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She decided not to be sad anymore.

How she felt about Jo didn’t matter. Neither did how Jo felt about her. Emma was smart and capable, and she knew what she wanted to do. Tuesday she’d be shadowing an accomplished director, taking steps toward her new career. Jo had set that up, yeah, but it didn’t matter why. If Jo needed her to do well so Jo herself looked good, who cared? The means to success weren’t as important as the ends.

And Barry Davis was a great means to Emma’s success anyway. Emma tried not to fangirl, and she was usually pretty successful at it. She’d dealt with so many famous and powerful people as Jo’s assistant that it was easy to remember that everyone was just a person. But Barry Davis was an Oscar nominee who had directed some of Emma’s absolute favorite movies. The thought of getting to see him in action wasthrilling, even if he was just a person. He was an incredibly talented person, and Emma couldn’t wait to see him work. Better still, she got to shadow him.

She was actually looking forward to the workweek by the time she got back to her apartment. Her shower was refreshing, and she smiled as her phone buzzed with a text from Phil.

Is your girlfriend cheating on you?!

There was a shocked emoji and a link to a TMZ story. Emma tried to hold on to her good mood, but its tendrils slipped through her fingers. She clicked the link.

JO JONES AND SAM ALLEN:

REUNION OR ROMANCE?

There were pictures of Jo and a former costar. Emma of all people should have known better than to judge a relationship based on pictures, but they sure seemed cozy, first leaving a restaurant together and then sitting on the same side of a booth in a coffee shop. Jo’s eyes sparkled. Her smile was wide. Whether she was dating the guy or not, she certainly hadn’t spent her weekend worried about how Emma might be feeling.

Emma locked her phone and climbed back into bed. It wasn’t worth crying over, but Emma cried anyway.

—

As Emma stepped outof her apartment building Monday morning, she heard shutters click. Paparazzi. The first time they’d been around since before hiatus. Of course it was the week after Jo had been seen out with someone else. Emma probably looked exhausted, and she hadn’t expected the cameras, so she was grimacing. It was going to be an all-around terrible photo. It would look like she’d just been broken up with.

Just like there had been on Friday, there was an iced chai waiting for her when she picked up Jo’s coffee. She hadn’t taken it then, but she did today. She could be mad and enjoy a free drink at the same time.

Just like she had on Friday, she slid Jo’s coffee across her desk when Jo got in without bothering to look up.

Just like she had on Friday, Jo stopped beside Emma’s desk after picking up her coffee.

This time, she actually had something to say.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” she said. Emma’s pulse shot up. “I should have told you I was spending time with Avery.”

Emma looked up at her. That was apparently the end of her apology.

“Okay,” Emma said.

“Okay?”

Jo admitted she did something she shouldn’t have. That had no effect on Emma.

“Just because you apologize doesn’t mean I’m not still hurt,” Emma said. Her voice wavered, but she held eye contact. “Just because you apologize doesn’t mean you suddenly have my trust again.”

Jo’s face fell so much, Emma almost took her words back. Her boss lookedcrushed, and Emma hated it. But she was right. Hurt didn’t go away with an apology. And trust was earned. Emma deserved to be treated better.

“I understand,” Jo said quietly. “I hope you’ll let me earn your trust back.”

“That’s really up to you,” Emma said.

She wasn’t quite sure where the steel in her blood had come from. Jo probably didn’t know, either. She probably expected to be easily forgiven and they’d move on. She didn’t look prepared forEmma to actually stand up for herself. Jo opened her mouth, but Emma didn’t want to give her a chance to try to further apologize.

“Everything is ready for Barry Davis’s visit tomorrow,” Emma said. “I appreciate you letting me go for the day so I can learn from him.”

She did. She knew it was all business, and that was fine. She could be professional.

Jo nodded, head hanging like there was an albatross around her neck.

“I hope it goes well,” she said, and disappeared into her office.