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

an application. Martina wants to close this one out quickly. You noticed the submission deadline?”

“I did. Tomorrow.”

“Exactly. I suggest you spend a bit of time thinking about what to say, include as many examples of your ideas as possible, then get that application in. Okay?”

Jenny exhaled a slow breath. “Sounds good.”

“Good luck.”

Jenny left Harper’s office on shaky knees. Am I actually going to do this? It was all so sudden, but it all felt so right. Well, Adrienne said I needed to own change, rather than it owning me. So, here I go.

When Olivia rang Jenny’s doorbell later that evening, Jenny couldn’t help the excitement that coursed through her. They had the apartment to themselves, as Carl was at Solomon’s once again. And that meant they had plenty of opportunity to talk—and other things. Her skin goose bumped at what those other things might involve. “Hey!” she said as she opened the door.

“Hello.” Olivia gave her a sultry smile that made Jenny’s hands tremble. Every damn time.

Olivia stepped in, Jenny shut the door, and they were off. Olivia pushed Jenny against the door and kissed her fiercely. She pushed her hands under Jenny’s sweater and across the skin of her stomach. “Missed seeing you today.” Olivia’s voice was muffled against Jenny’s neck, where she’d moved her lips to nuzzle against the super-sensitive patch of skin just below Jenny’s ear.

“You…saw me…this morning.” I’m not sure we’re going to get to the news about the job. Or even to the bedroom.

Olivia chuckled. “You know what I mean.”

“Uh-huh.”

Olivia’s mouth traveled back to Jenny’s lips and she kissed her passionately once more. Then she released her and stepped back. “Hello.”

Jenny laughed. “Hi. Again.” She shook her head to try to free herself from the haze that one of Olivia’s kisses always seemed to induce. “Want a drink?”

“I’d love a peppermint tea.”

“Coming right up.”

Peppermint tea was something neither she nor Carl ever drank in this apartment, but now there was a stock of teabags in the cupboard for whenever Olivia visited.

Jenny loved that; she loved that there were now pieces of her life at Olivia’s and vice versa. And she loved the fact that Olivia seemed totally comfortable slumming it in Brooklyn, in this cute but shabby apartment Jenny knew didn’t remotely compare to the one Olivia shared with Broderick.

After making Olivia’s tea, she joined her on the couch, and they took each other’s hands straight away.

“How was your afternoon?” Jenny asked by way of leading into the conversation she actually wanted to have. She was glad the make out session at the door hadn’t progressed; she was too wired from everything that had happened in relation to the marketing job and needed to get that out of her system before she could entertain naked thoughts.

“It had its moments.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “I can honestly say, if I don’t get Derek’s old job, I’m definitely looking for a new place to work.”

“Uh-oh, who poked the beast today?”

Olivia laughed. “Most people. But I don’t want to talk about that. How was your day?”

“Well, it’s funny you should ask.” Jenny turned in her seat so she didn’t have to crank her neck to gaze at her girlfriend. “I applied for a new job.”

Olivia’s eyebrows rose. “A new job?”

Jenny nodded.

A nerve twitched in Olivia’s left cheek. “How long have you been planning that?” There was an edge to her tone that made alarm bells ring in Jenny’s head.

She scooted closer to Olivia and took her hand. “Don’t be angry. This isn’t something I left you out of, okay?”

Olivia tilted her head. “It isn’t?” She still sounded hurt.

“No. I literally woke up this morning thinking it was probably time to start looking for something new. Then the staff vacancies email arrived at lunchtime and there was a job there that sounded great, and it’s a brilliant chance for me to break out into a new direction.”

Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “Wait, that marketing job?”

“Yes!”

“Oh, wow. You’re going for it?” Olivia’s annoyance had transformed into awe and delight.

“I am. I went to speak with Harper to see how realistic it was. She seemed unsure until I told her it was my idea to change Catwalk, and then she was all encouraging. So, I did it. I called Adrienne and she wrote me an amazing reference, then I put together a two-page document all about Catwalk and a couple other things I’ve done recently. And then I sent it off.” Her heart pounded all over again just telling Olivia about it—it had been a whirlwind of an afternoon.

“Oh my God!” Olivia pulled Jenny into her arms and squeezed her tight. “This is fantastic.”

Jenny’s throat closed; Olivia’s joy and support meant the world. “Thank you.”

“You’re amazing, and I’m so, so proud of you.” Olivia pulled back to gaze into Jenny’s eyes.

The love and pride in those hazel eyes made Jenny’s breath catch.

“And you must be a top candidate for that job. They’d be complete fools not to take you on, purely based on what you did with Catwalk. Just think what you could do with free rein!” Olivia’s eyes shone, and her smile was intensely bright.

“You’re gonna make me cry.” Jenny’s cheeks flamed with the praise.

Olivia tugged her back into her arms. “You, my love, are going to have to get used to me talking you up.” She kissed Jenny. “I know you’re an amazing person, and I can’t wait for all those other people to see that too.”

Not knowing what to say to that, Jenny simply nuzzled against Olivia’s neck and held on tight. Wrapped up in Olivia’s arms, with Olivia’s body pressed against hers and her words still fresh in her mind, Jenny knew she was exactly where she was meant to be. That what they shared was everything she’d ever dreamed of having in a relationship.

It wasn’t perfect; nothing ever was. But she’d never had a future that looked so bright, and it was all because of Olivia. It wasn’t all Olivia’s doing—Jenny had contributed just as