HEAL YOU | JENLISA

TWENTY

LISA

* * *

MONDAY MORNING, MY ALARM WAKES ME UP AT THE REGULAR time. After shutting it off, I immediately check for text messages. I don’t have any. I rub my face and sigh. Knowing Jennie, she didn’t want to bother me.

She doesn’t understand yet that I want her to bother me.

But I’ll do my best to help her understand. Toward that end, I quickly type out a message: Hey, just woke up. How are you? How’s your dad?

She doesn’t respond right away—I don’t expect her to—but my bed, my whole goddamn apartment, feels enormous and sterile. I want to wake up with her next to me. I want to continue where we left off yesterday.

Thinking about what we did, the sounds she made, the way she called my name when she got close, makes me instantly hard, and it feels completely normal when I lower my boxers and grip myself in my hand as thoughts of Jennie fill my head. Just remembering the way she looked as she searched under the couch for her phone, wearing nothing but my T-shirt, makes me groan out loud. I fantasize about what I would have done if circumstances were different, things like putting my mouth on her and making her come on my tongue, then pulling her hips back and pushing myself deep into—

My phone dings loudly, and I yank my hand away, pressing my palm against the cool sheets as my lungs heave. When I can string two thoughts together, I pick up my phone and read her message: I’m okay. My dad is the same as yesterday. My sister just got here from NYC, and things are really hectic.

I throw my head back and stare up at the ceiling, all sexy thoughts banished from my mind. Is there anything I can do?

Not really, but thank you for asking, she says, and her next message is a red heart.

It’s super pathetic of me, but I fucking love getting hearts from Jennie.

Because I’m crazy about her, I send her a heart of my own, followed by Do you want me to come see you?

It’s probably better if you don’t for now, she replies.

Okay. Just let me know, I say.

I will. Thank you. I have to go, she texts, and I know that’s the last that I’ll hear from her in a while.

It doesn’t feel right to me that she’s going through hard times and I can’t be there with her, but I get it. This is a family time, and I’m not part of her family. Based on the way her mom looked at me, I have a long road ahead of me if I want to be accepted by the people in her life. I’ve always had a take-it-or-leave-it attitude when it comes to people, meaning if they don’t like what they see, they can fuck off. But this is Jennie’s mom. I have to make an effort and figure this out, even if it’s uncomfortable and frustrating and goes against who I am.

Jennie cares, so I care.

In good news, I have an inbox full of emails relating to the possible acquisition by LVMH and a meeting today with all the lawyers. I’ve been trying to keep my head cool, but things are getting real. My gut tells me this is going to happen. It’ll be the culmination of years of hard work and the start of a new phase of my partnership with Michael. We’re going to take over the world together. And I’m going to make a shitload of money in the process.

That won’t hurt when it comes to Jennie’s mom. If I’m rich enough, I know that woman will respect me. It won’t matter what I look like or where I went to school or how I sound when I talk or what’s left of my body.

I’m going to be good enough for her daughter.