Amy Teller, Jackson’s manager, was talking to a man at Jackson’s shoulder. ‘What do you mean, we’ve run out?’ She was towering over one of the store’s employees. His face was bright red.
‘We just didn’t expect this many girls,’ the short man in thick-rimmed glasses replied.
‘That’s right,’ Amy drawled, ‘because a visit from an A-list movie star is so yesterday, isn’t it?’ She threw her hands up and leaned over to Janie. ‘I’m sorry, sweetie,’ she said, in a fake syrupy voice, ‘but we don’t have any more of Jackson’s Valentine’s photo frames.’
Janie’s eyes filled with tears again.
‘But she’s been waiting in line forever,’ Olivia said.
‘No more?’ Janie echoed in disbelief.
‘Don’t be upset,’ Jackson said.
Olivia looked at him pointedly. ‘She’s really been looking forward to seeing you.’
‘OK, wait there a minute,’ Jackson said, pointing to a couple of empty chairs behind him. Then he leapt up on to the table and called out to the rest of the line, ‘Everyone, I’m really sorry to say that we’ve run out of the Valentine’s photo frames.’
The crowd sighed with disappointment.
‘But,’ he went on, ‘my pen hasn’t run out of ink and I’ll be here until I’ve signed every last one of your copies of Jackson’s Journal.’
Everyone burst into cheers.
‘Will you sit with Janie for a minute?’ Jackson said to Olivia, touching her hand gently. ‘We can talk after this.’
He sat back down and motioned for the girl behind Olivia to come over.
Olivia sighed. More waiting. She sank into the chair next to a very excited Janie.
‘Oh my goodness,’ she whispered. ‘This is so cool! I’m hanging out with Jackson Caulfield!’
Idly, Olivia picked up a copy of Jackson’s Journal from one of the displays on either side of the line. It had photos of the small town where he was from, pictures of him as a baby and all about his movie career. It mentioned The Groves, but there wasn’t any mention of Olivia.
‘Amy?’ she asked. ‘How come I’m not in here?’
Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Do you have any idea how long it takes to make a book?’ she replied. ‘They’d finished writing it before he’d ever met you. Besides, having a girlfriend isn’t good for his image.’ She swept her hand out over the line of girls still waiting to get their books signed. ‘Think of all the broken hearts.’
What about my heart? Olivia thought.
She watched the next person, a girl about Olivia’s age with cropped brown hair wearing a T-shirt from The Right One movie.
‘Happy Valentine’s Day,’ Jackson said to her with a smile.
He hasn’t even said Happy Valentine’s to me, Olivia realised.
Girl after girl came up and received the full focus of Jackson’s attention for at least a minute – more than Olivia had – and walked away happy. At last, there were only three people left in line: two teenage girls and one older woman carrying her dog, with a studded dog collar that spelled out Jackson’s name.
When he was finished, Jackson turned to Olivia and Janie. ‘Well, now,’ he said, with a wink. ‘My two favourite Valentines.’
But before he could say anything more, Amy picked up her big grey handbag. ‘That was great. Now, just say a quick goodbye and we’ll get you to the VIP party.’
Olivia’s stomach lurched. ‘You never told me about the VIP party,’ she said, trying to control her emotions in front of Janie, who was listening to every word.
‘I forgot. I’m sorry,’ Jackson said, looking pained. He touched her hand again. ‘Look, if you’ll just hold on –’
‘I can’t,’ Olivia said. And after hours of waiting already, I shouldn’t have to! ‘Ivy has been waiting for me to leave; we’ve got to finish packing.’
Jackson looked unhappy. ‘I wanted to see you before you went away.’
‘That’s why I came,’ Olivia said. She wished that everything between them wasn’t always so fleeting. She pulled out the box she’d wrapped in crinkly silver paper and handed it to him. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day.’
He took it and gave her a huge hug. For a moment, it felt like everything in the world was just how it should be. ‘Thank you.’
He carefully unwrapped the paper and opened the little box. He pulled out the pair of cowboy boots and grinned.
‘Yeehaw,’ Olivia said quietly.
Jackson smiled, looking right into her eyes. She knew that he totally got her present. Maybe the waiting was a little worth it, Olivia thought.
‘Those are so cute!’ declared Janie, peering at the cowboy boots. ‘They look just like yours, Jackson.’
‘They do, don’t they?’ Jackson replied.
He looked from the boots to Janie and then to Olivia. She realised without him saying a word what he was thinking.
‘You don’t mind, do you?’ Jackson asked.
Olivia was torn. It was really sweet for Jackson to give Janie something so special – but it was his Valentine’s present. Why doesn’t he want to keep it for himself? Olivia thought.
Still, she wanted Janie to leave happy and knew that was all Jackson was trying to do. She shook her head and he handed one over to a beaming Janie.
‘And I’ll always keep the other one very close to my heart,’ Jackson said, holding up the one with Olivia’s initials on it.
‘You two are the best!’ Janie shouted, giving Jackson and then Olivia huge hugs. ‘I think you make the perfect couple,’ she whispered and skipped out of the store.
‘Jackson,’ Amy warned. ‘We have to go now.’
‘I’m really sorry,’ Jackson said to Olivia. ‘Your present isn’t . . . uh . . . ready yet. You know Valentine’s isn’t until the end of the week . . .’ he trailed off.
Olivia tried to smile. ‘It’s fine, don’t worry.’ But inside she felt like this morning had been nothing but a big disappointment. ‘We’ll see each other when I get back from Transylvania.’
‘If not before,’ Jackson said. He gave her a hug and squeezed her hand. ‘I’m really sorry about today.’