Gifted Connections 4

“It wasn’t his decision. It was mine. This detail is important,” I said, regretting telling her.

“You better stay in bed. That’s ridiculous. If I were you, I would be laid up in bed all day with that hunky piece of meat you have. By the way, tell Leo if he’s free tonight, I’m requesting his presence later in bed. Let me tell you something girl, he’s ahhhmazing!”

She bounced from subject to subject as if she suffered from ADHD.

“Ugh,” I closed my eyes at the image she had given me. “I really didn’t need to know that, but I’ll let him know. Look, I’ll talk to you later,” I told her quickly before preparing to switch my phone call over.

“Okay bye!” she said brightly.

“Hello?” I answered Jemmy.

“Blake!” Jemmy yelled in my ear.

I grimaced and held the phone away from my ear, putting it on speaker so I could finish getting ready. We planned to stop to get something to eat before the party, and I was famished.

“Yes, Jemmy,” I said drolly as I attempted to put on my pants. I winced at the tightness in my arm, reminding me of the pain.

“You got to meet Lincoln Hudgens!” she squealed in indignation.

“Umm, how did you know?” I asked in confusion as Drake came over to me. His brows were knit, and I blanched when I saw the picture on his cellphone. It was a picture of me getting taken out of on a stretcher with Lincoln Hudgens clutching my arm as my guys milled around me.

Drake scrolled to the right, and I read the headline attached to the article. Mystery girl takes a bullet for Anna Black, Lincoln Hudgens staunches bleeding. He flipped to the next picture that must have been captured when Lincoln and I had just met. His hand is holding mine, and this was captioned. Could they be something more?

I groaned, seeing enough.

“Um, it’s all over Scooping Stars News,” she talked to me as if I should have known that already. “You met Lincoln freaking Hudgens and didn’t think to take a selfie and send it to me?” Jemmy continued to harp.

“I’m feeling great, thanks, Jem,” I said dryly as Drake knelt in front of me and started to help me pull up my pants. I smiled down at him and his intuitiveness.

“Oh yeah, how are you? Pops told us your brush with death this morning, but let’s be real, the universe hates you. I suspect you’ll be on death's door several more times before the year is even up. Happy New Year’s, by the way! So, did you get his digits?” Jemmy stated.

“Um no,” I rolled my eyes as Drake helped me slide my blazer on. “I kind of have six men that I madly adore and another one floating in the wind that wants to crash the party and you, my dear, have a connection.”

I had to laugh at her and Anna’s similarities. They both reminded me of the dog on the movie Up that Ella loved. The dog would be in mid-conversation and then be easily distracted by a squirrel.

“He’s on my list,” Jemmy stated. “Don’t you have a Free Pass list? I do. And Gavin is well aware of it. Lincoln’s currently at the top.”

I turned with an arched brow. Troy looked amused as he explained, “The Free Pass list allows you to sleep with anyone along as they are on the list.”

“Oh, about that, no,” I stated emphatically. “Please see above. Again, the six men that I adore. I don’t need any cheap substitutes. By the way… Lincoln’s kind of a douche bag in real life.”

“He was saving your life!” she exclaimed in outrage.

I snorted. “Before that, though, total dick. I have some surprises, for you by the way. Anna Black sent me more clothes than I know what to do with.” I was hoping that would distract her.

“No way! For real, though?! I want! I want!” Jemmy gushed. Apparently it worked.

“Hopefully we’ll be home in a few days,” I stated. “I’ll let you have the first pick, but Dawn, Sierra, and Rachel are going to be invited, too.”

“Aww, okay,” Jemmy whined.

“Well Jem,” I stated, grabbing my hair brush. “I’m starving, and the guys are waiting for me. We need to grab a bite before we he

ad to our next assignment.” I ran a brush through my hair. Luckily, the care done to it yesterday had held up well today and I didn’t need to do much with it.

Remy extracted the brush from my hand and started to brush my hair for me. I gave him a smile. It really wasn’t necessary since I had full use of my right arm.

“You better take some good selfies for me today,” Jemmy said emphatically.