Heart Trouble

by Jae

  Jill’s lightly freckled nose wrinkled as she grinned. “Yeah, two pounds of film makeup will do that to you. But I’m a lot cuter in real life.”

  With her red hair styled in a sassy pixie cut and her twinkling green eyes, Laleh’s friend was indeed cute. If she’d been single, Jordan would have tried to get her number; that much was sure.

  A few minutes later, someone from the TV show’s crew waved to the camera operators. “Stand by, guys. We’ll be shooting in a minute.”

  Jill, who had been talking and laughing with them, sobered immediately.

  Without saying anything, Laleh took her arm as they waited behind the barricades that closed off the area.

  Hope could have probably sensed Laleh’s tension even without their connection. She had to be worried about her friend. “Why aren’t they computer-generating this?” Hope asked. Admittedly, she had a small adrenaline-loving streak herself, but hitting a ramp at sixty miles per hour to flip over a car seemed a little extreme.

  “The director wants the scene to have a more down-to-earth feel,” Jill said. “Don’t worry. They have been preparing for this stunt for weeks. The car has a roll cage, and Crash is really good at this. She must have done hundreds of car crashes during her career. That’s how she earned her nickname.”

  Hope eyed her profile. Was she really as calm as she sounded, or was she making good use of her acting skills to appear unworried? If it were Laleh risking her life, Hope knew she would be a nervous wreck.

  As if sensing her thoughts, Laleh made eye contact and gave her a reassuring nod.

  “Ready?” a salt-and-pepper-haired man spoke into his walkie-talkie. “Three, two, one…action!”

  From half a mile away, a car hurtled toward them. As it got closer, Hope recognized it as a black Aston Martin.

  They were going to destroy that car? No!

  But then the car steered toward a narrow ramp, and Hope forgot her concern for the expensive vehicle. The twenty-foot-long, triangular ramp couldn’t be wider than a few inches. If Crash hit it an inch too much to the left or right or miscalculated her speed, she would crash and burn…literally.

  Hope peered at Jill, who gripped the barricade separating her from Crash, her knuckles bone white.

  Next to her, Laleh was as tense as a coiled spring.

  Hope put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed gently. Immediately, a wave of gratefulness hit her, and Laleh put her hand over Hope’s.

  The camera truck racing alongside the Aston Martin swerved to the side, drawing Hope’s attention back toward the stunt.

  The car raced up the ramp with the two right-side wheels, and then it was airborne. It twisted in midair. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Metal screeched as it landed on its roof and then flipped over twice, sending parts of the bumper flying. Finally, the Aston Martin landed back on its wheels. It bounced twice and then stood still. Silence descended on the set.

  Hope held her breath and gripped the barricade too.

  A fire crew with extinguishers rushed toward the mangled car.

  Nothing moved inside of the Aston Martin.

  Two men pried open the dented driver’s side door.

  Hope shifted her weight forward, prepared to jump the barricade and run over to help, even though a medical team was standing by.

  “She’s fine. She’s fine,” Jill repeated the words like an incantation.

  The crew surrounding the driver’s side backed away, parting like the Red Sea for Moses.

  Slowly, Crash emerged from the wrecked car, wearing a black helmet, padded clothing, and some kind of harness. She raised a gloved hand in a thumbs-up gesture.

  For a second, Hope thought she was signaling the director, who jumped up and down as if he had just become the father of twins. But then Crash took off her helmet, revealing short, tousled black hair. She wasn’t looking at the director; she had eyes only for Jill.

  “You nailed it,” Jill whispered, even though Crash couldn’t hear her. Her grin was back, and she looked as if she hadn’t been worried even for a second. “I knew it.”

  Laleh’s tension evaporated, finally allowing Hope to relax too.

  “That was…wow.” Laleh shook her head. “Thanks for arranging things so we could watch.”

  Jill beamed with pride. “I’m sure Crash would love to tell you all the details about the stunt, but it’ll be a while before she can join us. She’ll have to get checked out by the set medic, just to make sure.”

  “Um, is there a restroom I could use while we wait for Crash?” Laleh asked.

  “Of course. We’ve got a porta-potty back there.” Jill pointed to the other side of the parking lot, where a couple of white trailers were parked.

  “Thanks,” Laleh said. “Be right back.”

  Hope blinked. “Wait! I can go with you if you want.” While she didn’t need to go, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Laleh. She also didn’t want to be left behind, alone with Laleh’s friend. She could do without the inevitable grilling that usually took place in situations like this.

  Laughing, Jill looked from her to Laleh and back. “It’s not big enough for an on-set quickie, believe me.”

  A blush dusted Laleh’s cheeks.

  Hope wanted to banter right back and ask if Jill was speaking from firsthand experience, but she didn’t know her well enough to do that. It seemed she would have to stay where she was.

  “Go,” Jill said to Laleh. “I’ll keep Hope company.”

  “Um…” Laleh glanced back and forth between her and Jill.

  Hope sensed that she was as reluctant to leave them alone. Somehow, that eased her own tension. “Don’t worry. We won’t gossip about you.”

  “Too much,” Jill added.

  Laleh shook her head at them and gave Hope a peck on the cheek before walking off in the direction Jill had indicated.

  Hope felt Jill’s gaze on her. Alone with Laleh’s friend for the first time, she looked around for something to talk about.

  “So,” Jill said.

  “So,” Hope repeated. “Can I ask you a question?” It was better to take the initiative than to wait until Jill did.

  “Sure.”

  Dozens of thoughts raced through Hope as she sorted through the many things that had been going through her mind lately. When she opened her mouth, what came out was, “How do you live knowing you could lose your girlfriend in the blink of an eye?”

  They stared at each other.

  Hope pressed her lips together and gave herself a mental slap. “I’m sorry. Not exactly an appropriate topic of conversation, considering we only just met.”

  A small smile darted across Jill’s face. “Well, I’m used to doctors not having the best social skills.”

  “Hey!”

  Jill laughed before sobering. “I’ll answer your question if you’ll answer one of mine.”

  Shit. Hope hated being put on the spot like this, but she didn’t want Jill to think she had something to hide, so she nodded.

  “I don’t know how much Laleh has told you about me or what you read about me in the tabloids,” Jill said. “But just in case you don’t know already… I have MS.”

  Hope clutched the barricade next to her with one hand. What was she supposed to say to that? I’m sorry? She was, but a woman like Jill probably didn’t want her to feel sorry for her, so she said, “I know.”

  “If that has taught me one thing, it’s that life doesn’t come with guarantees. I could end up in a wheelchair within the next few years…or heat up the dance floor on my eightieth birthday. Crash could get hurt during a stunt.” Jill squeezed her eyes shut and added in a whisper, “Or killed.” She opened her eyes and looked right into Hope’s. “Or she could be the one dancing a sexy salsa with me when we’re eighty. She wants that as much as I do, so I know she won’t take stupid risks.”

  “And that’s enough for you?” Hope asked before she could censor herself.

  “A year ago, it wasn’t. But I learned that
I can’t let my fears stop me from living my life…or from loving Crash.”

  Hope couldn’t help admiring her. She had a feeling that Jill had struggled with this. Putting her trust in fate had probably been as much an act of courage for her as it had been for Crash to drive the Aston Martin up a pipe ramp.

  “Does that answer your question?” Jill asked.

  “Yeah.” Not all of the questions that were buzzing around her head, but she’d have to figure out the rest herself.

  “Great. So now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

  Trying not to stiffen, Hope nodded. What the hell was taking Laleh so long? Shouldn’t she be back by now? She looked around, but there was no sign of her. It seemed she couldn’t escape Jill’s question.

  Jill studied her for a few moments. “You’re not just asking because you’re curious, are you? This is about you and Laleh. You’re afraid of losing her.”

  Was she that transparent all of a sudden? Hope didn’t like the feeling. She looked away, to where Laleh had disappeared. “Maybe.”

  Jill put her hand on Hope’s forearm for a second. “Laleh told me about your connection, so I know the situation is a little…okay, a lot…unusual.”

  Laleh had told her? Hope stared at her and struggled against the urge to withdraw her arm from Jill. Why hadn’t Laleh asked—or at least warned—her before she told Jill about their link? It made her feel exposed.

  But at least Jill didn’t seem to think they were crazy.

  “Unusual,” Hope repeated and let out a snort. “That’s an understatement of epic proportions.”

  “It is. So it’s no wonder that Laleh is pretty confused. But she’s not the running type.”

  Hope wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that this one thing in her life would be different from all the rest that hadn’t lasted. But Laleh had already run once, right after their first kiss. But she came back, a quiet voice in her head piped up.

  Just when the silence started to become uncomfortable, Laleh returned, with Crash in tow. “Look who I found!”

  The stuntwoman had changed into jeans and a T-shirt. As she shook Hope’s hand, Crash seemed to vibrate with energy, probably because adrenaline was still rushing through her. But as she stepped back and came to stand next to Jill, she instantly calmed.

  Jill wrapped both arms around Crash’s waist and pressed against her side, while Crash settled one arm around her shoulders. Their bodies seemed to gravitate toward each other.

  Hope watched them as she listened to Crash explain the stunt. She wanted this casual intimacy with Laleh, being able to hug her and kiss her without caring whether the entire world was watching, including Laleh’s family. But would Laleh ever be ready to come out to her relatives?

  “Are you okay?” Laleh whispered to her.

  Hope tried to shake herself out of her pessimistic thoughts and forced a smile. “I’m not the one who just risked her life.” Just my heart, that annoying voice in her head added. She silenced it immediately.

  Laleh looked at her. So much concern and affection for her filtered through their link that Hope’s doubts wavered.

  When Laleh reached out, slid her hand into Hope’s, and squeezed, it felt like a gust of warm summer wind blowing the dark clouds away from the sun.

  She squeezed back. They would get there. Eventually. Hopefully.

  CHAPTER 24

  Jordan chugged down half of her beer before setting the mug back on the table. “Aah. That hit the spot.”

  “What’s the matter, old woman?” Hope grinned at her over the rim of her own mug. “Did I run you ragged on the squash court?”

  “You wish. But you really should save some of your stamina for Laleh, you know?”

  Hope said nothing, unwilling to discuss their sex life—or the lack thereof—with Jordan.

  Luckily, the waitress distracted Jordan as she leaned between them and set down a huge plate of chicken wings.

  Jordan’s gaze followed the pretty woman as she walked away.

  Incorrigible. Hope shook her head. But then again, women never seemed to mind, even the straight ones. And she wasn’t too proud to benefit from her friend’s success with women. Jordan might actually be able to give her some advice. “What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?”

  Jordan paused with a chicken wing halfway to her mouth. “Valentine’s Day?”

  “Yeah, you know, the day of love, cheap chocolate, and sappy cards.”

  Jordan laughed, dipped her wing in red sauce, and took a big bite. Once she had swallowed, she said, “Guess you don’t like the holiday, do you?”

  Hope shrugged. “It always seemed pretty forced to me. I mean, I usually went through all the motions, sending flowers and the whole nine yards, because I knew it was expected of me. But I never worked hard to do something special for any of my girlfriends.”

  “But now you want to?”

  “Um, yeah.” For the first time in her life, she wanted to do everything right; she just didn’t know how to go about it without making it seem as if she were doing what she’d always done: just going through the motions.

  Hope looked away and dipped her own chicken wing into the sauce. She started chewing, then froze. Heat spread along her tongue. Her entire mouth felt as if it were on fire. Sweat broke out all over her body. Gasping, she grabbed for her beer and took a swig, but that only increased the burning. “God. How can you eat that?”

  With a wink, Jordan dipped another wing into the red sauce. “What can I say? I like it hot.”

  “That’s not hot. That’s blistering!” She fanned herself with one hand and ate the rest of her wing without the sauce. “So? Any advice?” she asked once the burning receded. “Where would you take a woman for Valentine’s Day?”

  “To bed,” Jordan said around her chicken wing.

  Hope threw her crumpled-up napkin at her. “Come on. Be serious.”

  “I’m dead serious. I’ve always avoided doing something special on Valentine’s Day because if you do… Well, it comes with certain implications. I love romancing a woman, but I stick to the other three hundred sixty-four days.”

  “But suppose you met someone you wanted to romance all three hundred sixty-five days of the year, including Valentine’s Day. What would you do?”

  “Shoot myself,” Jordan mumbled. She threw the chicken bones onto her plate. “Seriously, I love my freedom too much, so why don’t we give up this imaginary scenario and focus on what you really want to know?”

  “Okay.” Hope took another swig of her beer. “I want to do something special for Laleh, but I have no idea what. I mean, taking her to a nice restaurant would be the obvious choice, but she works in the food business, so I don’t know how special that would be for her.”

  Jordan wiped her hands on her napkin and seemed to give it some serious thought. “How about a weekend getaway? Maybe a romantic, remote cabin… One that comes with a fireplace and a hot tub. Just you and her—bathing suits optional.”

  Oh my God, that sounded good. Oh yeah. Especially that hot-tub scenario, her libido supplied. She ignored it. “Do you know a place like that?”

  Jordan nodded. “Normally, this close to V-Day, the cabins will be all booked, but I know people who know people. Want me to set something up for you?”

  “That would be great. Thank you. I appreciate it.” And so would Laleh, she hoped.

  * * *

  Laleh shifted her feet on the coffee table. Her toes brushed Hope’s, who instantly started a little game, trailing her big toe along Laleh’s instep.

  Delicious tingles shivered up her body. They didn’t exactly calm her restlessness. What the heck was up with her today? She couldn’t even focus on her favorite TV show. Instead of lounging on the couch, she felt like jumping up and pacing Hope’s condo.

  Jeez, this was maddening. She wasn’t even sure where it was coming from.

  Then the penny dropped.

  Hope! She looked over at her.

  Hope seemed to be absorb
ed in the TV show, but when Laleh looked more closely, she realized that Hope’s gaze was unfocused and she wasn’t reacting to anything happening on the screen. Nervous energy rolled off her in waves.

  Laleh reached for the remote control and pressed the stop button.

  The TV screen went blank, interrupting one of the characters in the middle of killing yet another zombie.

  Hope turned away from the screen. “Hey! The episode isn’t over yet.”

  “No, but neither of us was really watching anyway.” Laleh turned on the couch so that she was facing Hope. “You know, I thought we had the kind of relationship where you can tell me when something’s bothering you.”

  “Nothing is bo—” Hope snapped her mouth shut and gave her a sheepish smile. “I really have to get better at this not-faking-it thing, don’t I?”

  “Yes, you do.” Laleh reached out and caressed her cheek.

  Hope closed her eyes at the touch, and Laleh’s followed suit, allowing her to focus on the sensation even more. So soft. Would Hope’s skin feel like this everywhere? Sometimes, she wanted to find out so, so badly, but was she ready for that? Well, her body certainly was.

  She opened her eyes and took her hand away so she could focus on the conversation. “What’s going on with you? You’re as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”

  Hope chuckled, but even that sounded nervous. “God, I can’t even do this right. I wanted to surprise you with something next week, but…”

  Next week? Was she talking about Valentine’s Day? Instantly, Laleh’s stomach clenched, and this time, she was fairly sure that the nervousness was her own. She had wanted to take the evening off on Valentine’s Day so she could cook a nice dinner for Hope, but then she had found out that Hope was working, so she had thought she might not be a fan of the holiday.