* * *
Jay had an army of stylists for his photo shoot with Business Idols, leaving Isla with little to do except think about last night. Hanging out at Jay’s had been magical, a great respite from the rollercoaster ride of the past months. Still, Isla preferred to work.
Work made it easier to push down the racing heartbeat she got every time she greeted Jay in the mornings. Work buried the lust Isla experienced when Jay wore suspenders or ranted about the lack of loan forgiveness options for veterinarians. Work gave her a sense of purpose.
Thanks to Jay, Isla had a job that she was good at. His compliments filled her in ways romance novels and cappuccinos could not. She loved working for a boss who was passionate about student loans and approached everyone with gentle empathy.
Together, they were changing the world, a little bit at a time.
On a quieter level, Isla finally believed she was qualified to be an assistant.
A stern voice pulled Isla back to reality. “Hard to believe that’s the same Jayden-James who used to hide behind my skirt at the sight of a camera.”
Isla turned to her left. “Hello, Signora Strauss. I’m glad your flight finally arrived. Is Mr. Strauss here? Can I get you anything?”
No response came from Dee. She removed her violet sunglasses and quietly watched Jay sparkle in the center of the spotlights.
Isla couldn’t blame Dee for being mesmerized. For this particular shoot, the photographers had Jay pose on an ornate throne while surrounded by piles of past due bills. Glitter dusted his twists, gold roses had been painted along the side of his face, and he gazed at the camera with a serious intensity.
Jay owned the set. If he wanted to own the world, he could.
Noreen approached Isla and Dee. She motioned for Isla to step aside.
“Yes?” Isla asked once they were alone. “Can I get something for you?”
“No.” Noreen smirked. “Quite the opposite. I wanted to see if I could get something for you. This is all because of you, Isla.”
Isla gulped. Was that a compliment or...?
Noreen gestured to the menagerie of cameras. “You did in three months what Signora Strauss has been trying to do for years.”
“What is that?” Isla hooked her thumb around her lanyard. She still got intimidated around Noreen, even after all these months.
“Jayden-James is ready for more responsibility with the company." Noreen pulled out her phone. "It wouldn’t have happened without you. What do you say to a bonus? Should I give it to you directly, or would you prefer the family make a sizable contribution to the EFSLRA as Jay’s parting gift from the campaign?”
Parting gift?!
Isla swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”
Noreen smiled. “Just watch Jay’s reaction when Dee talks to him. He’s getting something he’s been wanting.”
Before Isla could press Noreen, the lead photographer called for a break.
Dee waltzed over to Jay, sunglasses back on her face. Jay’s stylists allowed Dee to approach Jay first.
Isla often gave Jay his space when he spoke to someone, especially a member of his family, but she couldn’t stay away from the conversation this time.
“Hey, Ma.” Jay, still seated in the throne, flashed Isla a quick smile. “Did you have breakfast?”
“It’s lunch time now.” Dee craned her head to the side. “Why don’t we eat together when you’re done here and discuss how we’ll announce the college student line with you as the lead creative director?”
Jay gaped at Dee.
The melodic rhythm of photographers changing lenses, technicians adjusting lights, and stylists preparing Jay’s makeup fizzled to white noise as Isla focused on Dee.
“We’ll also start retiring this campaign of yours.” Dee pointed to the pile of the bills. “You don’t need to do anymore research on the market.”
“Research?” Isla repeated aloud, unable to mask the shock. “What does that mean, Jay?”
Jay’s ensuing silence hit Isla’s stomach like a wrecking ball.
“One needs to do research to sell,” Dee answered. “He has done an excellent job in this campaign to prove he’s qualified to become a lead creative director.”
Isla stared at Jay. Was all of Jay’s activism just to get a fashion line?
Had she been wrong about him?
Jay jumped to his feet. “Wait! Ma, you’re making this sound different than what it is. Isla, listen to me.”
“You lied to me.” Isla glared at him. “You made me think you were interested in helping people.”
Jay took a step toward Isla. “Of course I want to help people. This campaign is genuine.”
“It’s possible to be both altruistic and maintain a keen sense of business,” Noreen said. “A few months of dedicated community service is fabulous work.”
Dee nodded.
Community service.
“And now Jay’s done with his community service since he’s getting his own fashion line?” Isla’s throat burned with fury as she spoke. “Should I cancel the meeting with the lobbyists in Washington on Thursday?”
“No, Isla, please listen to me.” Jay grabbed Isla’s hand. “Yes, I wanted a fashion line, but I wanted to help people more.”
Isla jerked away from him, maintaining her glare. She’d probably never, ever smile around him ever again.
Jay wheezed. “Please, let’s go grab a coffee, and I’ll explain properly. You know I’m not good with words on the fly. You know better than anyone how awkward I am. Even my attempt to ask you out was an abomination.”
Huh?
Isla placed a hand on her chest. “What do you mean? Ask me out?”
Jay glanced at his mother and Noreen, then he shifted his gaze to the floor. He ran a finger along the length of his tie. “When we met. I invited you to Milan because I wanted to go on a date, but you, uh, you interpreted it as a job offer, and—”
No.
No, no, no.
Tears sprung to Isla’s eyes. “You didn’t mean to hire me?”
Jay’s mouth flapped, but no words manifested.
His silence hit her again, but this time, the wrecking ball crashed into her entire body. Her whole reason for being here had been a lie. In the end, her degree was worthless. She wasn’t qualified in the least to be an assistant. Jay probably kept her around as an act of charity.
Isla didn’t need his charity.
Isla threw the lanyard with her ID badge from her neck on the ground. She shoved her beloved button-covered messenger bag with all the devices Noreen had given her back into the secretary’s possession.
Noreen started to say something, but Dee held her hand up. Noreen’s lips formed a thin line at once.
“I’ll return the car fobs tomorrow.” Isla wiped her eyes. “You don’t have to worry about this community service anymore.”
Jay slumped into the throne chair. His crestfallen visage almost seemed sincere. Once upon a time, Isla would have thought his hurt was real.
Isla left the glimmering king where he deserved to be, surrounded by props and people who only cared about money.
* * *
It had been eight hours since Isla quit, and Jay was already falling apart.
Jay stood inside the same Monahan’s where he met Isla, trying to figure out what to order. He couldn’t order a butterscotch cappuccino. It’d taste too much like happiness.
Why was coffee so hard?
A message lit up on Jay’s smartwatch.
Where are you? His mother asked. We’ve been waiting for an hour.
Oh. Yeah. He was supposed to have dinner with his mother and stepfather.
Jay flicked some lingering glitter off Isla’s messenger bag, missing her more than ever. Isla would have ensured he showed up fifteen minutes early.
As soon as Jay stepped outside and inhaled the cool spring air, he desperately wished he could rewind to yesterday. 24 hours ago, he had been enveloped in Isla’s warmth, playing games and eating w
ay too many tacos.
He had gone to bed last night with a smile on his face. Tonight, he would go to bed covered in depression-flavored ice cream.
Jay eventually reached the restaurant. To his surprise, his sisters were at the table as well. It had been a long time since the whole family had gathered for the same meal.
Teresa held a glass of wine up as soon as Jay sat down. “Let’s have a toast.”
“I agree.” Samina rubbed Jay’s shoulder. “Look at our little big brother, leading an entire fashion line.”
“We’re very proud of you,” Jay’s stepfather chimed in. “With all the work you’ve been putting in for research, we know the college student line will be a success."
“It wasn’t research,” Jay mumbled, fiddling with his watch. “I actually care about this cause.”
“I know you do.” Dee poured a glass of wine for Jay. “You’re finally serious enough to run a business. It’s been hard to give you responsibility when you were just playing all the time. This campaign has matured you.”
Jay stared at his mother. What was he supposed to have been doing this whole time if he didn’t have any responsibility to prove he was more than a professional son?
“Our family doesn’t have to separate from the activism, of course.” Dee held her glass up. “But for now, we should focus our efforts on your successful launch of the college fashion line.”
“To Jayden-James!” Samina called loudly.
Teresa raised her voice. “To our new lead creative director!”
As everyone clinked their glasses, Jay realized this title wasn’t worth what he lost. Isla had always seen him as something besides a professional son. She had treated him as a boss, an ally, a friend, a confidant.
He could find other things to do. Being a lead creative director without his tall, sweet, lovely goddess would be pointless.
While everyone downed their wine, Jay excused himself to the bathroom and called Noreen.
* * *
Usually, it wasn’t a good idea to answer the door in the derelict apartment building when one wasn’t expecting guests. That guideline became a hard rule after 10 PM.
Isla’s roommates, however, never listened to rules.
Isla sat on the corner of the couch, pretending to watch whatever true crime documentary series Garrett was obsessed with while Dominick opened the door. Isla hadn’t told them yet about her sudden unemployment. She couldn’t bring herself to confess that she was a messenger bag-less failure with a useless degree.
Not to mention some part of her felt horrible for ditching Jay so suddenly.
“Holy shit!” Dominick closed the door. “How does my hair look?”
“Awful, as usual.” Garrett paused the show. “Who is it? Old Grindr date? Mine or yours?”
“As if I would care what any of those goblins thought of me.” Dominick ran his fingers through his hair. “Isla’s boss is here.”
Isla gaped at Dominick. What did he say?
“What?!” Garrett leaped to his feet. “We’re going to meet Jayden-James Hancock?!”
An embarrassingly thick burst of relief swept through Isla. “H-he’s probably just here to pick up his keys. Let me deal with him.”
The last thing she needed was her roommates to make things worse with Jay.
She checked herself in the mirror quickly. It wasn’t going to do if Jay saw her looking like a wreck. He didn’t need to pity her any more than he already did.
Finally, she opened the door.
The first thing she noticed was her messenger bag in Jay’s hands.
Ugh. He had to have some decency, didn’t he? Returning her prized possession. That was going to make totally hating him impossible.
Her gaze eventually turned to Jay’s large eyes shaking behind his round spectacles. The eyes that always made her delightfully dizzy.
“Can we talk?” Jay asked.
“Hi, Jayden-James!” Dominick called.
Garrett didn’t waste his chance to be equally obnoxious. “You’re looking good!”
Isla groaned and grabbed Jay’s wrist. She led him to her bedroom, flipping off her roommates in the process.
Months ago, Isla would have been embarrassed to have Jay in her room. It was a broom closet compared to his spacious condo. Where he kept his walls decorated with framed paintings, anime posters covered hers. Her carpet had stains older than her. She only had a twin bed, while he slept in a California king.
Now, she didn’t care. All she wanted was to learn the truth from Jay.
Jay set the bag on Isla’s bed and leaned against the door. “You have to know that I wasn’t even offered the chance to get this fashion line until after we started making headlines on the internet. My mother thought I was doing the campaign for research, and I admittedly didn’t do enough to clarify my position to her.”
Isla sat down on the bed, rummaging through the bag. Everything was still in there.
“The fashion line doesn’t mean anything to me.” Jay reached into his pocket. “Not like the campaign does. Not like you do.”
“Uh-huh.” Isla removed the electronics from the bag and put them in the same bag as the car fobs.
Jay sat down next to Isla. He still had glitter on him from the earlier photo shoot. Great. Now those sparkles would get on her bed. There’d be reminders of Jay in her life forever.
Isla bit her lip. Would she actually ever forget him? She had a closet full of clothes from him and her cherished butterscotch cappuccino had become his favorite.
Jay showed his phone to Isla. He had a conversation with his mother pulled up, time stamped twenty minutes ago.
I’m not doing the fashion line, Jay had said. I’m focusing on the EFSLRA.
Confusion washed away the pain festering in Isla.
“What are you trying to pull?” Isla asked. “Why would you give up the fashion line?”
Jay put his phone away. “I’m sorry for my clumsy words, but please just listen to me for a minute.”
She nodded. He met her eyes. Gentleness shined in his expression.
“I thought I was nothing but a professional son until I met you.” A glow started to brim in Jay’s eyes—that determined fire he got around clothes and the EFSLRA. “You showed me I could be literally anything. And if I can do anything to become the one thing I really and truly want to be in life, I will work hard to succeed.”
Isla swallowed hard. “And what is it you want to be?”
She didn’t know what answer she wanted to hear. She only knew that the anticipation for his response made her heart pound harder than it ever had before.
“Yours.” Though Jay’s voice had grown quieter, his gaze had grown more intense. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you since the first sip of butterscotch cappuccino. You are the most determined, honest, and inspiring woman I’ve ever met.”
Oh.
That was exactly what her heart wanted to hear.
Isla blinked back her tears.
She had thrown herself into work in order to be a good assistant and help spread the word of student loan reformation. For months, Isla had been so focused on her purpose that she failed to listen to the flutter she felt every time she was around Jay.
She loved him too.
Jay brought his hands to the side of her face. His eyes were also misty. “Oh, Isla, I’m not worth crying over. Do you want to see me ever again? I promise I’ll disappear if it means you don’t have to cry anymore.”
He really loved her, didn’t he? He had given up an important place in his family’s business for her.
Their campaign had been sincere, hadn’t it? Did it have to end? Did they have to end?
She didn’t know. What she did know was that she couldn’t let Jay throw away his career for her.
“You shouldn’t give up the fashion line.” Isla leaned in to his touch. “You’re good at clothes. You shine when you’re in your element. I know how important it is to utilize the skills you’re good at. Being your assist
ant has been a dream.”
Jay brought his face close to hers. “You’re the very best assistant. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner I hadn’t meant to give you a job. I hope you can trust me when I tell you that hiring you was never a mistake. I’m useless without you.”
“I’m sorry I left so suddenly earlier, and I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions. The idea that I wasn’t qualified to be your assistant hit me so strongly back there, and, and...” A sob welled through Isla. “Oh, this is awful.”
Jay let go of her and leaned away. “What do you mean?”
Isla sniffled. “I love you, too, and I didn’t know until now. But if I tell you my feelings, I can’t be your assistant, can I? I’m so terrible. You gave up a clothing line for me, but I’m worried about my job.”
“Wait.” A sparkling smile sprung to Jay’s face. “You love me?”
“Hopelessly,” Isla replied without hesitation.
“I don’t see why we couldn’t make both work.” Jay’s smile stretched from ear to ear. “As long as our lines of communication are completely honest, of course. No more misunderstandings because I’m clumsy."
Hope swelled through Isla. She rested her hand on the edge of Jay’s jaw. “Really?”
Jay drew his face close again. “Please let me kiss you. I have been longing to feel your lips for months.”
Oh, how she had very much wanted the same.
Isla closed the gap by kissing the corner of Jay’s mouth. Jay turned his head at her invitation, deepening the kiss between them.
Everything about Jay was soft and warm. Isla had known this from the start. What she didn’t know was how soft Jay’s fingers could be as they ran down her neck and sides until they found a home at her waist.
She had read many romance novels and experienced many kinds of kisses, but nothing had prepared her for this quiet moment with Jay. Debts, money, status, all of that became a distant memory as Jay’s lips melded with hers. All Isla could feel was him.
If she didn’t need to breathe, she would have sustained that sweet first kiss all night.
She pulled back enough to catch her breath. Jay gave her all of five seconds before kissing her again, this time harder.
Rogue Ever After (The Rogue Series Book 7) Page 20