Bridesmaid Lotto (USA Today bestselling author)

Chapter 21

"Okay, I talked to Gary, now you have to talk to Jake," Mattie said, coming back into the living room.

"What? Are you nuts? He called you. That totally doesn't count."

He gasped and put his hand on his hip. "It totally does so."

"And even if it did, how do you suppose I would talk to him anyway? Remember, I don't have his number."

"Email him."

I sighed. "Mattie, don't you think there's a reason that I don't have his number? He's had about a million chances to give it to me, and he hasn't."

"Email him," he said more urgently this time.

"Why? What's the difference? I'm leaving anyway."

"Oh please, he's Jake Hall. It doesn't matter where you live. He has the money to go where ever. Just email him."

I finally opened my laptop, hoping that I could somehow distract Mattie before I actually had to send the email. My mind was racing, trying to come up with something to get him thinking about something else. Then I saw it. jakehall@aol.com.

"It looks like he sent something to me."

"Open it!" Mattie yelled as frantically as if he'd said the word earthquake instead.

I looked at him. "Do you mind giving a girl a minute? Geez Mattie, I'm a little nervous here, you know."

"Sorry," he said and pretended to busy himself, shuffling things around on my table. But I knew the waiting was killing him.

I took a deep breath and clicked on the message.

Hey Josie,

The news guys gave me a copy of the paper. I am so, so sorry that all this has happened to you. I feel completely responsible. If it hadn't been for all this stupid Bridesmaid stuff, you'd still be happily at your job, and happily unknown to the general public.

But, I do think that your Diary stuff was really funny. Honestly, it made me like you even more. And I already liked you a lot.

Anyway, if you're up to it, please give me a call. I'd love to talk to you. But I'd understand if you don't want to, since I pretty much ruined your life.

Jake.

He left his phone number at the bottom of the email.

"Aw, see? He still loves you. He thinks it's his fault." I hadn't even realized that Mattie had been reading over my shoulder. "And look, there you go. His phone number."

I nodded. I couldn't quite believe Jake was blaming himself for the whole mess. I certainly didn't think it was his fault. My mother's? Maybe. Calla's? Maybe. Mine? Yeah, a definite maybe. But not Jake's. Definitely not Jake's.

I had to call him. "I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life," I said.

"I know. I finally realize why people are so nervous to call people now. Now that I've found someone that actually matters to me."

I was nodding. "What if I make an ass of myself?"

"More than the Disaster Diary?" he asked.

I shoved him. Harder than I should have. I think there was some residual adrenaline flowing and I hadn't realized my own strength. He fell back, luckily onto the couch.

He gave me a look resembling a cross between amusement and anger.

"Oops, sorry," I said.

He just shook his head a little. "Would you please just call him already?" he finally said.