Page 27
Story: Sizzle Reel
My phone goes off. A text from Wyatt. A long text.
Hi so I was emailing back and forth with Valeria to set up her last set of meetings next week and she got me thinking. I get it. I’m so, so sorry about outing you to try to get you that job. I know you know I had good intentions but it doesn’t dismiss the harm I did to you. I’m so sorry. I hope that you can forgive me and we can be friends again. For real, Valeria LIKES you. I don’t think losing this job is the end, although I’ll admit I don’t have any other ideas.
After reading, I hand my phone to Romy.
“So the boy wants out of the doghouse,” she says.
I sigh. “An apology is all I wanted.” I’m relieved, and then I think about the rest of the text. “Do you think he’s right about Valeria?”
“So she only needed a new personal assistant because of the shoot, right?” As Romy speaks, she’s running her hands along the dildo. I don’t know if it’s worth commenting on. “But it’s a film shoot. There are so many stupid jobs on even an indie film. It just doesn’t seem like…”
Valeria’s the director on an indie film. There are menial jobs on an indie film. I’d been unwilling to seek out entry-level jobs before because you have to establish your clout with someone who may never make it in the industry anyway and I wasn’t mentally prepared to take that leap. But this is an indie film with an A-lister as the director. A director who has seen my work and likes it. Maybe I did gain a little sleaze from Alice.
“Why am I not just asking to be a P.A.?” I say to Romy.
A smile forms on Romy’s face. “I dunno, Luna. Why aren’t you?”
Now that I’m talking to Wyatt and he’s officially on Team Getting Valeria to Like Me, I learn that Valeria’s last meeting at the office is set up for Tuesday morning. So despite the fact that it’ll make no difference, I wake up at god knows what hour, do my makeup and hair, put on my best business-smart attire, and caffeinate with herbal tea instead of coffee in the hopes of no jitters. I didn’t even try this hard on dates with guys I really liked, so go figure.
Alice isn’t in when I arrive, but thank god Wyatt is. There’s a softness in his posture when he turns to me, like he’s relieved our issues are resolved. I can’t say I’m completely healed. It feels more like one of those forgive-but-trust-differently situations than anything else. And yeah, I need him.
“I just need a minute to ask her about P.A. gigs,” I tell him. “And I need to ask, not you.”
“Got it. Let me know if you don’t catch her. She usually debriefs before heading out. Noon at the latest.”
Noon. Got it.
“Sounds good.” I force a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Good luck.”
I speed through emails for Alice, sending them into the ether with such swiftness I know I’ve achieved a level of nirvana where email anxiety ceases to exist. Clients email me back with phrases like OMG thank you for answering so quickly!!!! Alice and I roll calls remotely while she drives her Tesla, the one I had to get serviced once, probably emailing clients as she drives, like usual. I’m on fire, basically. Best I’ve performed in months.
Still, it’s Valeria who arrives first. She’s in a muted outfit, physical notes in hand. Once again she’s leaning against the wall waiting for Steven. My palms sweat just seeing her.
“Good luck today,” I murmur, instead of, say, any standard greeting in American English.
Valeria looks up from her notes and smiles. “Thanks.” Her gaze travels up and down my body, sending shivers through me. “The tweed is really cute. Is there color on the inside?”
I pull out the side of my blazer; it’s lavender. “Guess there is.”
“It’s a great piece.”
I blush. “Thank you.” Steven could call her in at any moment. She’s here, not for long enough to hear me out, but long enough for me to set the intention. Act like a white guy would. “Hey, Valeria?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you have a minute after your meetings to talk? I just wanted to ask you something.”
She shifts her notes. “Yeah, for sure. I just—”
Alice comes in before Steven opens his office door. “Luna, you know we have John coming in today, right?”
I glance at Alice’s calendar. “Yes.”
“Take care of him. He just booked a franchise directing spot and I need to keep him happy.” She disappears into her office.
I can only watch as Steven opens his door and Valeria slips in. No matter. John won’t be a problem. I need to give him, like, five minutes’ worth of attention.
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 (Reading here)
- 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
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109