Hooked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 3)

“Wow, sign me up.”

“That’s my girl.” He grins. “And then, wait,” he says, pausing and hitting the button again. He’s very erratic. I like it, but at the same time, it makes me twitch. I want to slow him down, make him think, but he’s working at a thousand miles an hour.

“Yes, Stu.”

“Hey, when is our next showcase?”

“March fourth,” she says and he nods.

“That’s right, thanks,” he says, clicking off and looking at me. “We have a showcase coming up. All the talent I believe in comes and performs. Invite your family, your boyfriend, and rock the socks off not only them and me but my colleagues, too. I really believe in your music, and I think it’s going to be awesome. In the meantime, though, you’ll work here, we’ll work on your songwriting, and you’ll learn the ropes. Meet people, do the damn thing, you know?”

I can only nod as my cheeks start to hurt from smiling so hard. This is happening. This is really fucking happening. Holy crap.

“Cool, so what do you say?”

Grinning, my heart is in my throat and I have to keep myself from screaming out. “When do I start?”

When I’m done with all the paperwork and I say bye, I practically sprint down the stairs and out of the building to where Jace is waiting for me. When I throw the door open, he jumps and I realize he was sleeping. But unlike normal people who wake up all slow, Jace is wide-eyed, his eyes on me as he turns to face me.

“So?”

“So! Ah!” I yelp and he grins.

“Tell me!”

“I have a showcase on March fourth, and he wants me to intern here. Now! Like, tomorrow, and he’s paying me. Like, money! I was working for free at Empress. Holy crap! And we will work on my writing and everything. Holy crap, Jace. This is happening!”

“Hell yeah, it is! Told you,” he says, taking me by my face and kissing me hard on the lips. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks. I can’t believe it!”

“How? Baby, you’re fucking amazing. This was bound to happen.”

Grinning, I kiss his lips once more. “It happened because of you.”

He waves me off. “No, it happened because you’re awesome. Yeah, I had my dad contact him, but your talent got you the interview.”

“You really think so?”

His lips curve as he shakes my shoulders. “I know so. God, I’m so proud of you.”

“Eek!”

“I’ll be tearing up the ice, and you’ll be singing all over the world. Don’t forget about me when you’re big,” he reminds and I grin. “If I hear you’re dumping me for

Shawn Mendes, I swear, I’ll take a hockey stick to his kneecaps.”

“God, Jace. Never!”

Leaning toward me, he kisses me. “That’s right. You love me and only me.”

The desire in his eyes is all-consuming, and all I can do is smile. “That’s right.”

“Good, I love you.”

“I love you,” I whisper, and I can’t say it enough to him. I just want to scream it in his face. Tell him how much his love means to me and how I’ll treasure it my whole life. I don’t know how I got this lucky, but I swear, I’ll never ask for anything else.

Jace is enough.