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“Sure,” I mumble, even though I know she’s lying.
I don’t relax until she’s out of sight, and even then, I’m paralyzed with residual tension. Today started with such promise, and now I feel like I’m spiraling, one irritating thing after another gnawing at the last of my nerves.
I’m thankful when we wrap up, and even more thankful when Hunter tells me to go home.
“That’s all I’ll need you for today,” he says. “Type up those notes and forward them to me in an email.”
“You’re not deciding who gets the role right now?”
“No. It’s a lengthy process. We’ve narrowed our choices down to a handful, but I still need to confer with the other producers, the writer, and the marketing team. It could be a matter of days, or it could be a matter of months before we make our selection. For now, you’re dismissed.”
Dismissed? What is this, grade school? The military?
But I don’t have the energy to sass him today.
“Thank you, sir,” I bite out before shuffling out the door.
When I get to the car, a maniacal, hysterical laugh bursts out of me. All four of Taylor’s tires have been removed, the car still suspended above the ground by a neat pile of bricks beneath the frame. Whoever did this must have worked fast and carelessly because there are nasty scratches against the sides and a couple of bolts lying loose on the concrete.
“Did I piss someone off in a previous life?” I shout to the skies above.
Someone behind me whistles. I turn around and see Charlie.
“I’m sorry,” he says with a laugh. “But this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Ha ha,” I say dryly, but I can’t help but grin at my misfortune. “The only thing that can make this day worse is if I get struck by lightning.”
“Don’t say that when I’m standing so close,” he jokes, taking a massive step away just in case.
I snort. “Hilarious.”
“Does your insurance cover something like this?”
“I think so, but I’m not sure how much a tow truck is going to cost.” I rub my palms over my face. “My roommate’s going to kill me. I already owe her so much.”
“Do you need a ride?” Charlie offers. “I can drop you off if you need. Beats standing out in the open.”
I smile. “Actually, that’d be—”
“She rides with me.”
I’m surprised when Hunter approaches from behind, placing one hand on the small of my back as he practically corrals me away from Charlie. There’s no room to protest, no time to turn him down, no opportunity to question why Hunter looks so…
Are my eyes deceiving me, or does he look jealous?
“I’ll give you the number of my mechanic,” he says as he leads me to his fancy black Ferrari. Apparently, there is gated underground parking I didn’t know about —much to my mental shin-kicking chagrin. “They’ll pick your car up and drop it off when it’s ready.”
“I don’t think I can afford to pay them, Mr. Stride.”
“Don’t worry about the cost. Tell them I sent you, they’ll do it as a favor to me.”
“Your name really opens a lot of doors in this town, huh?”
Hunter opens the passenger door for me. He offers me his hand as I slip into the low seat. “You have no idea.”
Chapter 8
Tip #8: Keep comments about your personal assistant’s pyromaniac camgirl roommate to yourself.
