Page 27 of Business or Pleasure

“I guess we could call it acting.”

He has the nerve to look genuinely astonished. “I don’t know if that’s ever happened to me before.”

“Right. Because most women dissolve into ecstasy the instant you touch them?”

A twitch of his mouth. “I’m sure sometimes it can take up to three whole instants.” Despite the joke, I can see him deflating right in front of me, his cheeks turning crimson, his posture sagging. This is not the Finnegan Walsh from the panel—I’m not sure who this version is. “I’m so sorry, Chandler. I could have done something different. You could have told me.”

As though it’s that simple. “I tried.”

Finn’s blush deepens.

“Look—it’s not a big deal,” I say, desperate to salvage this. “People have bad sex all the time. It was a weird onetime thing, and it stays completely between us.” Now that we’re discussing it, I’m not sure I see a way out. But plenty went wrong that night unrelated to Finn’s lackluster bedroom skills. So I decide to focus on that. “Maybe we were doomed the moment I smacked my leg on that luggage rack.”

By some miracle, he plays along. “Almost certainly by the moment I couldn’t get your bra off.” A self-deprecating laugh, one that makes me realize it’s okay to join in. For both of us to laugh about it. “Okay. Wow. I guess I was off my game or something. Because now I’m replaying everything and... it was kind of a disaster, wasn’t it?”

“It absolutely was. And I have the bruise to prove it.” I roll up my jeans to show him the violet patch of skin on my calf.

He mashes a hand into his forehead. “God, I’m so sorry. Not your fault at all. You were... you were amazing.” His eyes meet mine as he says this, steady and unblinking, framed by ungodly long lashes. “Really.”

I have to glance away, pressing a hand to my cold glass of water and then to my cheeks, hoping he doesn’t catch me blushing. I get a flash of him before we kissed, before we went back to the bookstore. The easy way we talked to each other, flirted, danced around our vulnerabilities in a way I haven’t done even with the people closest to me.

How I’d never clicked with someone so instantly.

“So... we’re good?” I say, and he nods.

“I’m glad you mentioned it,” he says. “Now we can move on and focus on the book.”

“Great.” I punctuate the word with the first full breath I’ve taken all night.

“Great,” he echoes.

But if everything really is so great, he keeps our talk about the book surface-level for the rest of dinner, rehashing today’s panel with slumped shoulders and forced laughter. All that confidence he had at the con—in a single conversation, I’ve put a dent in it.

Because I think he might be embarrassed.

“I’m beat,” he says when the server swings by with the check. “Think I’m going to head back to the hotel, rest up for tomorrow. You want to share an Uber, or do you have other plans?”

“Oh—” I break off, trying to process this sudden tone shift. “Uh, no. I can go back.”

I really couldn’t have just laughed it off and continued forgetting about it, the way we decided to do in Seattle. Maybe he’s putting on a brave face, but he’s a white man who’s had a modest level of fame—his ego is probably irrevocably shattered. Because I am a complete fucking idiot.

During our small talk–laden drive back to the hotel—“look, the moon”—“wow”—it hits me with a stark, painful clarity.

He’s going to fire me.

MTV NEWS

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Finn Walsh, TV’s sexiest nerd, celebrated his twenty-first birthday at The Spot in Hermosa Beach with onscreen love interest and off-screen girlfriend, Hallie Hendricks.

When asked about his plans for this milestone birthday, Walsh told us he probably wouldn’t be out very late. “Nothing too wild,” he said, grinning at Hendricks. “Just cozying up on the couch with a movie and my favorite person.”

Hendricks, looking stunning in a deep green halter dress, kissed his cheek. “He’s just too good for this world, isn’t he?”

The two have been inseparable since season 2 started airing, rarely seen in public without the other. When asked if there might be wedding bells in their future, Walsh laughed.

“Nah, we’re too young for that,” he said. “Right now, we’re just having fun.”

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