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She clapped her hands together excitedly. “Bella Quin.”

“Who?”

“Where’ve you been, under a rock? She’s a singer, number one in the charts right now. She’s bringing her friends. Kara Adelle—she’s a model—and Erica Nolan. She’s one of the professionals on Dancing for Gold.”

“Right…”

“You have no idea what that is, do you?”

“Absolutely no idea.”

Aaron’s world couldn’t be any more different from Mary-Sue’s and Jett’s. He didn’t know of celebrities, and he didn’t care. They meant nothing to him.

“And Marlon Steel,” Mary-Sue added.

Aaron scrunched his face. He was sure he’d heard the name before, sure he’d heard Jett say it. Months ago, Jett had told him with wide eyes, that Marlon Steel had been in the club. He’d been impressed, excited, and Aaron hadn’t liked it.

“He’s an actor.”

“Oh right, he was in some TV series, right?”

“Only the best TV series of all time,” Mary-Sue said, “And he’s got the hots for Jett. He’s bringing his brother along. He’s an actor, too, not as big, but starred in that cop show … what’s it called—”

“Wait,” Aaron said. “Go back a bit, you said he had the hots for Jett?”

“Not had, he has the hots for Jett. He came in months ago, asked him out on a date, but Jett couldn’t go.”

“Jett turned him down?”

“Not in so many words. It was around Valentine’s Day, and he was getting stuff together for the Love-Bird night. He was too busy, but said he’d go out on a date once Marlon got back from filming the fourth season.”

Aaron rocked back on his heels, doing his best to digest all Mary-Sue had told him. In one way, it was cause of a celebration. Jett must’ve been attracted to men, something Aaron hadn’t been certain of, but in another, more soul-crushing way, Jett was considering dating some actor, some celebrity, some hot guy, as Aaron concluded from Mary-Sue’s wide eyes and lolling tongue.

“Marlon Steel,” he mumbled. “Is he a player? An asshole?”

“No, he’s renounced for being one of the nicest guys in the industry.”

“Fuck.”

“What’s the matter, Boss? It’s great that he’s coming here.”

“He’s coming here to get in Jett’s pants.”

“You’re not jealous … are you?”

Aaron didn’t comment. He was angry, irritated, jealous, but above all, he felt threatened. Someone was going to come between him and his fantasy fuck.

Mary-Sue’s eyes grew wider, and a soft gasp left her lips. “You are.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Someone deserves a gold star.”

“You’re into Jett. For how long?”

“Don’t you have some routine to be doing downstairs?”

“Well yeah, I’m ten minutes late, but this is more important.”

“More important than doing your job, the one I pay you for?”