Free Finding Forever by Michele Shriver Page B

“Sorry.”
    “No problem.” Carl pointed to the bag on the table. “Buy anything interesting?”
    “A new pot for my patio.” She pulled it out to show him, but he barely glanced at it. He had about as much interest in her patio décor as she did in his work.
    “It’s nice,” he said, already walking away in the direction of the living room.
    Jordan followed him, glad she’d already put the dishes away, which was stupid. She didn’t need to feel like she was sneaking around.
    “What movie were you going to watch?” His eyes fell to the Zombie Runners DVD case still lying on the coffee table and he picked it up. “Are you serious? You actually watch crap like this?”
    “So what if I do?”
    “I just figured someone who used to work in Hollywood would have better taste, that’s all. These movies are all the same. Lousy plot, worse acting.”
    Jordan reached for the case, grabbing it from his hand. “Actually, the acting is quite good. And if you only came here to insult my taste in movies, you can leave now.”
    “Whoa!” Carl took a step back, holding up a hand. “No need to get defensive. I was just making conversation.”
    “And I’m not interested in talking right now.” No sooner were the words out when Jordan wanted to take them back. They’d become a cue of sorts in her arrangement with Carl, and not surprisingly, he headed in the direction of the bedroom. Well, it’s nice to know someone wants me tonight. Except it didn’t feel nice at all. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not interested in that, either,” she called after him.
    “What?” He stopped in his tracks and turned around. “That’s a first.”
    ***
    Jake stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and retrieved his phone from the desk. He didn’t like the way he ended things with Jordan and felt the need to explain. When he turned his phone on, he found three messages from Macy. If the cold water hadn’t already taken care of his problem, that sure would have.
    “Val, I told you to fix this,” he muttered in annoyance as he tapped the screen to play the first message.
    ‘Jake!’ he was immediately greeted by Macy’s high-pitched squeal. ‘I hope this is some kind of joke. It has to be, right?’
    “No joke, Macy,” Jake said. He deleted the message, then played the second. Macy didn’t think the joke was very funny. Too bad. He decided not to even bother with the third message, certain it would be more of the same, only with slightly more frantic squealing. Jake sighed. He’d have to call Macy himself. A day that had been almost perfect was quickly going south.
    ***
    “Excuse me, did you just say what I think you did?” Jordan wavered between disbelief, anger, hurt, and embarrassment. The latter because it was mostly true, and not something she was particularly proud of.
    “In a nice way,” Carl said. “I like it about you.”
    “You like that I’m easy, and easy to use.” Saying it out loud made the sting stronger. Great. She could be the girl in the scribbling on the wall in the men’s room. ‘Call Jordan for an easy fuck.’
    Her phone rang and she reached for it, debating between taking the call or throwing the phone at Carl.
    “Saved by the bell.” Carl laughed.
    “Shut up.” Jordan glanced at the display. Jake. Great. Was she about to be humiliated for the third time in half an hour? Maybe, but it might get rid of Carl. She tapped the screen. “Jake, hi. Give me a second, okay?” She covered the phone with her hand and looked at Carl. “I need to take this. You can show yourself out.” After all, you’ve done it plenty of times before once you got what you came for.
    “Your actor friend?” Carl asked.
    “As a matter of fact, yes.” Jordan let the words hang in the air.
    Carl frowned. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Jordan.”
    Yeah, so do I. She waited until he left before putting the phone back to her ear. “Jake? Are you still there?”
    “Yeah,” he said.