A Fake Marriage ( Jenlisa ) (Gip )

Part 13

L

I was working at my desk in my room when I realized that Jennie was in the house, late at night a few days after I'd driven out to see her. I was wearing sweatpants, which is to say that I was innocently shirtless, and hadn't even heard her when she got in. I hadn't received a call or text from her since I'd left her hotel room, and made good on my promise to wait until she was ready to talk, even though I knew they had the wrap party for the film last night. I mostly trusted that she wouldn't get drunk and straddle Kai or anyone else.

I checked my phone to see if she'd announced her presence at all, and indeed, she had texted a link to a short video of a gleefully excited yellow lab puppy running and tumbling down a flight of carpeted stairs to greet the person filming it. I would have liked to think that it meant she was that excited to see me, but I knew immediately that she was using my trick, and what would follow was going to be less than good news.

Her bedroom door was closed, and when she came out and saw me in the kitchen, that now-familiar How Dare You Be Only Sports-Bra In My Presence look flashed across her face before being replaced by a look of studied composure. I watched her take a deep breath and saw her lips form the words: "Here we go."

"Hello," she said to me, perfunctorily. "Good to see you."

"Hello," I replied, matching her tone and manner. "It is good to see you too. Thank you for the video."

"You are welcome." She didn't move from her bedroom doorframe. She clenched her fists and looked as though she was preparing to launch into a big speech, so I didn't say anything for a bit. After about twenty seconds, it had become clear to me that she wasn't going to speak yet, so I tried to assuage her by bringing up a neutral topic, from a safe distance.

"So, I was at a conference thing all day today, but yesterday I set something up on the back deck, and I must say, coming home to lay in it for a few minutes was pretty great. Care to give it a try?" I used the app on my phone to turn on the deck lights, which now illuminated the optional hammock that I had installed out there. It hung between the house and a sturdy pole with hooks, so the hammock could be easily removed to make room for chairs.

She gasped and walked over to the patio doors for a closer look, seeming genuinely impressed, but also sad.

"Wow. You did it. Very clever use of space. Well done."

"Get on in it, I can bring you out a drink."

"I'd love to. But another time. I...actually just came to get some things."

I did not like the sound of that, but I maintained my casual stance and let her continue.

"I'm going to stay at Jisoo and Bobby's until I've finished breaking down the film set, and then I plan to start looking for my own place when I have time. It shouldn't take too long." She finally looked back at me, for a reaction.

"I just don't see why you need to do that. Or why you'd want to. You can't afford your own place without a roommate."

"I can. A small one. In Pasadena, or Burbank."

"You would live in Burbank just to get away from me?" I slowly made my way out of the kitchen and leaned against the counter on the dining area side.

"I like Burbank. It reminds me of the rest of America."

"Can you even afford a nice place in Burbank? I'm not being a dick, I'm really asking. I haven't looked into rental units in the Valley for a while."

"I can make any place nice. And yeah, I have some jobs lined-up. Bobby referred me to his colleagues at his architecture firm. I have gigs coming up styling houses for photo spreads, and a real estate staging job."