Page 102
Story: Sizzle Reel
Kiki greets us at reception, and her whole face lights up when she sees, well, me. She hugs me over the desk.
“Where the hell have you been?” she says, glancing at Valeria.
I shrug. “Got myself a guardian angel.”
“So you’re not her personal assistant?”
I look at Valeria again. It’s a weirdly grounding moment. Yeah, I guess that must be what people would think. Being back here, seeing all the same faces, I know the fairy-tale aspect of this affair with Valeria (God, I love calling it an affair even if it barely was) is gone. I’m at peace with that, though.
“No,” I say. I put a hand on her biceps. “Just her hype lady.”
Valeria smiles and looks at Kiki. “Unpaid hype lady. We’re very opportunistic here.”
“Nate will be down to get you soon, Ms.Sullivan,” Kiki says.
Valeria and I move to the couches in the lobby. Two sweaty, suit-clad interviewees are reading over their résumés. I really don’t miss it here. I look over at the café and my palms start sweating. There’s no discreet way to wipe them on my shorts.
“You don’t have to wait for me,” Valeria says.
I take a deep breath. “It’s okay. I’m here to support.”
“Lune, you can’t even come into the room with me.”
I shiver a little hearing her call me Lune. She’s become as close as family. “Really. I can wait.”
She puts a hand over mine. “It’s going to be fine. You two are best friends. That’s not so easy to throw away.” She presses her hand against my upper back. “Go. Before your brownie cake melts.”
I need to learn how to make Romy happy in some way that doesn’t involve making two trays of these brownies in less than three months.
I smile, but it comes out more like a wince. “Brownies don’t melt.”
“But I will if you don’t leave and win your person.”
She squeezes my hand before I walk off. The café is maybe twenty feet away, and in order to get there I have to pass by the other Laura Owens painting. That has to be a good sign. One more breath and I’m in.
Romy is the only one in there. She’s wearing her barista uniform and wiping down the counter. She’s in the uniform I’m only now fully acknowledging makes her look so cute. We’re alone. I have no excuses. No excuses and—
Romy looks up, her eyes going watery. She blinks a few extra times.
Nowhere to hide.
I force a smile. “Hi.”
Her green eyes fall to the bags in my hands. “Did Valeria end up making you her personal assistant?” She doesn’t sound mad, just confused. It’s good. It’s a good sign.
I approach the counter and set my bags down. “These are actually for you.”
“Me?” Romy frowns, leaning away from me.
“Yeah.” I exhale. “For you. But that’s not the important part.”
The only noise in the room is the crinkling of my bags.
“Can I pitch a movie for us to make together?” I ask. “Just one more, for old times’ sake?”
Romy glances around the room. “As long as no one comes in here. I’m at work. We can’t do this at home?”
“Nope.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102 (Reading here)
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109