Page 27 of At the Heart of It (The Can’t Have Hearts Club #4)

“So Jonah,” she said. “The network folks made another request today.”

“They want me to do the show shirtless?” He grunted again and blew on the coffee. “Yeah, they already called and asked.”

“What?” Viv blinked, then laughed. “Oh, you’re kidding? Right, of course.”

Actually, he wasn’t kidding, but there was no point detailing his phone conversation with Chase Whitfield. Man, that guy was a piece of work.

But that didn’t seem to be why Viv had tracked him down.

He didn’t really give a shit about shooting some B-roll of him working out in the little gym he’d built at the bookstore.

Free publicity for Cornucopia Books was never a bad thing, plus the network had agreed to pay Beth to run the shop on days Jonah was filming. He felt like he owed them.

“Anyway,” Viv said. “The network wants to do an arced storyline.”

“A what?”

“An arced storyline,” she repeated. “It’s where there’s a story that carries through the whole season of episodes. Some little thread that ties everything together.”

“You mean besides the fact that both of us are in every episode?”

“That’s the starting point, of course,” she said. “But it would be something more than that. Something more—personal.”

“More personal than having cameras stuck in our faces for ten hours a day?”

Viv took a sip of her tea and gave Jonah a look of practiced patience. “They want to focus on some element of our story,” she said. “You and me.”

“You and me.” The words came out flat, and Jonah wasn’t sure why he felt the need to repeat them. To hear them land in the middle of the table with a dull thud.

Viv pretended not to notice. “Exactly. For instance, say one of us were involved in a new romance. The producers might chronicle how that unfolded, maybe explore each spouse’s emotional reactions to the new development.”

Jonah felt a pang of alarm, but willed himself not to react.

Had Viv picked up on something between him and Kate?

Maybe caught a lingering glance between them, or noticed the way Kate smiled and rolled her eyes when the makeup girl swooped in for the third time to powder his face and rest one of her silicone-enhanced breasts on his shoulder.

Jonah gripped his mug a little tighter and tried not picture Kate’s face. Or her bare leg, disappearing into a delicious froth of bathtub suds. Or the kiss in Ashland, or the one at the bookstore, or the kiss at his place?—

Christ. How many times had they kissed?

Too many for two people who’d pledged not to do it at all.

Not enough, considering how much he wanted to do it again.

Jonah looked at his ex-wife and focused very, very hard on not blinking.

“I’m not seeing anyone,” he said slowly. “Are you?”

“No!” She brought her hand down on the table a little too quickly, sending a teaspoon clattering against her saucer. “I’m not. I’m not dating anyone at all.”

“Okay, then,” he said slowly. “You think one of us should start Internet dating or something?”

“There’s an interesting idea.” She picked up her tea and blew on it, then took a cautious sip. “I suppose I could float that out there with the producers. One of us joining a professional online dating network or something.”

“How about if we make it you?” Jonah said, already regretting having broached the subject. “I don’t think I’m really cut out for Internet dating. It all seems like too much exhibitionist bullshit for my taste.”

Viv cocked her head to the side and studied him. “Says the man who walks dogs with his shirt off?”

“Not the same thing,” Jonah said. “That’s for a good cause. Gets people through the door and looking at adoptable pets.”

“Of course, I understand.” She looked at him over the rim of her mug. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Maybe there could be some storyline about your shirtless dog-walking duties and all the women you attract.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Really? I thought you’d want to bring the attention to the shelter. Maybe generate donations for Jossy’s cause or more interest in adoptable animals.”

Hell. He hadn’t thought of it like that. “I guess. Maybe.” He made a mental note to talk to Kate about it. Maybe that could be a way to help Jossy and the shelter without having to fight her to take money from him directly.

“This is wonderful!” Viv smiled. “Let’s keep brainstorming. I like the way this is going.”

Jonah didn’t particularly, but he refrained from saying so. “You mentioned something about remodeling your upstairs bathroom. Maybe they could focus on that.”

“Hmm. Yes. I think they’re looking for something a little more personal .”

Of course they were. Jonah knew it already, but he’d hoped Viv might take the bait. Might be happy with the prospect of something that put more focus on her. It was her damn show, after all.

“What if we spent some time analyzing what went wrong in our own marriage,” Viv said. “Maybe some clips where we each reflect on the role we played in the breakdown of our relationship. I know I have plenty of regrets. Plenty of mistakes I could own.”

Jonah looked at her, wondering if he was supposed to say the same thing. It was true, but was there any benefit to rehashing that now? “Sure,” he said. “I know I fucked up plenty.”

“So maybe that’s a way we could lend some personal insights to the couples we’re helping,” she said. “A way of sharing from our own experiences.”

Jonah frowned, but didn’t reply right away. He didn’t like the idea of tossing out all his dirty laundry for the camera. That’s not what he signed on for, dammit.

Then again, she had a point. He’d learned a few things through the unraveling of his marriage and the whole messy process of divorce. If that could be useful to someone else, maybe he owed it to the world to keep some other poor schmuck from tanking his relationship.

“Maybe,” he said slowly. “I guess I’d be willing to consider it.”

“Wonderful!” Viv beamed at him and Jonah felt like a student who’d just aced an algebra quiz. “I’ll add that to the list they’re sending the network director.”

“Sure,” he muttered, ready for this conversation to be over. “Whatever you want.”

Her brows lifted a fraction of an inch, and she tilted her head to the side. “So overall, you’d say you’re fairly open?”

“I don’t know.” He looked at her, not sure why he felt leery all of a sudden. “I guess I’d want to know about it beforehand, whatever they decide.”

“Of course.”

“And if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather the story be more focused on you than me.”

Viv laced her fingers together on the table and nodded. “That’s good feedback.” She stared at him a moment longer, then unlaced her fingers to reach for her tea again.

Jonah glanced down at his own mug, surprised to see he’d already drained it.

He hadn’t touched the muffin, but his stomach wasn’t feeling up to it anymore.

Would there someday be a point where being around Viv wouldn’t make him feel this way?

Like someone grabbed hold of one of his testicles between a cold thumb and forefinger, not pinching, but not letting go either.

Like he was waiting for the ache that may or may not happen.

He stood up too quickly, banging his knee on the table. “If we’re just about done here, I should probably run,” he said. “I’ve got some stuff to do at the store.”

“I understand.” Viv smiled, but didn’t stand. Just sat there looking up at him with fond familiarity, like she knew exactly what he was thinking. He used to love that look. Loved the idea of someone peering into his brain and liking what she saw.

Now it just unnerved him.

“Thanks for brainstorming things with me,” Viv said. “I’m glad we’re able to work together again like this.”

“Yeah.” Jonah cleared his throat. “Me, too. Good seeing you, Viv.”

He turned away, not sure whose lies were the boldest. Hers or his. She had to hate this as much as he did, right?

He felt Viv watching as he carried his mug to the bus tub and set it inside. Pushing the door open, he refused to turn back and make eye contact. They’d said their goodbyes. There was no point dragging it out.

Jonah walked fast with the muffin in one hand, desperate to put some distance between himself and his ex-wife. It was already growing dark, but he didn’t head back to the shelter. Not yet, anyway. He needed some fresh air and a chance to get a little space from the conversation.

He slowed down, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Viv hadn’t followed.

There was no sign of her, so Jonah pulled his phone out of his pocket.

A twinge of guilt pinched his chest as he scrolled down to find the number for Kate.

But there was no reason to feel guilty, dammit.

He had plenty of professional reasons to call the producer of the show he worked on, didn’t he?

Even so, Jonah found himself crossing to the other side of the street, turning a corner to take him the opposite direction of the animal shelter. He hit the button for Kate’s number, annoyed at himself for the way his pulse kicked up.

“Hello?”

Her voice sent a rush of adrenaline through him, but he ignored it and put on his best professional-guy voice. “Hey, Kate. It’s Jonah. I was hoping to talk to you about this whole arced storyline thing.”

“Oh. Right. Yes, of course.”

She sounded distracted. Muffled. And was that trance music pounding in the background?

Jonah took a bite of his muffin and chewed, trying to make out the din of conversation in the background on Kate’s end. “Did I catch you at a bad time? It sounds like you’re in a bar or something.”

“Uh, I am,” she said. “I think. I guess it’s sort of like a bar.”

Her voice definitely sounded odd. And what the hell was “sort of like a bar,” anyway? It was probably none of his business.

“Should I try you back another time?”

“No! I, uh—I want to talk to you.”

A peal of laughter sounded in the background, then something that sounded like a muffled moan.

“Are you okay, Kate?” he asked. “You sound a little weird.”

“Maybe. I’m, uh—at a swingers club.”

Jonah inhaled a muffin crumb. He stopped walking and coughed, trying to get his breath back.

“A swingers club?” he wheezed.

“It’s where couples go when they want to swap partners for sexual?—”

“I know what a swingers club is,” he said. “I’m just wondering why you’re in one.”

“Location scouting,” she said. “For the couple we’re considering for episode eight. They’ve been talking about trying an open marriage, so Amy and I wanted to check this place out.”

“You’re there with Amy?”

“I was.” The music kicked up a notch louder, and Jonah heard somebody cheering. “Amy got an emergency call and had to leave, so I’m here?—”

“Wait, you’re alone? In a swingers club?”

“Yes. Yeah. Um, yes.”

Jonah wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. “Do you want company?”

“Oh dear God, yes.”

The eagerness in her voice sent a thrill through him. He took a deep breath, pretty sure what he was about to say was not his smartest course of action.

“I’ll be right there.”