“Have you talked about what will happen when the filming ends?”
I loved my sister, but there were times when she got on my last nerve. And this was one of them. “I answered this the last time you asked,” I muttered, referring to the interrogation I got right after finding out the truth from Dave. “We’re not making any plans as of yet. Right now, our only goal is to get to know one another to even see if we want it to continue after this is all over.”
She held her hands up in surrender. “All right, all right. I was just checking. Sheesh.”
“Why? Are you trying to make plans for the pool house? Trying to get rid of me?” I teased, hoping to add a little light into our conversation. It wasn’t that it was a down or depressing talk. I just didn’t like to think about it—all the different ways it could go. I only wanted to enjoy the time I had with her, however long it may be.
“No, nothing like that. I just like seeing you smile, is all.”
I nudged her with my elbow. “I always smile. I’m a freaking happy individual.”
Jessa rolled her eyes, a hum of laughter passing her smiling lips. “Sure thing. Whatever you say, Captain Cheerful,” she said as she pushed off the swing. With one last smile in my direction, she headed inside, leaving me alone on the porch with my thoughts.
* * *
Just over an hour after leaving, Tasha texted me. She was waiting on a call from Ty, so she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the house until she heard from him. Not knowing when he’d call or how long the conversation would be, she invited me over to wait with her.
I most certainly was not going to pass up time with her.
“Who called you earlier? When you left my place?” I asked, taking a bottle of water out of the fridge. “I thought that was Ty, which was why you had to leave?”
“Oh, no. That was just Dave. I felt bad choosing to take that call over sitting with your sister, but between our schedules, it’s been almost two days since we last talked. I know I’ve been here for almost a month already, but I’m still not used to going that long without hearing from him.”
“You guys have lived together for ten years…you don’t have to explain anything to me, Tasha. I get it. And I’m sure if Jessa knew who it was, she’d get it, too. Trust me, she wasn’t offended.” I grabbed the bag of chips off the kitchen counter and followed her into the living room. “What did Dave have to say?”
“Not much. He mainly wanted to hear about filming and the other women on the show.”
Feigning offense, I clutched my chest and gasped. “You tell him those details but not me?”
For a moment, it looked like she wasn’t sure how to respond. But as soon as she caught my smile, she relaxed. “It’s not that simple. The contract that Tiff had to sign for the show is very restrictive. Even though I won’t technically be the one who gets penalized, it will come back on me in the end thanks to the detailed nondisclosure agreement.”
“What do you mean the contract is restrictive?” I immediately realized how I sounded, so I waved my hands between us, shaking my head while I finished swallowing a chip. “Never mind. You don’t have to explain anything. I was just curious.”
“No, it’s fine. But if any of this comes back to bite me in the butt, I’m coming after you.”
Crossing my fingers over my chest, I said, “I won’t say anything, I swear.”
“Well, the contract prevents her—aka, me—from discussing the details of the show. That includes conversations that occur during get-togethers, drama between cast members, as well as what happens behind the scenes. The only reason Dave knows any of that is because he had to sign the NDA as well, and it’s all spelled out on that document. So naturally, he asked questions before signing it.”
“And since no one knows that I’m aware of the switch-a-roo…”
She nodded. “Exactly. You’re a huge liability. Not that I think you’ll blab or—”
“Tasha,” I interrupted, grabbing her hand to gain her full attention. “I get it. You don’t have to explain anything to me. You have to watch your own back. I completely understand that. Whatever you say to me will never be repeated, so if you’re worried about what little I already know about the show, don’t. I promise, I’m way too confused over the whole thing to even know what it all means. There’s a reason I don’t watch that crap.”
“Honestly, Jacoby…it’s not that I don’t want to tell you.”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t. Now that I have a better grasp of the bigger picture, it doesn’t bother me. Well, not that it ever bothered me, but you know…” I hoped she understood what I was trying to say.
Thankfully, it seemed that she did. With a soft, gentle smile, she leaned closer and lightly kissed my lips. It was short and very PG, but it was enough to settle many of the concerns that had invaded my thoughts earlier.
Before I had a chance to return the sentiment, her phone rang, Ty’s name flashing on the screen. Tasha’s body grew rigid as she answered the call. To the untrained ear, she sounded unfazed, but to me, I could hear the apprehension in her voice. Maybe that was because I was looking at her, the visual aiding my observance. Or maybe it was proof that I was starting to appreciate her on a deeper level, to the point I could pick out the subtle nuances in her tone.
It was more than likely the fact that I could see her face.
Tasha wasn’t saying much other than a yeah here and an uh-huh there. I had no idea what Ty was saying, but whatever
