Page 36 of Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail

Astrid smiled and revealed just the right amount of teeth, catching Jordan’s eye over Natasha’s shoulder. “Yes. As am I.”

ONCE THE GROUPhad moved off toward the still unblemished master bedroom—well, as far as Astrid knew—she let out a breath that sounded like a mix between a sigh, a growl, and a sob.

Uninspired.

Un-fucking-inspired.

She paced the room in circles. Her bag, hooked on her elbow, batted against her hip over and over. She couldn’t believe this. Her design plan for this room—for this house—was good.

This is lovely.

That’s what Pru had said when she first saw the design plans two weeks ago. Surely, the inn’s owner wouldn’t be shelling out a hundred grand for a renovation she hated.

Would she?

Still, Astrid couldn’t get Natasha’s assessment out of her head, as though her teacher had just smacked a dark red F onto the paper she’d spent weeks pouring her heart and soul into.

Astrid froze, her own thoughts jolting her pacing to a stop.

Heart and soul.

She’d never used those terms to describe her designs. She worked hard, listened to her clients, created spaces they loved, but it had always felt like just that—work. She didn’t thinkheart and souldescribed anything in her life.

Jesus, what a depressing thought.

Astrid took a deep breath through her nose. In for four... out for eight. She repeated this a few times until the rising panic ebbed enough for her to focus on something else.

Something far less depressing and far more rage-inducing, but rage was good.

Astrid couldn’t believe Jordan had turned out to be this... this... conniving. A little tension on-screen was fine, a little salt, but this was unprofessional. And why? It was clear she hadn’t loved Astrid’s design, but this is what her own family had asked for.

Except now, Pru very clearly loved the blue currently marring the walls of the Lapis Room.

Astrid closed her eyes. She could figure this out. She could still save this project, save her reputation, and impress the hell out ofNatasha Rojas. She and Jordan just needed to have a little chat, that was all.

She started for the door when her phone buzzed. Digging it out of her bag, she read a text from Iris.

I’m on my way! I’m craving fries.

Astrid had almost forgotten that Iris wanted to take her out to lunch, a little celebratory meal for having survived the famous Lapis Room “before” filming. Though, Astrid was surecelebratorywasn’t quite the word for the kind of morning she’d had.

Chapter Eleven

THE MORNING COULDnot have gone better.

Pru loved the wall color, just like Jordan knew she would, which was all that really mattered. But other things fell right into place too. Exactly as Jordan suspected, Astrid was way too concerned with saving face in front of Natasha Rojas to question the blue walls. Even Simon bought that Astrid knew all about the paint color.

Granted, Natasha’s proclamation about Astrid’s designs being uninspired was a little rough, but Jordan had to agree. Honestly, she wasn’t certain Astrid evenlikeddesigning all that much. Sure, she got the job done, but the only times Jordan had ever seen a spark of passion in Astrid’s eyes were when she’d swung that sledgehammer at the kitchen cabinets and mooned over a scone at the flea market. Every other time she’d been at the house, on camera or not, the woman’s manner was staid, clinical, like a doctor delivering treatment.

After a little trek through an incredibly musty, dusty secret passage, which started in the master bedroom’s closet and wound through the middle of the house, emptying out through a bookshelf in the library, Natasha excused herself for some phone calls, and Emeryhad to work on setting up the next scene’s shoot. Pru was ready for lunch anyway, and Jordan needed a minute to process what her next move would be now that Astrid very obviously knew Jordan was engaging in design shenanigans.

She walked Pru back to their cottage, Pru burbling happily about the Lapis Room the whole time, much to Jordan’s delight. After wolfing down half a turkey sandwich Pru insisted she eat to get her through the afternoon, Jordan headed to her workshop. Outside, clouds slid across the sky. The morning had started bright and sunny, but Jordan actually liked the clouds, the softness of the gray sky. It felt right, comforting, whereas the sun in Savannah always felt like it was mocking her.Look,I’mhappy, why can’tyouget your shit together?

Clouds were kinder.

She rolled her shoulders, ready to work on her kitchen cabinets, which were about halfway finished. All she wanted was some peace and quiet, wood under her hands and a beautiful design plan inside her mind.

But of course, because the universe hated her, she ran smack into Astrid Parker as she rounded that infernal overgrown rosebush between the cottage and her workshop.