Chapter 157

Our faces were very close together now. I could smell the beach on her, the slight saltiness rising from her skin. The sun had kissed her aquiline nose and her cheeks. Her long eyelashes seemed like they would brush against my skin.

"They’re not going to," I said. "Because you’ve saved the day, my love."

Rita laughed nervously.

"How do you figure that?" she asked.

"Jess has had plenty of fun," I said. "It’s time to talk to her. She needs to get serious about the business again. I should have seen it coming. Manny is a fun, alpha guy. Just the kind of guy Jess has a blind spot for. If she buckles down, it’ll be fine."

"How do we talk to her?" Rita said.

"We just talk to her," I said. "But I’m wondering why she wasn’t at the office. She’s not here. I thought she was working today."

Rita was concerned.

"I’ll text her," Rita said. "I mean, it’s n