Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
“ W here the hell have you been?” Nick asked when Jamie showed up with only two minutes to spare.
“Nothing,” she said, shifting nervously as she looked anywhere but at him.
He narrowed his eyes on his little recluse, watching as she shifted nervously while she hugged that large bag she dared to call a purse tightly against her chest. “I asked you where you’ve been, not what you’ve been up to,” Nick pointed out as they stepped to the side as one of the cameramen rushed past them.
“Oh,” she mumbled, but didn’t really answer him.
He knew that she was nervous about doing her first on-camera interview and he really couldn’t do much about it at the moment. He’d hoped that he’d have time to calm her down. In fact, he’d planned on pulling her into one of the dressing rooms and doing everything he could to help her relax, but the damn woman had made other plans this morning and told him that she’d meet him here.
Which brought up an interesting question, what had she been up to?
Judging by the way that she was shifting nervous, avoiding making eye contact, and hugging her bag tightly against her chest, he was afraid that he already knew the answer. With a sigh, Nick snatched the bag away from her and opened it, ignoring her protests as he pulled out five large bars of Belgium chocolate and glared down at his little recluse.
“You promised that you’d avoid sugar this morning,” he said accusingly as he shoved the chocolate back in the bag and held it away from her.
Jamie swallowed nervously as she reached for it. “You don’t understand! I need it!”
He shook his head in disgust even as he grabbed her hand and led her into the studio. “No, what you need to do is get your cute little ass in makeup and then do this interview.”
When Jamie gasped in outrage, he couldn’t help but smile. “But I need it! Please, Nick! Chocolate soothes me!”
He threw her a disbelieving look over his shoulder but didn’t slow his pace as he continued to drag her over to makeup. “You’re like the Energizer Bunny when you have chocolate, Jamie. If you want some chocolate, you’ll have to get through this interview, otherwise, I’m throwing it out,” Nick said, knowing that if he took her chocolate anywhere near a trash can that she’d probably kill him.
“You wouldn’t dare!” she hissed and he didn’t bother to answer her as he maneuvered her around a large group of people and planted her ass in a chair.
“Here she is,” he announced to Margaret, the makeup specialist who’d been hitting on him since he showed up an hour ago to make sure that everything was set up for Jamie’s interview.
“Thanks, Nick. You’re such a sweetie,” Margaret said, placing her hand on his arm and gave it a small squeeze as she sent him another inviting smile. His eyes shot over to Jamie to see how she was reacting to this, but the damn woman was still sending the bag in his hand looks of longing.
Did he want her jealous? No, not really, but some kind of reaction would have been nice since he couldn’t help but want to kill every bastard that got within speaking distance of her. He felt his lips twitch when Jamie tried to discreetly reach out and take the bag from him.
“This is just getting sad,” Nick said, sighing as he moved the bag further away.
She looked up at him with sad, puppy dog eyes as her lower lip began to quiver and he just barely stopped himself from chuckling, which she probably wouldn’t appreciate at the moment. Instead, he shook his head, which caused her shoulders to slump in defeat as she released a cute little sigh.
“Miss Harris?” one of the production assistants said in greeting as she approached Jamie. “My name is Carla. Is there anything I can get you?”
Jamie immediately perked up. “Yes, umm, is there any chance that I could get some chocolate? It helps settle my nerves,” his little recluse said, lying her adorable ass, which he planned on focusing on tonight, off.
Carla smiled. “I believe we can arrange that.”
“No,” Nick said, cutting the woman off before she did something they’d all regret later. “No chocolate for her whatsoever,” he said, earning a killing glare from Jamie, but he didn’t care.
Chocolate was Jamie’s drug of choice, and unfortunately for her, she didn’t seem to handle sugar very well. She got wired, then cranky, then sleepy and when she woke up from her sugar-induced nap, he usually had to wrestle more chocolate out of the addict’s grasp before she could make it to the toilet-hugging phase, which was probably his least favorite of all the phases.
“Then, can I have a Coke, please?” she asked, sounding hopeful.
Sugar and caffeine? No, that would never work.
“She’ll have water,” Nick said, thankful that the assistant knew better than to listen to Jamie.
When Jamie sulked in her chair, he ignored her even as he made a mental note to order a huge ice cream sundae for her later. The woman was a little sugar addict, and thankfully, could be bought easily. Actually, now that he thought about it, he should probably hunt down something sweet to give her once her interview was over. He could give her the chocolate in her handbag but judging by the looks that she was shooting the bag, the little junkie had already reached her limit for the day.
“So, what do you say, Nick?” Margaret asked, making him realize that he’d missed everything she’d said while he’d been smiling like a fool at his little recluse.
“Hmm?” he asked, barely able to take his eyes away from Jamie as Margaret fussed with Jamie’s hair and makeup.
“She wanted to know if you’d like to go over to her house after this so that she could cook for you,” Jamie explained casually, not sounding upset at all, but judging by the hurt expression on her face, she didn’t like the idea one bit. Why that made him happy, he didn’t know, but it was nice to know that he wasn’t the only one that got jeal-
“Actually,” Jamie said brightly as she sat up straighter in her chair, “why don’t the two of you go discuss your dinner plans,” she said smoothly as she reached out and snatched her bag out of his hand, “and I’ll just sit here and wait to be called for my interview.”
His eyes narrowed on her as he felt a tick start beneath his left eye. “You’d sell me out like that? Over chocolate ?” he said with disgust.
She shrugged as she held the bag tightly against her chest and let out another adorable sigh. “It’s Belgium chocolate,” Jamie said as though that explained it all. That explained nothing. It also pissed him off that she clearly chose chocolate over him.
He reached over and tore the bag away from her, earning a gasp of horror that he refused to find adorably sexy. “Just for that, you aren’t getting this chocolate back until tomorrow.”
“B-b-b-but,” she stuttered, reaching for the bag, but he simply stepped back.
When she realized that she wasn’t getting it back, Jamie went back to slumping in her chair. He thought he heard her mutter, “Big jerk,” but he decided to ignore it since that was most likely the chocolate withdrawal talking.
“Are you busy tonight, Nick?” Margaret asked as if the odd conversation hadn’t just happened. Then again, she was probably used to weird conversations in this line of work.
He should take the woman up on her invitation. She wouldn’t drive him crazy or have him drooling after her like some kid. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d have her out of her panties and beneath him within two minutes of walking through her front door, but unfortunately for him, the thought of touching her left him cold. The only woman he wanted was coming down from a sugar high and would probably require some babying later tonight when the stomachache hit. What the hell was wrong with him, Nick wondered when he realized that he’d rather spend the night cuddling a cranky woman than fucking a willing one.
“That’s a very sweet offer, but unfortunately, we have to work tonight and then we have to catch an early flight in the morning,” Nick said, giving the woman his most charming smile and hoping it was enough.
“Maybe next time you’re in town?” Margaret said, giving him that coy smile that promised all sorts of naughty things between the sheets. Since this thing with Jamie would be over by the next time he swung through Virginia for work, he didn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t accept.
“That sounds like a great idea, sweetheart. Why don’t you give me your number so I can give you a call the next time I’m in the area,” Nick said, forcing his eyes away from his little recluse as he told himself that he had no reason to feel guilty. He never felt guilty for living his life and he sure as hell wasn’t about to start now.
“We’re ready for you, Miss Harris,” one of the assistants said, gesturing for Jamie to join Andrew Jameson, the show’s host, on stage.
She decided not to keep her promise to Nick and hunt him down for last-minute advice since he’d just given her the kiss-off. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nick trying to discreetly gesture for her to walk over to him, but she ignored him and plastered what she hoped was a friendly smile on her face and sat down in the small leather chair next to Andrew.
The man was in his mid-thirties, handsome and the look he gave her slightly appeased the hurt Nick had caused not even twenty minutes ago. She still couldn’t believe that he’d hurt her like that. She knew that they’d never have a lifetime together, but the last few days had been wonderful, especially yesterday when they’d spent all day in his bed, but apparently, she’d been wrong. Well, she’d enjoyed it, but obviously he hadn’t.
If he had, he wouldn’t have been making plans to meet up with another woman right in front of her. The least he could have done was take her aside beforehand and gave her the brush off. Finding out like that hadn’t exactly been a good time.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Miss Harris,” Andrew said warmly as he reached over and took one of her hands into both of his.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Jameson,” she said, easily returning the smile.
“Please call me Andrew. From what I gather, this is your first on-camera interview. Just relax and pretend the camera’s not here and you’ll be fine. I’m also assuming that you would prefer to be called J.L. Lewis during the interview?” he asked, still holding her hand, she might add.
Jamie risked a quick glance over to where she’d last seen Nick and was surprised to find him glaring at their hands. Considering that he’d just basically made plans to have sex with another woman, she thought he had a lot of balls to look pissed that another man was touching her. After this, they were going back to a strictly professional relationship. She didn’t want his help with her list and come to think of it, maybe it was time to bite the bullet and have sex. It would stop her from pining after him and it would help destroy the last shred remaining from the old Jamie.
“If you’re ready?” Andrew asked, reluctantly releasing her hand as he sat back in his chair.
Was she?
Yes, she was and not only for this interview. It was probably childish, but tonight, when she found a man to take to bed, she was going to make sure that Nick knew that she didn’t give a damn that he didn’t want her. Not that he’d care since he’d probably be having sex with another woman, but that was fine because she could move on just as easily as he had.
“Thank you for joining us this evening, J.L. Lewis,” Andrew said, letting her know that they’d begun recording the interview.
“Thank you for having me,” Jamie returned easily, surprising herself. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
After a few minutes of basic questions, he moved smoothly onto her personal life. “So, tell me, is there a Mr. Lewis in the picture?”
With a soft chuckle, Jamie shook her head and said, “No, I’m not married.”
“Is there any special man in your life?” Andrew asked and she wondered if that was interest she noted in his tone.
Jamie couldn’t help watching Nick out of the corner of her eye as she answered, “No, there’s no one special in my life.” The area Nick stood in was dark, but she could have sworn he made a move to come closer but stopped himself at the last second. Wishful thinking on her part, she realized.
“I wanted to tell you how profoundly sorry I was about the news that came out this morning. I’m sure that it was a bit of a shock that your family came forward and shared that rather personal information. I’m actually flattered that you chose KJK to share your side of the story,” Andrew said, confusing the hell out of her.
“I’m sorry. I’m afraid that I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jamie admitted, unable to help but frown in confusion.
He frowned at the admission as he sent someone to the side a questioning look. Seconds later, a young man wearing large headphones came onto the stage and handed Andrew a thick newspaper before quickly scurrying away.
“I’m sorry. I thought you knew,” Andrew said, sounding truly sorry as he handed the newspaper to her.
Dread filled her stomach as she reached over and accepted the newspaper. When her eyes landed on the large black print stamped across the top, she felt like she’d been slapped.
“You didn’t know about this?” Andrew asked.
“No,” Jamie said hollowly as she ran her eyes over the title once again.
At least now she knew why she’d always been treated differently and why she’d never felt like she belonged because she didn’t. The woman that she’d been raised to believe was her mother, wasn’t. According to the paper, she was the product of an affair that her father had with his secretary and was deeply ashamed of his mistake. Meaning her. He had no knowledge of Jamie’s existence until she was dropped off at his door when Jamie was four years old.
Why would they do this to her? Why couldn’t they have just told her? Did they really need to make this public? Then, Nick’s words came back to her and she realized that her mother, well, really the woman who’d tolerated her existence, hated that she was in the spotlight and wanted it for herself. Jamie couldn’t care less about that. The only thing that mattered to her at the moment was that she was truly alone in this world.