it was real. Jo practically collapsed into the chair behind her desk. She remembered the way Emma had pulled her clenched hand off said desk, and burned her throat with a gulp of coffee.

Emma was the one to lean in, Jo reminded herself. Emma was the one to start the whole thing, to almost kiss her. The excuse sounded thin. Jo was in a position of authority over Emma. She held the responsibility for anything that happened between them, and something almost did. Jo wanted to apologize again. Wanted to kiss her again.

She did. God, she thought about it too much last night, drunk and texting the wrong person, but she was sober now and she was still thinking about it, still thinking about just how true everything she said to her father was. Emma was her rock. Every bad day she’d had this year was because she and Emma weren’t on good terms. When things were going well between them, Jo had gotten through everything—the stupid rumors and the morons at the network and the writer’s block. Emma was magnificent, and Jo was an idiot, just seeing all of this now.

Emma was in Jo’s office, discussing location scouting for the spring arc of Innocents, when Evelyn texted.


How’s the hangover, sweetheart?



Jo ignored her. A minute later, her phone buzzed again.


How’s Emma today? Still magnificent?



Emma paused and looked at Jo expectantly, giving her time to respond to her phone if need be. Jo was grateful that Emma had stopped avoiding all eye contact. She responded to Evelyn.


Absolutely.



Ev typed back immediately.


You’re such a lesbian.



Emma looked away. How long had it been since Jo had taken her last ibuprofen? Her head still ached.


I’m a hungover midlife crisis of a person in love with my assistant. Give me a break.



Jo’s phone rang. She should have expected that. She declined the call and gestured for Emma to go on.

“Calgary is looking like a good option,” Emma said. “Cheaper than Vancouver, and—”

Jo’s phone rang again. She declined it again. Emma paused for a moment, then continued.

“There are good outdoor opportunities, of course. There is some interest in—”

The third time Jo’s phone rang, she gave Emma a clenched-tooth smile.

“Can we go over this later?”

Emma nodded and started gathering her things as Jo picked up her phone.

“Hello?”

“Are you serious?” Evelyn’s voice was so loud that Jo worried Emma might overhear.

“This actually isn’t a great time.” Jo kept her own voice steady.

“She’s in your office, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

Emma had all of her papers and her tablet by now, gave Jo an awkward half smile, and headed for the door.

“We need to go over what happened when your dad visited,” Evelyn said.

“We don’t,” Jo said, even though she needed to go over it with someone. She wished she could’ve been honest with Emma about it, could’ve told her just how much she wanted to kiss her—and not as a drunken accident or in the heat of the moment. “And we can’t right now. I’ll call you later.”

“If you don’t, Jo Jones,” Evelyn said, the threat clear in her voice. “If you do not call me back and tell me everything, I am going to fly to LA myself.”

Jo believed her.

“Mm-hmm,” Jo said. “Okay, talk later.”

She hung up. Emma was gone by now. She had pulled the door closed behind her in case Jo needed privacy. Jo dropped her forehead onto her desk. The impact just made her head hurt more.



* * *



—

Emma stayed distant all day. After Jo had sent her home, she dialed Evelyn. Ev had said she’d fly out if Jo didn’t call her back, and Jo knew it wasn’t an empty threat.

“I’ve got a bowl of popcorn ready,” Evelyn said when she picked up. “I’m ready for all the dirty details.”

Jo sighed. She was used to Evelyn’s teasing, but she’d had a terrible day. Evelyn seemed to figure that out.

“Okay,” Ev said, all traces of mocking gone from her voice. “Tell me what happened.”