Page 16 of Don't Quit the Day Job

"I feel lost, Zara." My voice cracks. "What am I doing?"

"Where are you? Do you want me to come and get you?" She sounds concerned. "Lila, you are not alone. Please, let me be here for you."

"I'm okay." I take a couple of deep breaths and blink away the tears threatening to form. "I am overwhelmed, but also a little excited. I have no idea what I have to be excited about, but I am. Why am I such a hot mess?"

"What would life be like if we weren't hot messes?" she asks softly, and I can tell she's still worried. "So you think this Max guy is cute, huh? Because I have to believe that's the main reason you've decided to take this job."

I want to deny it, but I can't.

"He's really cute. But it would be totally unprofessional of me to date him, or even sleep with him."

"So you're already thinking of doing the dirty with him?"

"I mean I would be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind that he would be amazing in bed." I lick my lips as I whisper. "But he's my boss and he's totally inappropriate. And?—"

"Girl, he may be your boss, but you don't think you're going to be working there for long, why not have some fun?"

"I totally cannot come on to this man. It would be so wrong."

"See if he comes on to you."

"I mean, he was looking at my legs a lot and I noticed him checking out my chest."

"Well, who wouldn't? You're gorgeous, Lila."

"Do you think it would be absolutely crazy of me to seduce him?"

"Um no. It would be crazy of you to seduce him if you actually wanted to keep this job forever. But you don't. Why not have some fun with it?" She pauses. "As long as you know what you're getting yourself into."

"What do you mean?"

"Only do this if you're just looking for a good time."

"You know I'm not the sort of girl that just looks for a good time, Zara." I sigh. "Though, I don't think Max looks for anything other than a good time."

"I think you just need to get out there and have some fun."

"So you're saying I should seduce my new boss?" I grin into the phone. The possibility sounds fun. I've never actually set out to seduce anyone, but then again, I've never had the instant attraction that I do with Max. I'm just not sure that I would be successful at it.

"I'm saying if the opportunity presents itself for you to have fun and make a little money, then you should do it."

"Even if he annoys the shit out of me?"

"If you want to get him to shut up, sleeping with him is certainly one way to make it happen," she says, laughing.

"I think he wants to get me to shut up. He will not know what's coming. I might be way too much for him. You should have seen the way he looked at me when I was like, 'I'm not going to sign the NDA to sleep with you.' He thinks I'm crazy."

"But he hired you. Maybe he wants a little bit of crazy in his life."

"Maybe," I say and think back to the events of the morning. "There's obviously something about me that he finds intriguing, right?"

"Girl, there has to be. Maybe he's looking for you to rock his world. I think every man needs his world rocked every now and again. You just have to make sure to protect your heart. You have to know exactly what it is you're looking for from him. Because you know how men can be."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he might want some sex, but it doesn't mean it's going to lead to a relationship."

"Oh, I don't want a relationship with him. He would get on every one of my last nerves. He seems like he's so serious and full of himself. And you know, as an actress, I need to be with a creative man that stimulates me, not some boring attorney."

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