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Authors: Francine Pascal
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six, after all.
Michael glanced up and gave Jessica a tentative, almost shy smile. Something inside Jessica clicked. She knew Michael liked her. So far, heâd been entirely professional, but Jessica knew it wouldnât take much encouragement to goad him into something more.
She walked over to him like a woman on a mission.
âMichael,â she said, touching his arm, âcan I talk to you a minute?â Her tone and the way she let her hand linger on his arm had the desired effect. His face lit up like a boy whoâd just found a toy at the bottom of his cereal box.
âUh, sure, Jessica.â
âWalk me back to my desk?â Jessica offered.
âSure,â Michael said.
Michael fell into step beside her.
âI was hoping I could pitch you a couple of ideas before the meeting tomorrow.â
âOh.â Michaelâs face fell a little as he realized it was business related.
âI was thinking, though, maybe we could grab a bite to eat?â Jessica stood very close to him and touched his arm again. Heâd have to not have a pulse to miss the clear change in vibe as she amped up her flirting.
âWhat about your boyfriend?â
âWhat boyfriend?â Jessica deliberately played dumb.
âOh, I mean, I heardâ¦â
âDonât believe all that you hear.â
âGood point.â Michael glanced at Jessica, looking like a man whoâd stumbled upon a winning lotto ticket.
âSo, dinner?â
âOh, y-y-yeah, sure. Iâd love that.â Michael grinned.
âMe, too,â Jessica said.
Chapter Eleven
Todd sent in his final story from the Lakers game, snapped shut his laptop in the press room, and stood.
âHey, Todd, a few of the guys are grabbing a drink. You in?â asked Stuart, the AP wire reporter and one of Toddâs friends.
Todd shrugged. âThanks, man, but no, Iâm going to pass.â
âGetting out would do you good.â Stuart nodded toward the newspaper sitting on the table. It was open to yet another picture of Jessica and Liam.
Todd felt his stomach tighten just looking at it.
âNo, I just donât feel like it.â
His colleague nodded and slapped his shoulder.
He tried not to wear his broken heart on his sleeve, but everyone seemed to know about it anyway. It was getting pathetic. Todd knew it, but he couldnât quite shake himself of the gloom.
It had been months now since heâd found out Jessica had lied to him about Liam OâConnor.
But despite it all, Todd still loved Jessica. He thought he would always love Jessica. There would always be a part of him that would want to be with her. That was why heâd left Le Bouchon that night without a word, why he couldnât face her once heâd found out the truth. It just hurt too much. He didnât want her to see him so vulnerable, so raw.
And part of him had hoped sheâd come after him. He knew Jessica Wakefield and understood that she never begged for anything. But he had hoped that she loved him enough to come after him. To explain.
She hadnât. More than three months later, she still hadnât made any move to apologize. She didnât have to apologize, really. She just needed to show up one day at the door. With the way he felt about her, that probably would have done it.
Sometimes he fantasized that she would come to him out of the blue, but she never did.
Todd wanted to be with Jessica; he would do anything to be with her, but she had to give him a sign thatâs what she wanted, too. He wasnât going to grovel, not after the way sheâd treated him.
Todd pulled into the driveway of his house, parked his car, and hopped out. He unlocked the back door and instantly could smell Sarahâs cooking.
Ever since Sarah had shown up on Toddâs doorstep, upset about losing her apartment, Todd had let her stay with him. He couldnât imagine turning her away, not after Jessica had
Michael glanced up and gave Jessica a tentative, almost shy smile. Something inside Jessica clicked. She knew Michael liked her. So far, heâd been entirely professional, but Jessica knew it wouldnât take much encouragement to goad him into something more.
She walked over to him like a woman on a mission.
âMichael,â she said, touching his arm, âcan I talk to you a minute?â Her tone and the way she let her hand linger on his arm had the desired effect. His face lit up like a boy whoâd just found a toy at the bottom of his cereal box.
âUh, sure, Jessica.â
âWalk me back to my desk?â Jessica offered.
âSure,â Michael said.
Michael fell into step beside her.
âI was hoping I could pitch you a couple of ideas before the meeting tomorrow.â
âOh.â Michaelâs face fell a little as he realized it was business related.
âI was thinking, though, maybe we could grab a bite to eat?â Jessica stood very close to him and touched his arm again. Heâd have to not have a pulse to miss the clear change in vibe as she amped up her flirting.
âWhat about your boyfriend?â
âWhat boyfriend?â Jessica deliberately played dumb.
âOh, I mean, I heardâ¦â
âDonât believe all that you hear.â
âGood point.â Michael glanced at Jessica, looking like a man whoâd stumbled upon a winning lotto ticket.
âSo, dinner?â
âOh, y-y-yeah, sure. Iâd love that.â Michael grinned.
âMe, too,â Jessica said.
Chapter Eleven
Todd sent in his final story from the Lakers game, snapped shut his laptop in the press room, and stood.
âHey, Todd, a few of the guys are grabbing a drink. You in?â asked Stuart, the AP wire reporter and one of Toddâs friends.
Todd shrugged. âThanks, man, but no, Iâm going to pass.â
âGetting out would do you good.â Stuart nodded toward the newspaper sitting on the table. It was open to yet another picture of Jessica and Liam.
Todd felt his stomach tighten just looking at it.
âNo, I just donât feel like it.â
His colleague nodded and slapped his shoulder.
He tried not to wear his broken heart on his sleeve, but everyone seemed to know about it anyway. It was getting pathetic. Todd knew it, but he couldnât quite shake himself of the gloom.
It had been months now since heâd found out Jessica had lied to him about Liam OâConnor.
But despite it all, Todd still loved Jessica. He thought he would always love Jessica. There would always be a part of him that would want to be with her. That was why heâd left Le Bouchon that night without a word, why he couldnât face her once heâd found out the truth. It just hurt too much. He didnât want her to see him so vulnerable, so raw.
And part of him had hoped sheâd come after him. He knew Jessica Wakefield and understood that she never begged for anything. But he had hoped that she loved him enough to come after him. To explain.
She hadnât. More than three months later, she still hadnât made any move to apologize. She didnât have to apologize, really. She just needed to show up one day at the door. With the way he felt about her, that probably would have done it.
Sometimes he fantasized that she would come to him out of the blue, but she never did.
Todd wanted to be with Jessica; he would do anything to be with her, but she had to give him a sign thatâs what she wanted, too. He wasnât going to grovel, not after the way sheâd treated him.
Todd pulled into the driveway of his house, parked his car, and hopped out. He unlocked the back door and instantly could smell Sarahâs cooking.
Ever since Sarah had shown up on Toddâs doorstep, upset about losing her apartment, Todd had let her stay with him. He couldnât imagine turning her away, not after Jessica had
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