Lead (Stage Dive, #3)(62)

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “’Course, its fine. Won’t happen again.”

Oh, the dubiousness, it filled me right up. But I couldn’t make him admit to caring about me more than he liked. I couldn’t make him do shit. “All right, one more go. I did enjoy going out with Dean and I was looking forward to seeing him again.”

“Okay. Good.”

“On one condition.”

He gave me a wary look. “What?”

“You meet Tom.”

The regal chin rose to unforeseen heights. “That replacement guy? No. Fuck no. We talked about this, you have to commit, Lena.”

“This was always meant to be temporary gig. Given how much we push each other’s buttons, I think it might be wise to have a backup plan in case I can’t continue.” I squared my shoulders, standing tall.

“I don’t think we should do that.”

“Jimmy—”

“If you just tried, Lena.”

And this was about the point where realization struck home, tough love was tough on everyone involved. Sometimes, however, you just had to. “Jimmy, I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. You’re going to talk to the man.”

The surprise in his eyes, I wish I’d taken a picture. His jaw moved, face tensing. “Fuck, all right.”

I held his car keys out to him, moonlight glinting off them. “Do you want to drive us home?”

He snatched them out of my hand. Something told me it was going to be a long and painful journey.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN


The next evening, Jimmy’s attitude had not improved. His resistance to the very tall thin and polite Tom Moorecomb read plain as day in his body language. Should he turn any further in his seat, his back would be to the poor man completely.

“Tom was involved in couples counseling, Jimmy. Isn’t that interesting?” I said, jaw aching from clenching so much. A tension headache was slowly but steadily brewing behind my eyes. “Jimmy?”

The jerk didn’t even look up from his phone. It was like trying to deal with a toddler, a very cranky one. Sadly, he’d seated himself opposite the room from me, out of kicking range. I’d hate to have to smack him in the head with a pillow in front of Tom. Perhaps it could be left as my final die-hard option.

“Jimmy?”

He looked up at me from beneath his dark fringe. “What?”

The doorbell rang. Fortunate for him really.

“Let me just get that while you two talk.” I gave the ignorant jerk a meaningful look.

He just blinked.

Before I could reach the door, Mal and Ben barreled on in.

“Lena, helloooo.” Mal shook my hand so energetically I feared my shoulder would dislocate. “Looking foxy and strict in your business suit. I would totally take orders from you if my heart and soul were not spoken for.”

“Thanks.” I’d bought the navy suit in an attempt to make the right impression on Tom. Jimmy had just given my new outfit a weird look and told me double breasted didn’t suit a girl with such assets. I’d been nervously fussing with the buttons on the jacket ever since.

“We in the living room?” asked Ben, already making his way into said location.

“Wait, we’re—”

“Hi.” David, Ev, and Anne followed close behind. Ev and Anne were dolled up, the first in jeans and a slinky top, the second in a smokin’ hot green knit dress. Their awesome style however did not answer any of the questions pouring into my head.

“Hey,” said Ev, kissing my cheek while David gave me the rockstar chin tip.

“I’m really looking forward to tonight,” said Anne.

“Great.” I smiled.

She stopped and studied me. “Shit, you have no idea what’s going on, do you? Ev.”

“What’s up?” Ev about turned on her cool boots.

“Lena doesn’t know anything about this.”

Her face fell. “What?”

“Nope.”

“Crap.”

“Yep.”

“Please,” I said, getting a little desperate. “What’s going on? Why are you all here?”

“Jimmy invited us over for dinner,” said Ev.

“He did?”

And through the open door marched what I could only guess was a small army of butlers and one chef. So many black suits with one tall white puffy hat standing head and shoulders above the rest.

“We’ll get set up,” said the eldest of the butlers entering.

“Right,” I murmured, turning back to Anne and Ev. “He’s outplayed me.”

“Sometimes,” said Ev, throwing an arm around my neck. “You just have to follow Jimmy’s lead.”

“Are you insane? He’ll lead me straight to hell.”

“Perhaps. But he likes you, so I’m guessing he’ll bring you back out safe and sound.”

I narrowed my eyes on the insane woman. “We’re interviewing my replacement. Right now.”

Her face fell, yet again.

“We need to get in there,” said Anne.

“So, Tom. Tom was your name, wasn’t it?” Mal projected his voice so well. It positively rang through the marble halls of Jimmy’s mini-palace.