“Does your wife know that?”
“Ha! She certainly does. We have three in our home, remember?” There’s a shuffle of papers before she speaks again. “But that’s not why I’m calling. I just got some really exciting news from the developer. Construction is ahead of schedule.”
Ah. She wants the piece sooner. “How much?”
“A full month. Which means we could open by Labor Day. But that lobby is going to look pretty disappointing if there’s no artwork.”
“Let me talk with Chance. See if he can’t speed up the deadline.”
“You’re the best, Jude.”
“You know it. I’ll get back to you by tomorrow.”
I glance out the windshield, and watch people move in and out of the different studios. I say good-bye to Darlene and make the call to Chance.
“Hey, mate. Miss me already?”
“Always.”
“How’s it going?”
I reach for my bag of candy and dig out one of the lollipops. “I need a favor.”
“I’m not giving you Adele’s number.”
I chuckle, unwrapping my candy. “It’s not that.”
“Oh? Give up so easily on the hunt for your Cinderella?”
“No, actually.” Instantly I think of Rachel. My lips pull into a smile and I take a lick of the sweet candy, wishing it were her.
“Oh? Please tell me you didn’t take up stalking rest stops.”
“Funny enough, I did pick up a beauty on the side of the freeway.”
“There you go.”
“She might not be the one, but she’s piqued my interest.”
“Right. So, business as usual, then.” Chance is clearly unimpressed.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You don’t have to take my advice. You’re a grown man. But if this one’s special, then treat her so. Women enjoy the chase as much as men do.” It’s not the worst suggestion. I already know Rachel isn’t a quick lay. I’m not usually one for the long game since it leads to messy feelings and expectations for relationships. That alone should make me wary, but for some reason it doesn’t.
“So, you’re saying to get to know her before getting her in my bed.” I infuse an extra dose of sarcasm into my tone for Chance’s sake.
“Most definitely.” He chuckles and I can almost see him shaking his head. “Maybe stop saying shit like that too.”
“Yeah, I agree to that,” Aubrey says.
“By the way, you’re on speaker.” Chance chuckles.
“Jesus. Warn a man next time. What if I said something to offend your wife?” I run a hand through my locks, retracing the conversation to be sure I haven’t done just that. “And hi, Aubrey.”
“Bring her to dinner,” Aubrey says. “This girl you met on the side of the road.”
“Like a double date?” I like the sound of it, though I don’t exactly think Rachel will be okay with me whisking her off to Hermosa Beach. Yet. “Yeah, okay. Give me a few weeks to work my magic.”
“Good luck, mate.” Chance laughs again. I can’t tell whether it’s at me or because of something he and Aubrey are doing. “So, did you call for relationship advice, or is there something else?”
“How do you feel about getting those mermaids out of your studio early?”
He groans. “How early are we talking?”
“Four weeks.”
“A month! Jude, man, I love you but there’s no way I’ll even be able to collect enough materials to make that deadline.”
“What if I helped you?”
“You’re going to dig through trash?”
“Of course.” I cringe. So, maybe I’ll hire someone else to. “And if we hit this new completion date, I’ll make it worth your time. Promise.”
“I don’t do it for the money, mate.” He isn’t lying, either. Their financial security doesn’t rely on his art sales. But for the next few minutes we discuss the new timeline along with moving details and installation. Any areas we built in buffers that can be stripped to make this happen. I make a few notes on my phone and fire off an email to my transportation guy. Which leads to another dozen calls and emails. I don’t stop working, or look up from my phone until there’s a knock at my passenger window a good thirty minutes later.
Rachel waves and nods her head toward the back of the vehicle. I pop the lift gate and hop out of my seat, meeting her at the back of the SUV to take her bags.
“Good day?”
“Uh . . .” She stares at me a long second, as if she can’t process the question or believe I asked. “Yeah. Beyond my car dying on the side of the freeway and almost being late to work. It was peachy.” Sarcasm drips from her words.
I lift my brows and bite back a chuckle. “So, you’re a glass-half-empty kinda person?”
“No.” Her brow pinches and she shakes her head, stepping back for the back gate to close. “I’m a very positive person. It’s just been a day.” It’s then I notice the bags under her eyes, the effort to her smile. Shit. I’m an ass. Here she is coming off a long work day, obviously exhausted, and car-less for the foreseeable future. A strange, foreign feeling settles in my chest. Protectiveness. The urge to make her feel better. To fix this. To help. It’s something I rarely experience for anyone outside my small circle. But there’s no mistake; I feel it now. As we climb back into the vehicle, I make it my mission to do whatever is in my power to brighten her day, even if it’s merely earning a few laughs on my behalf.
8
Rachel
My stomach grumbles with hunger and my temple aches with what’s sure to be the start of a horrible headache. Still, a few minutes into the ride home and I can’t help but smile as Jude regales me with the tale of his one and only time on a movie set.
“So, the director glares at some actor, who at this point is fully in the midst of an adult temper tantrum, and then turns to me and asks, ‘How big is your dick?’”
“No!”
“Yes! Swear it!” Jude glances my way, eyes wide and smile big, before focusing back on the traffic. “I was
