Open At Your Own Risk Chapter 01
At our seven-year anniversary dinner, Sean walked in holding hands with the new intern, Zoe.
“Jenna, we’ve been together too long to keep boxing ourselves in with labels.”
“I want to open things up.”
Then he looked at me.
“Starting tonight, you and Zoe are both my girlfriends.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t play favorites.”
Zoe stood next to him and gave me a soft little smile.
“Jenna, please don’t take this the wrong way.”
“I’m not trying to come between you two. I just want to be part of what you already have.”
Sean’s boys around the table lost it.
“Sean, you absolute legend.”
“OG girlfriend and the new intern — bro’s running a whole sister-wives situation.”
“This man is winning.”
I laughed out loud, honestly relieved.
Head down, I typed fast.
Baby. Good news.
That thing you’ve been asking for? I can finally give it to you.
…
The second it sent, Leo shot back: Please?
Followed by the most performatively casual line I’ve ever read:
No rush, though. I can wait.
I stared at my screen, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning.
No rush?
For three years, every time we said goodbye, he’d give me that sad puppy voice. “I know I don’t have the title yet. I know I can’t walk you up.”
His finsta still had a pinned post that said: Day 1,095 of waiting to go public with her.
He was too cute. I looked up and smiled at Sean.
“Okay.”
He smiled back.
“Jen, I promise. I’m treating you both equally.”
I mumbled something and went back to my phone. Leo was already begging me to come over tonight.
Sean scooted closer and reached for my hand. I shifted half an inch away and stabbed an olive with my fork.
“Jen, it means a lot that you get it.”
I nodded vaguely. “Mm-hm.”
Nothing is more unshakable than a man’s completely unearned confidence.
Zoe’s eyes lit up. She slid into the seat on Sean’s other side.
Sean kept going. “It’s not that I love you any less. We just both need room to breathe.”
“Right, right.”
Every single word out of his mouth was doing me a favor.
His shoulders relaxed. “Zoe’s young. She’s still learning the studio. I need you to take her under your wing.”
I chewed my olive and made a mental note to bring Leo in next week as my assistant.
“Sure.”
“She’s sensitive. Don’t put too much pressure on her.”
I nodded seriously. Leo was sensitive too — plus he had way too much energy, and when he got jealous, I was the one who paid for it.
“I won’t.”
“One more thing. Don’t post about tonight. And don’t let anyone at the studio get the wrong idea. This is between the three of us. Outside people won’t understand.”
I frowned but didn’t answer.
Not happening. I’d already promised Leo we were going public. I don’t break promises.
Sean took my silence as agreement. He looked at me like I was doing him a huge favor. Like I was the noble, evolved, long-suffering girlfriend who couldn’t survive without him.
His boys kept it going with the fake compliments.
“Jen’s built different. That’s secure.”
“That’s what seven years with Sean looks like — a real one.”
“Any other girl would’ve flipped the table. Jen’s actually evolved.”