Since she didn’t have an answer for any of them, she put the phone down again without looking at the new messages. A second later, it buzzed with an incoming call.
She snatched it up, half-expecting to see Nik’s face on the screen. She’d already attached one of their dumb—but actually super cute—Christmas selfies from the night before to his number. But it wasn’t Nik. It was her agent, Lorena Malcolm.
“Lorena? What’s up?”
Lorena got right to the point. “I’m not going to ask you what’s going on with Nik Kovalenko because that’s your personal business, and you know I don’t get involved in that—unless of course youwantto tell me, in which case I’m all ears—but the video of you two swing dancing at the Americana went viral overnight, and your professional lifeismy business. I’m calling to tell you to hurry up and get dressed because you have three—at least three, for now—talk show appearances lined up for today. This isgreatexposure for you and I’m already getting inquiries about other gigs.”
Jess blinked, taking a second to sort all that out. Lorena was a middle-aged Italian woman from Long Island, and she talked a mile a fucking minute. Since Jess didn’t want to discuss Nik with her agent, she chose to focus on the most pressing issue. “When is the first show?”
“In an hour! You’ve gotta get moving, sweetie. They’ll do hair and makeup for you.”
Jess hurried into her bedroom. “They have someone on staff who can do my hair?”
“Yes, I already asked.”
“What should I wear?” She tore through her closet, shoving hangers aside to reach the fancier garments hidden in the back.
“Blouse, nice jeans, and high heels should do the job. Wear that green and gold statement necklace. Don’t suppose you’ve got any Christmas-themed shirts?”
Jess shuddered. “Hell no.”
“Worth a shot. I’ll meet you there with some poinsettia earrings my kids got me a billion years ago. Wear a shirt that’ll match. And bring shoes you can swing dance in, just in case.”
Poinsettia earrings. What was she getting herself into? But this was why Lorena was such a good agent—she thought of everything. Jess thanked her and disconnected. Then she took the fastest shower ever, grabbed the hangers with her on-screen outfit and the bag with her shoes, and ran out the door in yoga clothes and sneakers.
She hoped Lorena was right about this video giving her career a boost. Since she had a pretty good deal atThe Dance Off, she hadn’t been auditioning much, and this might send some new opportunities her way.
If only she had some idea of what she wanted those to be. She loved competitive ballroom dance, and getting to do it on the biggest stage possible—The Dance Offliterally hadmillionsof viewers—was great, but she wouldn’t mind taking on something a little more…fulfilling.
If she’d had a second to think since waking up, she might have guessed that Nik wouldalsobe called in for the morning show. But she hadn’t had a second, and she hadn’t guessed that he’d be there. So when she walked into the makeup room atLA Morning with Flip and Rashidato find Nik in one of the makeup chairs, she stopped short. A guy with the sharpest eyebrows she’d ever seen was combing Nik’s curls into a smooth, stylish ’do.
“You’re here,” she blurted out. Damn, she needed more caffeine.
Nik looked up from his phone and sent her a thousand-watt grin, like he was overjoyed to see her. “Of course. Been waiting for you.” He gestured at the counter, which was covered in trays of makeup. A lone to-go cup sat amidst the eyeshadow palettes. “Got you a coffee. Had them put almond milk in it since that’s what you requested yesterday with the hot chocolate.”
Still half asleep, she had no defenses against his sweetness. She slumped into the chair next to him and mumbled a thank you.
What does it mean?Naomi had asked, albeit with an excessive number of vowels. The talk show hosts were likely to ask the same. God, what was she doing here? She didn’t have an answer for any of them. She just didn’t fucking know. There was nothing to tell, right? He was her former coworker’s brother. They’d hung out together one time. No big deal. Easy-peasy.
The Nik Kovalenko she’d been checking up on—okay, fine, stalking—on social media on and off during the year had been in line with the Nik who’d kissed her in the kitchen on New Year’s Eve. He wanted adventure. He wanted to see the world. He didn’t want to be tied down. His Instagram and Snapchat showed clips and stills of a life in motion. In every shot, he was in a new place, often with new people. He was doing cool things, having those adventures he’d spoken of. Bungee jumping, cliff diving, skiing, riding a motorcycle, eating snails, posing with fans at stage doors in cities all over the world. The hashtag #lovemylife was prevalent. That Nik didn’t want to be tied down.
She couldn’t help but focus on the disconnect between the person in those pictures and the one who sat next to her, smiling. The one who’d thought to bring her coffee with her preferred choice of non-dairy milk substitute.
It was the most romantic fucking thing she could imagine.
Lorena bustled into the makeup room then, saving Jess from the awkwardness of having to rehash the date with Nik. “I’ve got the earrings!” she trilled.
Oh, joy.
* * *
“So, are you guys dating?”
The talk show co-host—Elena—had an expectant, almost maniacal gleam in her eyes, identical to the hosts Nik had been interviewed by earlier in the day. Hungry for news, for a scoop. As much as he wanted to know the answer to that question, too, he had no interest in fueling the gossip mill. And by now, he and Jess had their answer down pat.
“We’re just friends,” Jess was quick to reply, dismissing the rumor with an almost negligent hand wave. “Besides, Nik doesn’t even live in Los Angeles.”
Nik just smiled through it. When the interview turned to their personal holiday traditions, that was his cue to take over.
