won’t work.”
“All high and mighty about being honest?”
She flinches. “Not exactly. I’m…um…technically, I’m not supposed to have a company credit card.”
Something gets caught in my throat, and I end up with a coughing fit. “I’m sorry, what?”
She leans forward and gives me a tap on the back. “I’m a junior agent. I wasn’t even supposed to go to the premiere with you.”
“But you’re
my
agent—”
“Under Julie.”
Her eyes slide to our legs again as she leans back, and I really wish she’d knock it off. Every time she looks down my neck gets so warm I feel like I’m gonna pass out.
“So you begged her to let you go…just so you could see me in a tux?” I say, knowing my big head will get her to stop relaxing so much into me.
“Wow. It’s like you’re reading my mind.” She raises her middle finger. “What am I thinking now?”
“You wanna fool around?”
She jabs my arm hard, and I chuckle and adjust her leg off my junk, since it’s made its way there again. “All right, explain then…’cause I’m lost.”
“Julie wanted me to scope out any talent at the premiere and come back with a list of potential clients. She lent me her company credit card.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Then that’s really on her.”
“She trusted me.” Her shoulders lift slightly, and she watches some guy walk past us to the restroom. “After the premiere was a bust, I caught the news on Carletta’s new movie and how they were still looking for a leading man. I called them up, sent in one of your tapes, and Carletta watched
The Walking Stiff
. They contacted me within three hours.
Three hours,
Jace. That’s insane.” She tosses her arms out, nearly knocking the girl in the booth next to us upside the head. I take her wrists and lower them back down.
“I know this already,” I tell her. Shay leans forward, ankle inching up my thigh again. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was doing it on purpose.
“I called Julie almost right after I talked with the studio, told her what was happening, and she said to use the credit card to get your ass to Alabama.” Shay pauses for a minute and gazes back on her ankle nearing Woody and the Gang, but her eyes are sort of cloudy, as if she’s not even sure what’s she’s staring at. “If I land the contract,” she says quietly, “I’ll be promoted to head agent.”
Shay gnaws at her pinkie nail, and I lean back in the booth, folding my arms. “So…why can’t you call her and tell her what’s up?”
“If the agency finds out that I lost the credit card I wasn’t supposed to have, not only will they kick me out the door, but Julie will be gone too. I can’t do that to her. Not when—”
“There’s still a chance to land a six-figure contract.”
“It’s not
just
that.” She stops biting her pinkie nail, bringing her hand back to rest around my phone. “Carletta just split with her agent. If I get you this audition, the role, then maybe…Well, I know you and I aren’t the dynamic duo of the century, but…” She does a couple of tiny shrugs with a side of a giant smile that shows all her teeth.
A smug grin hits my lips. “You want me to talk you up?”
“A contract
and
a client? That would be big.”
“Big enough that they’ll look past you royally screwing up?”
She taps a finger to her nose.
“Well,” I say, interlocking my fingers and resting my head on them. “That’s quite a pickle you’re in.”
“I didn’t see you gluing your butt to the hotel bed.” She finally moves her ankle away from the Smurfs, adjusting the ice pack and prodding it with her fingers. “Why’d you jump in the car so willingly?”
“Isn’t money and fame enough?”
Her eyes flick up to mine. “I can tell when you’re acting.”
My arms drop from behind my head, and I watch her poke at her sore ankle. Even that’s getting me going. Could’ve been the fact that she had her foot in my lap. Could be the fact
“All high and mighty about being honest?”
She flinches. “Not exactly. I’m…um…technically, I’m not supposed to have a company credit card.”
Something gets caught in my throat, and I end up with a coughing fit. “I’m sorry, what?”
She leans forward and gives me a tap on the back. “I’m a junior agent. I wasn’t even supposed to go to the premiere with you.”
“But you’re
my
agent—”
“Under Julie.”
Her eyes slide to our legs again as she leans back, and I really wish she’d knock it off. Every time she looks down my neck gets so warm I feel like I’m gonna pass out.
“So you begged her to let you go…just so you could see me in a tux?” I say, knowing my big head will get her to stop relaxing so much into me.
“Wow. It’s like you’re reading my mind.” She raises her middle finger. “What am I thinking now?”
“You wanna fool around?”
She jabs my arm hard, and I chuckle and adjust her leg off my junk, since it’s made its way there again. “All right, explain then…’cause I’m lost.”
“Julie wanted me to scope out any talent at the premiere and come back with a list of potential clients. She lent me her company credit card.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Then that’s really on her.”
“She trusted me.” Her shoulders lift slightly, and she watches some guy walk past us to the restroom. “After the premiere was a bust, I caught the news on Carletta’s new movie and how they were still looking for a leading man. I called them up, sent in one of your tapes, and Carletta watched
The Walking Stiff
. They contacted me within three hours.
Three hours,
Jace. That’s insane.” She tosses her arms out, nearly knocking the girl in the booth next to us upside the head. I take her wrists and lower them back down.
“I know this already,” I tell her. Shay leans forward, ankle inching up my thigh again. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was doing it on purpose.
“I called Julie almost right after I talked with the studio, told her what was happening, and she said to use the credit card to get your ass to Alabama.” Shay pauses for a minute and gazes back on her ankle nearing Woody and the Gang, but her eyes are sort of cloudy, as if she’s not even sure what’s she’s staring at. “If I land the contract,” she says quietly, “I’ll be promoted to head agent.”
Shay gnaws at her pinkie nail, and I lean back in the booth, folding my arms. “So…why can’t you call her and tell her what’s up?”
“If the agency finds out that I lost the credit card I wasn’t supposed to have, not only will they kick me out the door, but Julie will be gone too. I can’t do that to her. Not when—”
“There’s still a chance to land a six-figure contract.”
“It’s not
just
that.” She stops biting her pinkie nail, bringing her hand back to rest around my phone. “Carletta just split with her agent. If I get you this audition, the role, then maybe…Well, I know you and I aren’t the dynamic duo of the century, but…” She does a couple of tiny shrugs with a side of a giant smile that shows all her teeth.
A smug grin hits my lips. “You want me to talk you up?”
“A contract
and
a client? That would be big.”
“Big enough that they’ll look past you royally screwing up?”
She taps a finger to her nose.
“Well,” I say, interlocking my fingers and resting my head on them. “That’s quite a pickle you’re in.”
“I didn’t see you gluing your butt to the hotel bed.” She finally moves her ankle away from the Smurfs, adjusting the ice pack and prodding it with her fingers. “Why’d you jump in the car so willingly?”
“Isn’t money and fame enough?”
Her eyes flick up to mine. “I can tell when you’re acting.”
My arms drop from behind my head, and I watch her poke at her sore ankle. Even that’s getting me going. Could’ve been the fact that she had her foot in my lap. Could be the fact
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