Read Online L.A. Fire by Sarah Bailey - Free Book Online

tone
sheepish. “Now if I only I made enough money to actually enjoy those things.”
     
      I bit my lip, and decided to
tread cautiously. “What about the trust fund your parents set up for you?”
     
      She sighed in frustration. “I
want to make my own way.”
     
      I nodded to myself. I knew the
feeling. “Of course you do.”
     
      She laughed again. “But that
didn’t stop me from dipping into it for buying a ridiculously chic set of
clothes for work. Too bad everyone else was dressed in jeans or outfits from
Walmart. Now my pretty threads just sit in the closet because I’m too embarrassed
to wear them.”
     
      I chuckled. Lisa had always been
obsessed with sophisticated clothes. While everyone else came to class in jeans
and a tank top, Lisa always showed up wearing designer dresses in bright floral
colors. With her straight, sleek brown hair, hazel eyes, and high cheekbones,
she was a real looker. But no matter how sexy her outfit was, she always wore
her trademark dark framed square glasses. She said she hated contacts, and
liked that the intellectual look intimidated guys. According to her, she could
quickly tease out what guys were worth her time based on how they responded to
her ‘nerdy glasses.’
     
       I got into an argument
about this with her, saying her method of observation wasn’t very scientific.
Just to prove her point, she drew up a fake resume, and, dressed in a naughty
school girl outfit, full makeup, and trademark glasses, she dragged me to a
strip club on Sunset. The sleazy manager invited her over to a table by the
dance floor for an informal interview. He told her they should talk privately,
but she insisted that I would be staying with her for protection. The six foot
tall manager looked me over and chuckled to himself, clearly amused that Sarah
consider at 5’4 girl as ‘protection.’
     
      The whole time they were talking,
his eyes ran all over her body, looking at her as though she were a delectable
piece of meat. Finally, he said she had the job, but only on the condition that
she lost the glasses. She asked him why, and he said, because most men don’t go
for the sexy librarian fantasy. She immediately turned her attention away from
him, grinned at me, and exclaimed enthusiastically, “Point proven!” Then she
grabbed my hand and dragged me out of there, with the manager yelling “Hey,
what the hell!” behind us.
     
      “Oh, by the way,” Sarah said.
“Congratulations! I talked to Angela before I called back to leave a message,
and she told me you discovered a brilliant script!”
     
      “Thanks, babe. But we haven’t
signed the guy yet.”
     
      “Listen,” Lisa said, her tone
sounding conspiratorial. “I was thinking I need a break from Manhattan, and I
couldn’t think of anything more fun than visiting my bestie soon. Like, say,
this coming weekend.”
     
      “Oh my god!” I actually squealed
into the phone. “Get your ass over here! You’re welcome any time!”
     
      “Okay, great. I’ll buy my ticket
tonight. Can you get me at the airport Friday night?”
     
      “Sure thing.” I was grinning ear
to ear. I so needed to see my best friend. “Angela will be thrilled to hear
you’re coming.”
     
      Lisa snorted. “Well, maybe, but
she won’t show it.”
     
      “Her snarkiness toward you is a
form of endearment.”
     
      Lisa snorted again. “Right. Or
jealously. Anyway. You have a fantastic time at Strut tonight. And I’ll
see you on the weekend!”
     
      “Awesome.” I hung up the phone
still grinning. Then I looked at the time. It was eight-thirty. If I was going
to make it to the club, and still get back home in time to get a decent night
of sleep, I’d have to get ready and leave immediately. I jumped off the couch
and headed for the shower, excited about the prospect of having a relaxing
night, enjoying a few drinks, on the Sunset Strip.
     
     
    ***
     
      I arrived at Strut wearing
a strapless,