My Funny Valentine (Jasper Falls 5)

Things between them seemed okay, so far. Maybe he’d spent the week worrying for nothing.

When he returned to the kitchen the pasta was ready. He stilled at the sight of a crumb cake on the counter. “Is that…”

She smiled. “I made dessert.”

For all he cared, the pasta could be cooked to mush and the marinara could be ketchup. She’d made him a crumb cake. That had to mean something.

She put a heaping scoop of pasta on his plate. “Eat up.”

The spaghetti actually turned out okay. The fact that she’d cooked specifically for him made it one of the most satisfying meals of his life.

He reached for her hand, bringing her fingers to his lips. “I missed you.” He bit her knuckle and she smiled.

“I missed you, too.”

“It looks like your little trip did you well.” She seemed so clear headed and happy. That made him happy.

“It did. I was finally able to think.”

“About us?”

“About everything.” She sucked a long noodle between her lips and laughed when the sauce went everywhere.

He dragged his thumb across her lower lip, cleaning her mouth and licking his finger. “Delicious.”

She flushed, dropping her gaze to her dinner as she chased a slice of cucumber around her salad plate with her fork.

“So, you said you had news,” he reminded, anxious to hear what it was.

Her smile faltered. “It’s nothing really.” She finally stabbed that cucumber and took a bite.

“It didn’t sound like nothing when you mentioned it on the phone.”

Her hand shook as she poked her fork into a piece of lettuce. She was avoiding eye contact and it felt intentional.

“Hey.” He rested a hand over her trembling one.

She looked up at him, appearing on the verge of tears.

“Erin, what’s wrong?”

Her chin quivered and her brow pinched. “I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

“Okay.”

“I did something.”

He sat back. “What?”

His worst fears rushed through his mind. Had she met someone else?

She set down her fork and opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Shit. This wasn’t good. Had she sold the house? Rented an apartment in Chester Heights or whatever the hell corner of bumble fuck she’d been in?

“Tell me.”

She folded her hands on her lap and looked down. “I queried a bunch of talent agencies with clips of your act.”

It took a second for her words to sink in, but he still shook his head. “Come again?”

She bit her lip nervously. “I did some research and found a bunch of entertainment agencies. I figured out how to send a query and I made a montage of your skits and saved it on several thumb drives. Then I mailed them.”

“Them?”

“About twenty of them. Nineteen to be exact. Well, thirty-two if you count the digital applications. Every agency has different guidelines for their submissions.”

He blinked at her as if he were in some sort of a dream. “You sent my resume to thirty-two talent agents?”

She nodded. “Are you mad?”

Was he mad? He laughed, the sound short and disbelieving. “That’s what you were doing all week?”

“You were so miserable when I left. I couldn’t bear it. I wanted to help you. Maybe I made things worse. I don’t know. I should have asked before sticking my nose in your business, but I just…wanted to see you happy again.”

He was utterly speechless.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted, suddenly in a rush to clear the table.

He snatched her wrist, stopping her escape. “Just, give me a second to process this.”

He’d honestly thought she was dumping him when he woke up and found her gone. All this time, he’d assumed they were over and she was mad at him. He’d never been more off the mark in his life.

He rubbed his brow and laughed again. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Are you mad?”

“I’m feeling a lot of things right now, but anger isn’t anywhere on my radar.” He looked up at her. “No one’s ever done something like that for me.”

She flushed. “You’re not a lumberjack, Giovanni, and I don’t want you to be. I want you to be funny and happy, and I want you to love what you do.”

“You’re not breaking up with me?”

“God, no.” She lowered back to her chair and took his hand. “I don’t want to break up. I want to be with you. I’m not going to obsess over all the things that might go wrong, and I’m going to do my best to trust that you’ll talk to me when you’re upset.”

“What about you?”

“I’m talking now, aren’t I?”

Yes, she was. And he loved everything she was saying.

“I’m in love with you, Giovanni. It’s the scariest feeling I’ve ever known, but I know I’d rather be with you than without you. I don’t like being apart and I don’t care where I live, but I want to go wherever you are.”

His mind was blown. “I’m not going anywhere.”