It sounded lame even to my own ears.

“I’m sorry you had a rough time when you first got here, but you must be so happy now. I’m glad things turned out for the better. When we watched your first movie, I think I saw Mom wipe away tears more than a few times.”

“She cried for an action movie?”

“You were shot, and well, I think she cried because she was proud of you.”

An arrow straight to my chest. When my mother had passed out from her daily drinking, consequently locking me out for the night, Emily had taken me in. After that night, I’d stayed at their house more than I had at my own. She’d been a better mom to me than my own could ever be. Dylan was my brother and Olive…well, Olive had been my friend, too. They were the only family I’d known. It was as simple as that.

“You really didn’t miss me?” I asked, trying to diffuse the heavy quiet in the car. “Didn’t wait by the phone for my call? Come on, don’t be shy. You can tell me.” I watched her out of the corner of my eye.

She laughed. It was beautiful to watch.

“I definitely didn’t wait by the phone.”

“But you admit to missing me, don’t you?”

“Maybe,” she said so quietly that I wasn’t even sure if I’d heard her right.

When her phone rang, she gave me an apologetic look and answered it.

“Where are you? No. Okay. Yes, the meeting is over, I’m on my way back. Ok, I’ll be home soon. No! No, wait inside. Lucy, I swear to god, if I find you outside—Hello? Lucy? Damn you!”

“Something wrong?” I asked, amused.

“No, it’s okay. Well, good news for you, you don’t have to drive me all the way to USC. We’re closer to the house.”

“Lucy is your roommate?”

“One of them.”

“How many roommates do you have?”

“With Lucy, three.”

“Is it hard?”

“Not really. I mean, we’re all friends, so I guess it’s easier than it would be if they were complete strangers.”

After she gave me the address, we were quiet for the rest of the ride. Fuck, but I couldn’t stop glancing at her. She had the same little nose, that same spark in her eyes, yet she was so different than when I had last seen her. The worst part? She had boobs—boobs big enough that they’d cushioned my arm when I had accidentally encountered them as I secured her in.

Fuck me, but my little Olive—the same little girl I had protected from shitty bullies—was not so little any more.

“Is this the right street?” I asked when I took a right turn.

“Yes. You can stop here. I took enough of your time already.”

“Don’t be like that. Tell me which building it is.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to know where I live.”

I gave her an exasperated look, and she gave me an annoyed one, which only made me laugh.

She huffed and pointed to an old building. “Do you see those three people waiting there?”

“That old building?”

“Yeah that one.”

Coming to a stop in front of the building she had pointed out, I turned off the engine.

“Is this place safe?” I asked, leaning toward her to glance at the building through her window.

“Safe enough.” With a quickness I wasn’t expecting, she opened the door and got out. Leaning down to look at me through the open door, she said, “Thank you for dropping me off, Jason. It was really nice to see you again. I’m glad we did this. Don’t read the book because it kinda sucks if you ask me. Have a nice life. Bye.”

She shut the door on my smiling face. Ah. She was acting as if she could get away that easily now that I’d found her.

Chuckling to myself, I reached for my Ray-Bans and stepped out of the car. Following her, I watched a girl separate from the other two and run straight into Olive’s arms, all screaming and jumping.

The other girl had an equally big smile on her face when she finally reached the jumping duo. The guy? He didn’t look that happy at all.

“Start from the beginning, you have to tell us everything. Do they want the movie rights? Did you say yes? How much did they offer? Who will play Isaac?” I heard her friend ask rapidly. I couldn’t hear Olive’s answers, but I was aware that she was trying to herd them back toward the building.

And she hadn’t noticed me—yet.

“Olive,” I said next to her ear when her friend focused on the other two and was looking over her shoulder.

“Jesus!” she screamed turning around.

Chapter Eight Olive

My heart beating in my throat, I turned around to find Jason smiling at me.

“Not so fast, little one,” he said.

Grabbing his arm, I managed to pull him a few steps away. “What are you doing? They will recognize you!”

I chanced a look behind me. From what I could see of the three open mouths, it was already too late.

“So what? I want to meet your friends.”

“Jason. Are you sure you are okay? Shouldn’t you be…I don’t know, a little more concerned about being in public?”

“No one is around. It’s okay, Olive. Relax, I won’t embarrass you. I promise,” he said in a different tone.

My heart clenched. “It wasn’t that. I’m sorry. Let’s introduce you then.”

Lucy was the first one to close her mouth and grin like a cat that was about to bathe in the cream.

“You must be Lucy, the one who is facing a bloody death,” Jason said, giving her a sincere smile.

“Yep, that’s probably me.” Lucy had that starry look in her eyes when she finally shook Jason’s hand.

“This is Charlotte, and Marcus.” I took over when Lucy finally let go of his hand.

“Nice to meet you guys,” Jason said.

When Lucy glanced at me questioningly, I sighed, “Jason had a meeting after mine, and they were running late, and then he was in my meeting so he recognized me and offered to drop me off.”

That short but to the point explanation would only hold her off until we got into our apartment.

“You two know each other?” Marcus asked with a confused frown on his face.

Marcus was a completely different matter. He was my roommate and my ex, and the more my book took off, the more annoyed he got.

I felt Jason’s hand on the small of my back. It was a light touch, but it was enough to make my entire body buzz with excitement.

Stupid, traitorous body.

“Jason was my brother’s best friend. He used to practically live with us,” I said to Marcus.

“You never mentioned that.”

“I’m sorry? I didn’t think you would be interested in knowing that.”

Lucy cut in. “Oh, shut up, Marcus. I knew, and frankly, that’s enough. Would you like to come up?” she asked Jason, softening her tone.

“I would love to, but I’m afraid it will have to wait until next time.” Turning to me, he said, “Can I see your phone?”

“Why?” I asked suspiciously.

“I want to get Dylan’s number.”

Ah, right.It wasn’t like he would want mine. Nodding, I took it out of my bag and handed it over.

“Olive.” Getting my attention, Char touched my arm. “I’m dying to hear what happened at the meeting and if you said yes, but I have to meet with my study group…” She glanced down at her watch. “In half an hour. I’ll catch up with you when I get back, ok?”

“Sure, we’ll talk when you get back.”

Blowing us a quick kiss, she slipped away.

Before I could ask Jason why it was taking so long to get Dylan’s number, Marcus caught my eyes, shook his head, turned around, and left.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked Lucy, making sure Jason couldn’t hear.

“Who knows? He is in one of his moods, I guess. Don’t worry about him.”

Jason handed my phone back, our fingers touching for a quick second.

Those old, childish butterflies I’d thought were long gone? They all came back with a vengeance, which scared me more than anything that had happened that day.

“I put my own number in there and I want you to call me whenever you need anything, ok?”

As if I would ever repeat that mistake again.