Page 43 of Jack
“What, a Hot Pocket?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe a salad?”
“Aren’t I supposed to be paying your expenses?”
“For the love—you did not hire me. This”—he gestured between them—“is not a binding contract. I made no promises?—”
“Right. The rule.”
“The number one rule.” He drew in a breath as if it mattered, a lot.
She held up a hand. “Okay. You don’t work for me. But—I could still buy you a Hot Pocket.”
“I don’t want—never mind. Do you want anything?”
“I’ll wait for one of your mother’s cinnamon rolls.”
He considered her. “Maybe a better idea. I’ll be back.”
She got in the car and pulled out her phone, checked her mail. Opened a message from Clarice.
Good start. Fun. Find the release forms attached. I reached out to PopMuse. They’d like to put your articles on their blog this weekend. Forward the releases to Goldie if they agree. Don’t hold your breath, but I like your tenacity. K.
She downloaded the releases, then called Penelope’s phone again.C’mon, Pen, where are you?The same voicemail message played. She tried a text—again.
Harper
Please check in. I’m worried.
Jack was talking with a man she didn’t recognize, so she opened her Instagram and scrolled through the postings. Mostly celebrities, but a few posts on travel locations, some food bloggers, and a couple song drops from indie songwriters. Bliss had posted a clip from her upcoming performance inLeap of Faith,a rebooted Broadway musical.
She was about to close her phone when she spotted a post from @PennyforYourThoughts.
>>Ready for the big finale to “The Case of Sarah Livingston”? Listen to PFYT on Monday night!
Then a shot of Penelope, bundled up, holding a coffee in a place called Echoes Vinyl Café.
She looked up to see that Jack had come out and carried two cups of coffee. She leaned over and opened the door.
He handed her a cup as he got in.
Oh. Sweet.
“You still a candy-coffee girl? Because I doctored it.”
Time stopped, hiccupped. And maybe he realized it too, because he swallowed, then set his cup into the holder and put on his seatbelt.
“Thank you.”
“Mm-hmm.” He took a sip of his. “Gordo said if I can’t tow her, I can move her to the back lot. Hopefully she can limp that far.”
Harper nodded and flashed the picture at him. “Have you ever heard of Echoes Vinyl Café?”
“I saw Echoes on my way into town yesterday. Why?”
She looked at the picture. “Penelope just posted something from there.”
He glanced at her. “Just now?”