“What do you need to know?”
Abby snatches the phone from his hand.
“Okay. I got it. Thanks, hon.”
“Anytime, beautiful.”
I hear a high-pitched shout in the background. “Duty calls,” he says.
“Tell them hi from Auntie Ree-Ree.”
He gives me a salute and steps out of the camera frame.
“Okay, I got it.”
After another ten minutes, we settle on the jeans Abby picked with a brown belt, white tank top, and pink button-up shirt worn open and tied at the waist.
I pause, a little reluctant to say goodbye now that I’ve reconnected with my bestie, but I don’t want to be late.
“Thanks again. And I’m sorry again.”
“No problem, and don’t be sorry. Just don’t let it happen again. I love you, babe. Let me know how it goes, and send me a pic of your cowboy.”
“He’s not my cowboy.”
“Mm-hmm. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I hang up, a massive weight lifted off my shoulders as I do my makeup and style the clothes the way Abby suggested. Taking a few steps back from the bathroom mirror I check everything out with a critical eye. Something is still missing. I riffle through my jewelry and pull out a long chunky silver necklace with white beads.There we go. I should have been able to do this in my sleep, but my brain shorted out on me.
I’ve got my long black ponytail pulled through the back of my baseball hat when I change my mind, snagging the cowboy hat off the dresser. Maybe it’s a little try-hard, but it’ll be easier to blend in. Dropping the hat on my head, I pull it low to shadow my face and nod. Perfect.
My brain’s a little fizzy and my limbs are loose as I stand outside waiting for Quint. Maybe I shouldn’t have hadthat second bottle of bubbly. I don’t drink too often anymore, so I’m a bit of a lightweight.
He pulls up in a red pickup truck. It’s nothing like the shiny, decked-out ones I sometimes see stuck in traffic in LA. It’s got a few dings, a handful of rust spots, and some muddy streaks on the door. Authentic, just like everything else I’ve seen in this town so far.
It comes to a stop in front of me and Quint immediately jumps out, leaving the engine running. He holds out an arm for me as if this is an awards show and he’s wearing a tux. But I take it, because why the hell not. He looks good. The denim hugging his thighs is crisp and clean, but he’s swapped the button-up for a black T-shirt that clings to his chest and biceps, showing off those hard-earned muscles. That little jolt of attraction hits me again, but I shake it off.
He walks me over to the passenger side, opening the door and helping me up.
“This isn’t a date, you know,” I tell him as he climbs back into the driver’s seat. I feel like I need to clarify so he doesn’t get the wrong idea.
“I know, but if it were, would that be so bad?”
I turn to look out the window. “Yes.”
“Oh.” His face falls, and I realize how harsh that sounded.
“Not because you’re not dateable or anything like that. I’m just not in that place right now. Plus we’re working together. You’re my teacher. That would be so awkward, right?” Although awkward is not the word that comes to mind when I think of him. He might be youngerthan me and come from a completely different world, but he’s a full-grown man. A fact I’m getting reminded of more often the more time we spend together.
“Oh, so you think I’m dateable?” He grins at me, putting the truck in drive. “Good to know.”
I give him a light smack on the arm. “Not by me. I’m a fucked-up actor. You’re a cowboy from the middle of nowhere. It would never work out.” Man, those two tiny bottles really loosened up my lips.
“Stranger things have happened.”
I need to stop this line of conversation before the alcohol makes me say something stupid. “Whatever.”
