Talk to Me (22 page)

you. Hel , I think I
am
fal ing in love with you.” Jamie gasped, and he continued. “I haven't said that to any woman in years, not since Jenn.” He

reached for her, stroking her cheek lightly. “But I'm wil ing to say it now. You're special, Jamie, and I'd be an idiot if I didn't pursue this. So what do

you say? Wil you take a chance on me?”

She looked heavenward and blew out a harsh breath. “Yes.” His heart almost stopped. He realized how afraid he'd been that she would say no.

Brushing her lips against the fingers stil caressing her face, she smiled. “I'l take a chance with you.”

“I'l do my best to make you happy,” Drew promised. “I'l fuck up, I'm sure, but I want you to cal me on it.”

“Okay,” she agreed.

“Okay.” He picked her up and whirled her around. When he final y set her down, he took her face in his hands, lightly brushing his lips over hers.

“Thank you. I wil do everything I can to live up to the trust you've given me.”

“Alison is gonna kil me,” she murmured.

“Who's Alison?”

“My sister. She thinks I have horrible judgment when it comes to men, and she warned me to stay away from you.”

“Oh, real y?” Drew couldn't help but take an immediate dislike to Alison. She'd warned Jamie away from him without ever having met him. Sure,

he knew what kind of reputation he had, but to condemn him without even giving him a chance?

“Yep. Said you were bad news, and that you'd hurt me.”

“Can't wait to meet her,” Drew answered, unable to keep the sarcastic tone out of his voice.

Jamie frowned. “You know what? This isn't any of her business. This is about you and me.” She looked at Drew. “However, I don't want to cal

her from here. Things could get ugly, and I don't want you to see that. We'l do the show tonight, and I'l go home to my place and then cal her

tomorrow after I've given my notice to the super.”

Drew pretended to pout. “I have to sleep alone?”

“You'l live. I have to go home sometime anyway.”

“I was hoping it wasn't going to be this soon,” he grumbled. “But I can understand why you're going. We've stil got a few hours before we have to

go into the station. What do you say to ordering food and cuddling on the couch for a while?”

“Sounds heavenly. And Drew?”

“Yeah?”

“I'm going to cook for you soon.”

“Can you cook?”

“I can,” she reassured him.

“Then I can't wait.”

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Jamie knew she'd have to face Alison sooner or later, and considering she was moving in with Drew in just a few short weeks, it would have to

be sooner. With a growing sense of dread settling into her bones, she sank onto the bed in her apartment and dialed her sister's number. It was a

good thing she would be able to leave this apartment and only lose the security deposit as long as she gave thirty days’ notice. Otherwise she

would've been out a pile of money. At the moment, though, she'd rather face a horde of angry debtors than her judgmental sister.

Alison didn't even know Jamie was involved with Drew, and when Jamie told her she'd agreed to move in with him... Her stomach rol ed, and

she put a hand to her bel y to calm the churning acid inside.

“Hel o?”

“Alison? It's Jamie.”

“Hey, what's going on? You sound funny.”

Leave it to her sister to zero right in on that: might as wel cut to the chase. “I've got some news. I'm going to be moving.” She paused, took a

deep breath, and continued. “To Manhattan.”

“Manhattan? To live? How did you swing that? Don't apartments there rent for a bajil ion dol ars a month?”

“Yes, but I won't be living there alone. I'm moving in with someone.”

“You found a roommate?”

“Not real y a roommate. I'm moving in with Drew, the host of the radio show I produce. We're involved—committed, and before you say

anything"—she kept talking before Alison could get a word in—"Drew real y
is
committed to me. I know what you're thinking, and you can spare me the lectures. I've heard them before, and I'm not changing my mind.”

“If you're not going to change your mind, then why did you even bother to cal me?” Alison spat out.

“Because you're my sister, and I wanted you to know about a huge step I'm taking in my life.”

“You mean yet another huge mistake.”

“Enough!” Jamie screamed, rising to pace the room. “I'm an adult, and frankly, I'm sick to death of being treated like some child who can't make

her own decisions. I'm moving in with Drew. Accept it, don't accept it. I don't care. You don't even know him, yet you're wil ing to write him off as a

mistake. You know what? I think I final y get what's going on here. You're not happy in your own marriage, and you want to make everyone around

you miserable. Either that, or your own problems have soured you on the entire male species.”

Clenching a hand in her hair, Jamie shook her head. For years she'd been letting Alison's discontent creep like a slow drip of poison into her

brain, making her question every decision she made. Wel , that stopped now. “Alison, don't you have anything sarcastic to say? Any biting

commentary?” Al she heard was a faint sniffle. Jamie col apsed into a chair. She'd never seen Alison so much as shed a tear in wel over ten years.

“Alison?” When there was no answer, she snapped, “Alison!”

“You're right,” Alison final y admitted, her voice choked with emotion. “You're right about al of it. I hate my life, I hate staying home and not working, and I'm jealous as hel of you. Is that what you wanted to hear?” A gut-wrenching sob came through the line, and Jamie was at a loss.

Alison
never
cried. Jamie didn't think she even knew how. Obviously she was wrong.

“Jeez, Alison, don't cry. You never cry. At least, not in front of me.” She knew she sounded lame, but she had no idea what to say to comfort her

sister.

“Yeah, that's only because I'm such a good actress. Sometimes, like when I talk to you, al the anger and resentment feels like it's choking me,

but mostly I just feel numb. Of course, that could be the Valium talking.”

“You're taking Valium?” Jamie cried. “My God, Alison, what's going on with you?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, truly. I'm dealing with it. I'm seeing a therapist, and the antidepressants and the Valium are real y helping.”

Jamie heard Alison blow out a long, harsh breath.

“I'm sorry I've been a bitch to you for so long. I know I've made fun of your job, and I've been real y mean about the choices you've made with

men. I do think you need to step back and make sure Drew's intentions are honorable and that he's serious. I'd hate to see you hurt again, but that's

al I'm going to say.”

“Point taken,” Jamie replied. “I real y believe he's serious. He told me he's fal ing for me, and that it's the first time in ten years he's felt anything

like this. It scares him. Hel , it scares me too, but he's not running away from me, Alison. He's running
to
me. That's a big difference in my book.”

“I'l give him credit for that. Just watch out for your heart. And tel Drew he better treat you like the catch you are, or he'l answer to me.”

Jamie laughed, the weight of years of self-doubt final y lifting. “Thanks, Al ie.”

Alison gasped. “You haven't cal ed me that in years.”

“It seemed appropriate.”

Jamie heard Gavin start to cry in the background.

“Listen, I gotta go. Take care of yourself, and cal me more often.”

“I promise.” Jamie hung up and flopped back on the bed, thinking about how her relationship with her sister was changing. Maybe her whole life

was turning around. Grinning, she pushed herself up and went to start the shower. Time for work.

For the second time in as many months, Jamie packed up her belongings. Drew had arranged for movers and had asked if she wanted them to

pack for her too, but the thought of having people going through al her stuff creeped her out. He'd been over several times to help, and Liz had

stopped up a couple of times with what she cal ed “baked good reinforcements.”

She would miss Liz, even though they hadn't known each other for very long. Unfortunately, Liz didn't get into Manhattan often, and even though

they said they'd try to keep in touch, Jamie knew that most likely both of them would get busy and drift apart. Drew had introduced her to some of

his friends, and she found she real y liked several of them. They were funny, friendly people for the most part, especial y the ex-players. Many of

them seemed shocked that Drew was settling down, though they tried to hide their reactions from her.

She and Drew stil worked the same shift, but Jamie would be transferring to a different station. They'd decided not to work together. Too many

distractions, and both of them were driven to succeed in their careers. Luckily the nighttime producer's spot on the classic rock station would be

opening up soon, and with Drew's pul , she'd been able to slide right into the position.

Both of them had gone to see Bob, the station manager, to ask for the transfer. He hadn't been happy to hear about their personal relationship

or their request for Jamie's transfer. The ratings for Drew's show were just starting to real y take off, and he wasn't thril ed at the prospect of losing

the potential ratings blockbuster he thought Drew's show could be with Jamie producing, but after they insisted they didn't want to be together al the

time, he'd grudgingly agreed. Jamie had been afraid he would fire her, but Drew had been confident Bob wouldn't have the bal s to. Not if he wanted to keep Drew happy.

Several times over the next couple of months, she felt herself looking around and wanting to pinch herself. She could hardly believe this was her

life. She was almost afraid to real y let herself get comfortable, like if she did, her house of cards would come tumbling down. And it was the strangest thing. It was often Drew who talked her off the ledge. It seemed like now that he'd made the decision to be with her, he was al in. Having

al of that maleness focused exclusively on her al the time was both exhilarating and awe-inspiring. Every time she thought she knew what he'd do

or how he'd react, he surprised her.

One day while she was sitting out on the balcony getting some sun, he came and sat beside her.

“I have a surprise for you.”

She squinted at him. He looked like a kid who couldn't keep a secret. She grinned and rol ed her eyes. Man, he was adorable sometimes, but

she'd never tel him that. “What?”

“I hope you're not mad.”

That earned him a raised brow. From behind him, she heard a throat clearing. Looking up, she saw Alison in the doorway. She shrieked and

jumped to her feet. Alison met her halfway, and they hugged. “What are you doing here?”

“Drew flew me down to surprise you.”

Jamie turned to Drew. “You did?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “I know you guys have been talking on the phone a lot, so I figured you'd like to see her in person.” Jamie turned, breaking

away from Alison to launch herself at him, nearly knocking him out of the chair.

“You are an incredible man. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” He smiled and gave her a quick kiss.

She pul ed back and looked at him. “Wait, how did you know how to get hold of her?”

Drew looked sheepish for a minute. “When you went to take a shower the other day, I went into the contacts in your phone and wrote down her

number.”

“Sneaky,” Jamie answered. “Is anyone else going to surprise me?”

He laughed. “Not today. Anyway, I made you guys a reservation at Butter in two hours. I figured it would give you time to talk a little, clean yourselves up...”

Jamie turned back to Alison, taking in her appearance. She looked happier than she'd seen her in months, probably even years. Gone were the

dark circles and drawn features—she was even wearing makeup. Alison had always been a pretty girl, with her smooth, silky, shoulder-length

brown hair and large brown eyes, but now she looked...settled. Content. “Are you here alone?”

“Yeah. Drew also hired a nanny for Gavin while I'm gone. And for when I get back, the nanny wil be part-time, so I can have some time for

myself. I think you've got yourself a keeper, sis.” She winked at Drew, and tears sprang to Jamie's eyes again.

“Don't go getting al mushy on me,” Drew told her. “You know I can't stand it when women cry. Anyway, like I said, you've got a reservation at six.

I'm leaving you the car. Dave wil take you anywhere you want to go. I told Alison she could stay in the guest bedroom, but she wanted to stay in a

hotel, so I got her a suite at the Ritz over on Fourth.”

Alison grinned. “Hey, it's my first time away from home since Gavin was born, and my first time alone in I don't know how long. Besides, you

guys need your privacy.”

She waggled her brows, and Jamie burst out laughing. “Subtle.”

Drew cleared his throat. “If you ladies wil excuse me, I have, wel , just about anywhere else to be right now...”

He tried to make a quick escape, but Jamie grabbed his hand and dragged him back in the house. Alison stayed on the balcony, looking out

over Manhattan. When Jamie got to the kitchen, she pushed Drew against the wal and attacked his mouth. He sank his hands into her hair and

kissed her back, sliding his tongue inside and stoking the fire until she had to pul away or risk getting very hot and bothered.

She ran the nail of her index finger along his bottom lip. “Thank you. I can promise you'l be handsomely rewarded tonight.”

Drew frowned. “I didn't do this so you'd sleep with me.”