A Heart to Trust, A.L. Brooks [speed reading book TXT] 📗

if it was a cover story to get him out of a situation he seemed awkward with or the truth. Somehow, she thought the latter; Maxwell didn’t strike her as the lying kind.

Once he’d left, Jenny was a little stuck on who to talk to. She and Olivia had managed some more polite conversation before Olivia’s attention had been taken away by someone she knew from the marketing team. While Jenny and Olivia had managed to speak whole sentences to each other, it had been pretty awkward. Olivia seemed nervous around Jenny, and Jenny couldn’t shake off the thought of what Olivia had done with the Excelsior photos and notes. She’d been tempted to confront her but knew the middle of the staff party was so not the place to do it. She was therefore kind of relieved when Olivia wandered away with her marketing friend, then cursed herself as she watched her go.

Olivia’s ass moved in unbelievably good ways in that amazing dress.

A few minutes later, Olivia was back by her side. “Hey, you.” Her eyes were glassy. Then she giggled. Actually giggled.

“Hello.” Jenny kept her tone even, cautious. This rapid change in Olivia’s demeanor was unexpected.

“What a great party!” Olivia threw her hands up. Unfortunately, one of them still held a half-glass of white wine, which then sloshed via a high arc onto the floor behind her. She turned around and looked down at the puddle. “Oops.”

“Olivia, are you drunk?”

Olivia swung back around to Jenny and nearly toppled over. She giggled again. “Maybe.” She frowned. “I think I forgot to eat. Today.”

Jenny’s eyes widened. “All day? You haven’t eaten anything all day?” Jeez, and how many wines had she had on top of that empty stomach?

Olivia placed one fingertip on her chin and paused in an exaggerated thinking motion that was kind of adorable. “Correct,” she said, then she hiccupped.

“Maybe you should have something now. And some water.” Jenny took hold of Olivia’s elbow.

Olivia shook her head and then yawned hugely. “Home.” She leaned a little closer and a teasing scent of a light, citrusy perfume reached Jenny’s nose. “Not s’pposed to get drunk.”

“Okay.” Jenny stared at her. “How are you getting home?”

Olivia looked around. “Subway.” She shrugged. “Walk. Don’t mind.”

Holy crap, no way. “How about I get you home? I’m leaving now anyway.” Apparently. “We can go together and I can make sure you get there okay.”

“That’s nice.” Olivia’s eyes were half closed. “You’re never nice to me.”

Jenny flinched but chose not to respond. “Come on, let’s go.” She checked to make sure Olivia’s purse still hung on her shoulder, then carefully placed Olivia’s arm in her own. “This okay?”

Olivia’s beamed. “Charming.”

Jenny gave up any hope of saying goodbye to Chrissy—no way would she drag drunk Olivia over to Derek and the rest of the team. A small part of her brain questioned that decision—what better way to dent Olivia’s reputation with Derek? But she snuffed out the thought at lightning speed. She’d meant what she’d said to Chrissy—she didn’t want to play dirty.

After stumbling their way through the throng to the exit, Jenny walked them over to the opposite side of the street and leaned Olivia against the wall of a darkened building.

“I’m going to order us an Uber, okay?” Jenny said. “But I need your address.” Please don’t live somewhere like Rochester, I can’t afford this as it is.

Olivia blinked a couple times, then rapidly fired off an address.

When Jenny looked it up on Google Maps, she was relieved it wasn’t that far away and also taken aback when she realized what a swanky location it was.

The Uber picked them up ten minutes later, by which time Olivia’s eyes were closed and Jenny essentially held her upright. Olivia’s skin was warm and soft, and Jenny had to fight the urge to stroke the arm she held.

“She drunk?” The driver looked at Olivia with suspicion.

“Only a little. She’s fine, honest.” Jenny gave him her widest smile.

He grunted, then motioned them in.

As soon as they sat in the back seat, Olivia snuggled up against Jenny’s arm and shoulder. “Nice,” she said.

Jenny wondered for the eighth time in the last twenty minutes just what the hell she was doing, but also knew she couldn’t have done anything else. She and Olivia might have their differences, but no way would she let her go home drunk alone. She wrestled Olivia into her seatbelt, then clicked her own in place.

The drive took only ten minutes, which wasn’t bad with Friday-night traffic. The whole time, Olivia rested against Jenny, her warmth and scent making things happen to Jenny that she wasn’t comfortable with but couldn’t seem to stop.

Jeez, even her hair smells amazing. Jenny turned her head and breathed in more of the scent. What the everlasting fuck are you doing? Stop sniffing her hair! She lifted her head away.

The driver pulled them up outside a gorgeous old apartment building with a fancy awning entrance.

Jenny tapped the required keys on her phone to authorize the payment and sent a mental apology to her bank for the extra hit on her almost-maxed credit card. Then she nudged Olivia. “Hey, we’re here.”

Olivia lifted her head, her eyes droopy. “’Kay.” She fumbled with the seatbelt but managed to get it undone.

“Come on, out this side.” Jenny held out her hand. “I’ve got you.”

When Olivia’s warm hand connected with hers, she pushed back the shivery sensation that wanted to run rampant down her spine. Jenny linked their fingers and scooted across the seat to open the door, tugging Olivia behind her.

Amazingly—and without any bumps, trips, or falls—she managed to navigate the pair of them out the cab and onto the sidewalk.

“Good evening, Mrs. Sinclair,” the doorman said as they walked the few steps to the entrance.

“Hey, Marcus!” Olivia attempted to offer her free hand for a high five but only managed to raise it as far as the tall man’s waist.

Marcus’s eyes widened, then he looked at Jenny. “Is she okay?”

Jenny gave him a smile. “A