Page 23

23 | Paradise City DEMON-IN-CHIEF

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

I should have mentioned the trip. Of course I should have. I see that now. But it’s not like Sasha and I talk regularly. And I truly figured she knew.

I thought we both knew. Which would have been a very different scenario.

But she definitely didn’t know. Not today and not when I was hiding in my office, giving them space to interview her without my bias. And, by the look on her face, this is not Sasha’s idea of a welcome surprise.

Now I’m that guy.

Derek is pissed at me too. He’s glaring at me from across the living room in his villa. But at least he’s letting me hide here. Leaning back against the modernist peach sofa, looking out onto teal water, I take a swig of my beer and let my forehead drop into my free hand.

“Derek. I told you I knew her.”

“No. You told me you heard she was good. Not that you knew her.”

“I don’t know her.”

“Well, your face looked like you want to know her.”

“What I want is for this shoot to go well.”

“Good,” he says, sitting in a chair across from me. “Then we’re in agreement. Just keep it professional, be standard by-the-book Ethan and everything will be fine.”

I nod. Sure. Bite my lip.

Derek isn’t usually the person I’d confide in about this kind of thing, but he’s who’s here—and at least I can count on him to be discreet and a voice of reason.

I risk a glance up at him: “But do you think she…?”

He looks to the ceiling for outraged commiseration. “Ethan! I don’t know what she thinks.”

“But she seemed …?”

“Surprised, to say the least,” he says. “And mad. Really mad.”

I nod. She’s often really mad. At me, at least. “?‘Surprised’ like she doesn’t want to know me or…?”

Derek sighs, deflating. “Surprised like maybe she does want to know you but doesn’t want to want to know you. That might be why she’s so pissed and disconcerted.”

I’m bolstered by this but also realize I need to give her space. I need to let Sasha do her job, stay out of her way, follow her lead.

“I’ve never seen you like this and the timing is not great,” Derek says. “You’re usually so uptight. I like you better that way.”

I try to shrug off his words, but I can’t even fake it. “Yeah,” I groan, swigging from my beer hopelessly. “I know.”

TO-DO

Go back in time and mention the trip to Sasha beforehand.

Fire up the flux capacitor and tell her about the job opening before putting her up for it.

Hide for the rest of the trip.

Keep things all business for the rest of the trip.