attorney’s office is on the phone.”
How convenient. “One of the assistants, or el jefe herself?” Jordan stifled laughter. She knew Beth didn’t relish being called that. She said it made her sound like a mob boss.
“The latter.”
“Got it. Thanks, Jen.” Jordan pressed the button to pick up the call.
***
Jake found himself with twenty minutes down time between his meeting with Joe and his set call. He used it to check in with his publicist.
“So far, I hear you’re behaving yourself,” Val teased.
Her tone might have been joking, but it still caused Jake to wince a little. He didn’t want a reputation as a guy who brought trouble. For most of his career, he’d managed to avoid it. He hoped one brief lapse in judgment wouldn’t follow him for years to come. “I’m an angel. They love me.” It wasn’t a lie. Reece had complimented Jake several times for his work. He was glad the good reports were getting back to Val.
“And your little dalliance? That’s out of the way?”
Again, Val referred to Jordan as a mere dalliance. Jake bristled with annoyance. “I told you, she’s not a dalliance. Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because I know you.”
“Obviously not very well,” Jake countered. “You have nothing to worry about. All I do these days is work.” He declined to add that he didn’t necessarily like it that way. He didn’t want Val going ballistic for no reason.
“If you say so,” Val said “Look, Jake. I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m proud of you. I’m happy for you. The reports from the set are great, and no one is more thrilled about that than me. I have plenty of other clients I have to do regular damage control for. I’m glad you’re not adding to my stress level.”
“But?”
Val hesitated. “But your previous dalliance is starting to make noise again.”
“Damn it.” Jake cursed under his breath. That word again. He was tired of Val tossing it around, as if he were nothing more than a celebrity looking for his next score. He didn’t correct her, though. He had more immediate concerns. “What kind of noise?”
“You know, the usual.”
Jake had already had too much of the usual, especially when it came to Macy Hayes. “More of the heartbroken, jilted lover bullshit?” Jake asked, grimacing. Would she never go away? “I’ve already told you what to do about that. Do it.”
“Jake...”
“What?” he demanded. “Figure something out. That’s what I’m paying you for. I have way too much riding on this movie shoot to let that fluffhead mess it up.”
***
Beth summoned Jordan to her office, ostensibly to discuss a possible plea deal on a case neither one of them liked. Jordan figured there was more to it than that, but hoped the real reason wasn’t Trey Lozano.
“I do have an offer for you on the Becker case,” Beth said as soon as Jordan sat down. “I’ll give it to you before you leave. There’s something else I want to discuss with you first.”
“What’s that?” Jordan kept her tone casual.
“I know you have issues with people caring about you, but I do care about you, so you’re going to have to deal with it. I’m also going to speak frankly, because that usually works best with you.” Beth leaned forward in her chair. “You’ve been moody and bitchy lately.”
Jordan snickered. “I’m always moody and bitchy. I can’t believe it took you this long to notice.”
“No, you’re not. You just tell yourself you are as justification for avoiding relationships.” Beth smirked. “You have guy trouble.”
“I do not. Having guy trouble would require having a guy.” Jordan affixed her gaze to the diploma that hung on the wall behind her friend’s desk. Western Texas University School of Law, Class of 2001. Jordan hadn’t even attended the commencement ceremony, so anxious she’d been to leave Grande Valley behind and start her career in entertainment law. At the time, she would have laughed in anyone’s
How convenient. “One of the assistants, or el jefe herself?” Jordan stifled laughter. She knew Beth didn’t relish being called that. She said it made her sound like a mob boss.
“The latter.”
“Got it. Thanks, Jen.” Jordan pressed the button to pick up the call.
***
Jake found himself with twenty minutes down time between his meeting with Joe and his set call. He used it to check in with his publicist.
“So far, I hear you’re behaving yourself,” Val teased.
Her tone might have been joking, but it still caused Jake to wince a little. He didn’t want a reputation as a guy who brought trouble. For most of his career, he’d managed to avoid it. He hoped one brief lapse in judgment wouldn’t follow him for years to come. “I’m an angel. They love me.” It wasn’t a lie. Reece had complimented Jake several times for his work. He was glad the good reports were getting back to Val.
“And your little dalliance? That’s out of the way?”
Again, Val referred to Jordan as a mere dalliance. Jake bristled with annoyance. “I told you, she’s not a dalliance. Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because I know you.”
“Obviously not very well,” Jake countered. “You have nothing to worry about. All I do these days is work.” He declined to add that he didn’t necessarily like it that way. He didn’t want Val going ballistic for no reason.
“If you say so,” Val said “Look, Jake. I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m proud of you. I’m happy for you. The reports from the set are great, and no one is more thrilled about that than me. I have plenty of other clients I have to do regular damage control for. I’m glad you’re not adding to my stress level.”
“But?”
Val hesitated. “But your previous dalliance is starting to make noise again.”
“Damn it.” Jake cursed under his breath. That word again. He was tired of Val tossing it around, as if he were nothing more than a celebrity looking for his next score. He didn’t correct her, though. He had more immediate concerns. “What kind of noise?”
“You know, the usual.”
Jake had already had too much of the usual, especially when it came to Macy Hayes. “More of the heartbroken, jilted lover bullshit?” Jake asked, grimacing. Would she never go away? “I’ve already told you what to do about that. Do it.”
“Jake...”
“What?” he demanded. “Figure something out. That’s what I’m paying you for. I have way too much riding on this movie shoot to let that fluffhead mess it up.”
***
Beth summoned Jordan to her office, ostensibly to discuss a possible plea deal on a case neither one of them liked. Jordan figured there was more to it than that, but hoped the real reason wasn’t Trey Lozano.
“I do have an offer for you on the Becker case,” Beth said as soon as Jordan sat down. “I’ll give it to you before you leave. There’s something else I want to discuss with you first.”
“What’s that?” Jordan kept her tone casual.
“I know you have issues with people caring about you, but I do care about you, so you’re going to have to deal with it. I’m also going to speak frankly, because that usually works best with you.” Beth leaned forward in her chair. “You’ve been moody and bitchy lately.”
Jordan snickered. “I’m always moody and bitchy. I can’t believe it took you this long to notice.”
“No, you’re not. You just tell yourself you are as justification for avoiding relationships.” Beth smirked. “You have guy trouble.”
“I do not. Having guy trouble would require having a guy.” Jordan affixed her gaze to the diploma that hung on the wall behind her friend’s desk. Western Texas University School of Law, Class of 2001. Jordan hadn’t even attended the commencement ceremony, so anxious she’d been to leave Grande Valley behind and start her career in entertainment law. At the time, she would have laughed in anyone’s
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