Page 35 of At the Heart of It (The Can’t Have Hearts Club #4)

T he next few days of filming passed in a blur for Jonah. Kate behaved like the consummate professional, orchestrating detailed filming schedules and pulling cast members aside for on-the-fly interviews (which Jonah had learned to call “OTFs” so the crew members didn’t look at him like a dumbass).

He tried not to take it personally that Kate never handled his OTFs, always deferring them to Amy or one of the other folks on set. This is what they’d agreed, after all. They both had to pretend nothing had happened between them.

He couldn’t help wishing Kate weren’t so good at it.

A couple of times he’d tried texting her after hours. Once about a beer he thought she’d like, and another time with some silly message about bubble bath. He also messaged her about the filming schedule at Jossy’s shelter.

That was the only text she answered right away.

He knew that was for the best. She was just sticking with what they’d agreed, and he was the idiot who thought maybe they could still make something happen. That there was some way sleeping together wouldn’t affect the show or their friendship or anything else.

He knew better, dammit.

Even so, he couldn’t stop his stupid heart from lurching at the sight of her coming up the walkway toward Jossy’s shelter. She was still wearing the skirt and heels she’d worn all day on set, and he wondered if her feet hurt like hell. He thought about asking, but decided against it.

Her feet were none of his business. Neither was the rest of her body.

“Hey,” he called as he held open the door.

“Jonah. Good to see you again.” Kate gave a polite nod and slipped through the door with the camera crew marching behind her. Jonah scanned the group, relieved to see no sign of Viv. His ex had been like cling wrap lately, always hanging around wanting to go over notes or have tea together.

It was nice to have some space for once.

“Jossy’s in the back room wrangling puppies,” he said. “She thought that might be a good place to start.”

“Puppies are perfect,” Kate said, smiling as she swung a big microphone over one shoulder. “Everyone loves puppies.”

“Come on. I’ll take you back there.”

He led the way down the hall with the crew following behind. A tech guy named Dan was walking around with a gadget Jonah had come to recognize as a light meter. Pete kept holding his camera at odd angles and swooping in for different approaches to the same shot.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” he mumbled as he moved past Jonah. “Your sister’s doing great work.”

“Thank you,” Jonah said, remembering the text message he’d gotten from Jossy early that morning.

Did you say Pete Waller was the camera guy on your show?

Jonah had texted back quickly.

Yeah, why?

He just made a $500 online donation to the shelter.

Jonah had smiled and texted a quick reply.

That sounds like Pete. Helluva cameraman, even better human.

Jonah watched him work now, wondering how he’d ended up on a show like this.

With a demeanor that reminded Jonah of a kindhearted Sasquatch, Pete seemed infinitely more decent than most of the network folks.

He brought donuts for the crew every morning, and made it a point to know everyone’s name—even the caterers and the lowliest intern.

What drew someone like that to a career in reality TV?

As Kate fell into step beside him, Jonah wondered the same thing about her.

“Thanks again for fitting this in,” she said. “I’m glad we could make it work.”

“So am I,” he said. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me, too,” she said. “For your sister, I mean. I think it’s great we can help the shelter.”

He smiled down at her. “Just for my sister?”

She smiled back, and there was a wistfulness to it. She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “It’s good to see you, too.”

Jonah pushed open the door to the puppy room. The second he did it, eight pairs of eyes looked up at him. Seven pairs belonged to floppy little fur-covered bodies that came rushing toward the doorway.

The other pair was Jossy’s. She grinned up at them from her spot on the floor. “Hey, there!”

She started to stand, and Jonah recognized she was having difficulty. The prosthetic leg must be giving her trouble again. He hurried over, but Jossy waved him away. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Just a little stiff today, that’s all.”

She got to her feet and stuck her hand out to Kate. “I’m Jossy, and I swear that’s not pee on my hand,” she said. “Puppy slobber, maybe.”

“Puppy slobber I can handle.” Kate smiled and shook Jossy’s hand. “I’m Kate Geary. Thanks so much for inviting us here.”

“My pleasure. I was super pumped when Jonah told me about the idea to film here.”

“We’ll definitely do what we can to bring attention to the organization,” Kate said. “Animal advocacy is always popular with viewers.”

“So are shirtless men, apparently.” Jossy flashed him a knowing grin, and Jonah rolled his eyes.

“This is the rest of the crew,” Jonah said. “Pete Waller, Dan Kinny—is Amy not with you?”

Kate shook her head and glanced away. “She had some things to work on with Viv. Some details in the production schedule.”

Jonah nodded and tried not to look too relieved. The fewer people, the better, as far as he was concerned. If he had his way, they’d just have him and Kate here with no one else.

“I’m glad to finally meet you,” Kate said to Jossy.

Jonah watched, wondering if she’d noticed the prosthetic leg.

It wasn’t obvious when Jossy wore pants, but today she’d chosen ankle-baring capris.

Some people might not pick up on it, but Kate wasn’t some people.

Jonah already knew from working with her how observant she was.

He glanced over at Pete to see the cameraman zooming in, and he felt a pang of anger. Goddammit. That would be just like them to exploit his sister’s disability. Jonah glanced at Kate and saw her look at the cameraman, then shake her head once with a frown.

Pete nodded once and redirected the camera at the mob of puppies frolicking at their feet.

“They’re so cute!” Kate declared. She knelt down among them, rewarded by a chorus of playful growls and tiny, nipping teeth. “You’re so fuzzy,” she cooed. “So fuzzy and so very, very sharp .”

Jossy laughed. “They’re teething right now. Watch your necklace. They’ll grab hold and never let go.”

“They’re also potty training, apparently.” Kate winced and glanced at her shoe. “I think little fuzznuts here just filled my favorite shoe with a little liquid love.”

“Oh!” Jossy gasped and rushed toward her. “I’m so sorry. Let me grab some paper towels.”

“It’s fine, totally my fault,” Kate said. “I know better than to wear good shoes to a shoot like this. I normally have an extra pair in the car, but I forgot today.”

She rested one hand on the wall and pried the one off her right foot, then frowned.

Glancing around, she spotted the area marked Wee Wee Station and hobbled over.

“There,” she said as she dumped out what looked like a zillion gallons of puppy pee.

“That’s better.” She grimaced, then leaned down to put it back on her foot.

“Wait!” Jossy said. “What size are you? I think I have some ballet flats my bag.”

“Eleven,” Kate said, glancing at Jossy’s feet. Both the real one and the prosthetic foot were encased in Converse sneakers. “You look like about a six?”

“Six and a half,” Jossy said. “Sorry, that won’t work.”

“I have some running shoes,” Jonah offered. “They’re a men’s ten and a half, so probably a couple sizes too big, but maybe better than four sizes too small?”

Kate seemed to hesitate. “Are you sure? That seems a little ... intimate.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to remind her that he’d been inside her, so sharing shoes seemed beside the point. But obviously he couldn’t say that. “It’s fine by me, but your call,” he said. “I promise I don’t have cooties, but it might wreck the look of your outfit.”

“Ha!” Kate blew a loose strand of hair off her forehead. “Frankly, I’d love to get out of these heels. I accept.”

Jonah smiled. “I’ll go grab them.”

He hustled out of the room and located the running shoes he’d stashed behind the counter. They were new enough not to be smelly, though the bright-orange hue would clash like crazy with Kate’s green blouse.

But she just thanked him as he handed them over, along with a pair of freshly laundered socks in a gaudy neon yellow. She hopped over to a spigot and rinsed off her foot, then dried it with a nappy gray towel that Jossy handed her.

“Thanks, guys.” She pulled on his shoes and socks, but kept her focus on Jossy. “You’re right, this is a great spot for shooting. The puppies are perfect.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” his sister said. “Even though puppies never have much trouble getting adopted, they’re a good tool to draw people in.”

Kate grinned. “Sort of like shirtless dog walkers?”

“Exactly like shirtless dog walkers.” Jossy winked at Jonah. “Only much cuter.” She looked down at Kate’s feet and laughed. “Now that is a cute look.”

Kate glanced at her own feet, and Jonah half expected her to recoil in embarrassment. Instead, she laughed, turning her foot from side to side. The shoes were a couple of sizes too big, and with the yellow, orange, and green, she looked like a well-dressed circus clown.

She looked adorable. Jonah felt a warmth in the center of his chest that had nothing to do with puppies.

“Okay,” Kate said, clapping her hands together and turning her attention to the camera crew. “What do you think? Will this space work?”

Pete nodded. “Yeah. I’m going to set up in the corner over there.”

“Cool.” Kate turned away and got busy unpacking gear. “What do you think about saving the OTFs until the end?”

“Good call,” Pete said, scratching his beard. “You want to give me a quick opinion about the lighting?”

As Kate slipped away, Jossy sidled up to Jonah and whispered in his ear. “What’s an OTF?”

“On-the-fly interview,” he replied. “I thought you were the world’s biggest reality-TV fan.”