#Junkie (GearShark #1)(76)
His eyes warmed a little, and a look passed between us. I’d only been joking around, but I realized just then we’d been flirting. Both of us glanced away quickly, slightly embarrassed.
The writer conducting the interview appeared and introduced herself to Drew and me. Her name was Emily. “So we’re going to do the photos first. Then we can sit down, and I’ll interview you while the crew gets additional pictures of the area and other drivers.”
“Sounds good.” Drew smiled at her.
She flushed slightly, and I knew she was attracted to him.
“You’re all set,” the makeup artist declared and stepped back.
Drew glanced at me. “How bad is it?”
I grinned. But before I could say anything, the artist pushed a mirror in front of him. “You won’t even be able to tell you have makeup on in the photos. This is just to make sure everything looks flawless under the lighting.”
He really didn’t look any different. He must have agreed because he nodded and handed the mirror back. “Sweet.”
Joey waved at us from near the Fastback.
“They’re ready for you,” I told him.
Joey and I hung on the sidelines as Drew was doing the shoot. You could tell he was a little nervous at first, but then he loosened up, and the photographer got a lot more relaxed.
“He’s a natural,” Joey said, watching Drew pose.
“Yeah, he’s made for this.”
I felt her looking at me out of the corner of her eye. “I called him a couple times this weekend. We were supposed to drive. He never answered.”
“Yeah?” I sipped at my coffee and pretended not to hear the question in her words.
She wasn’t to be deterred. “He must have been pretty busy.”
“Probably.”
Joey made a sound and shifted a little closer. “Not gonna say anything, are you?”
I turned my full gaze to her, my eyes bouncing back and forth between her curious ones. “Say anything about what?”
“You and him.”
“Me and who?” I guess I should have anticipated her questions. She was at the bar Friday night. She saw what went on when Drew saw me.
She sighed and turned back to the shoot. We watched in silence for long minutes. “I told him to kiss you.”
Her words were very low, barely audible. But I heard. My hand tightened around the cup, and I turned my body to fully face her. “What?”
She nodded. “You and him. There’s more than friendship there.”
“You seem disappointed,” I pointed out.
She smiled. “And that’s why you don’t like me.”
Well, f*ck. It was time to stop playing dumb. “Look, I’m sorry for being kind of an ass to you when we met. It wasn’t… personal.”
“I know,” she mused.
“The truth?” I squinted at her, measuring her expression.
“Please.” Her voice was dry.
“I was jealous. You’re sexy, and you can drive better than me. Hell, you might be better than Drew, but don’t tell him I said that. Plus, you’re the daughter of a very rich man. You’re basically every man’s wet dream.”
“Not yours.” She smiled.
I rolled my eyes. “No. Not mine.”
“You thought I would take him away.”
I shook my head and glanced back at him. He was leaning up against the hood of the Mustang and looking into the camera with an intense stare. Stirrings of want tingled in my balls, and I forced my gaze back to Joey. “He’s not mine for you to take.”
“I think we both know that isn’t true,” she said kindly.
I shifted. “I think we both know it’s complicated.”
Joey bowed her head, and a few dark curls caught in the breeze and floated out around her face. “I’m sure it is.” She looked back up. “Just know I’m rooting for you guys.”
“Really?” I drew back, slightly surprised.
She smiled. Her green eyes sparkled. “I admit if he wasn’t into you, I’d be interested. But he is, and I like having a friend that doesn’t care who my father is.”
“How about two friends who don’t care who he is?” I asked, offering a smile.
“Heard you called him and Hopper a pair of dicks.” All her teeth showed in the wide, silly grin that split her face.
I laughed. “Not in those exact words.”
“Friends?” She stuck her hand out between us.
I grabbed it and pulled her into my chest for a hug. “Definitely. And I’m sorry I was a jealous ass,” I said into her hair.
Joey returned the hug. “You weren’t that bad. But it’s okay. I get it.”
When we pulled back, I glanced over at her bright-yellow Skyline. “When you gonna take me for a ride in that beast?”
“When we’re done here this morning?” she suggested.
“Hells yeah.”
“We have some driving time to make up for.”
I grimaced. “Sorry he wasn’t around this weekend.”
Joey smiled.
After a few minutes, Drew and the photographer moved to the other location with the white background and started taking more pictures. I could tell Drew was getting tired of smiling for the camera.