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Her words land like a punch. I feel my neck rear back. “The interview with the television studio?”
She nods.
A few days ago, Inez told me that the reality show producers have been harassing her to give an interview. I told her to tell them to go fuck themselves. She didn’t take my advice. She rolled her eyes and said something about not wanting to get sued into bankruptcy.
Anyway, now she’s agreed to let these assholes cross-examine her on camera for all of America to see? I don’t like that idea one bit.
I’m vigorously shaking my head. “Nah. No. That’s a terrible idea.”
In response, she gives me an adorable stink-eye, complete with aggressively flaring nostrils. The facial expression says Do you really think I’m gonna let you tell me what to do?
“Inez—you don’t need to put yourself through that. You don’t owe anybody an explanation,” I say, feeling defensive. I’m ready to defend her against the whole damn world if I have to.
She twists toward me in her seat. “But what if this interview is what it’ll take to make everything better? To make the legal threats go away, to make the tabloid guy lose interest, to allow my life to go back to normal? Right now, I’m just this big mystery to all of America. Maybe if I give an interview, everyone will just back off and leave me alone. At least, that’s what Nicky seems to think.”
I grip my steering wheel tighter, pulling off of the highway and cruising into Starlight Falls. “This feels risky. What if people are only more interested in you after the interview?”
Inez contemplates my words for a moment, chewing on the edge of her fingernail. “I don’t know. I don’t see any other choice. I feel like I’ve been living under a microscope. I just don’t want to go on like this anymore.”
I pull up at a red traffic light, hating that she might have a valid point. The pain on her face breaks me. I reach out, running my knuckle along the edge of her jaw.
“I just want to be free of this. So I can move on with my life,” Inez says softly.
I hear myself release a heavy breath. “I understand. I’m in your corner. No matter what you decide to do.”
“Thank you…” she says in a whisper.
I lean across the console and brush my lips over her cheek. She smells like heaven and her skin is so soft.
I lose all awareness of our surroundings. I get so lost in her blue eyes. I just want to swim in those crystalline pools. She stares back, looking just as caught up as I feel.
Staring at her across the console of my car, I’m pretty sure I know exactly how my grandpa felt all those years ago when he fell in love with my grandmother. Inez is so far out of my league. And yet, I might be dumb enough to fall for her anyway.
Fuck it. I’m going in for the kiss.
Right then, the sound of a car horn rips through the air, jolting us from our haze.
I throw up an arm in apology to the driver behind me as I hit the gas. “All right, all right. Sorry,” I grumble.
Meanwhile, Inez is in her seat, fanning herself with her hands and mumbling to herself. “Sheesh! How’d it get so hot in here all of a sudden?”
She reaches forward to turn on the air conditioning. The knob pops off in her hand.
I look at her. She looks at me.
And we burst out laughing.
25
INEZ
It’s Tuesday afternoon and the bar isn’t so busy, which is a nice change of pace. It means that the staff has extra time to get other things done around the place.
Nolan is here, doing a couple hours of inventory. As I’m simultaneously serving my customers and restocking the bar, I feel him half-staring at me. Every time I catch him checking me out, his face turns red and he grins like a fool before looking away.
Trying not to let the attention get to my head, I load the dishwasher before I focus on filling up the garnish station behind the bar. Then I move on to slicing the lemons, limes and oranges I’ll need for the rush this evening. As I work, I’m desperate to keep my mind busy. Anything to keep my thoughts off of what the next few days have in store for me.
My sit-down interview with the TV studio is scheduled for early next week. It will take place right here at The North Node. When I confided in Nicky, she suggested it might be best for me to do this in an environment where I feel comfortable. Nolan declared that the bar would be the perfect setting and I definitely agree. I feel safe here.
