Page 17 of Pursued by the Player

Chapter 5

Mel glancedat the clock as there was a knock on her door. Liv was twenty minutes late, as usual. Good thing she arranged to have the pizza delivered five minutes ago. Wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, she opened the door to her apartment.

“I hope I’m not too late!” Liv said as she hurried inside, looking a little frazzled with her red hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her head and purse thrown haphazardly across her body.

“No, of course not. The pizza just got here.” Mel hugged her friend, and they moved from the small foyer into the adjoining eat-in kitchen with fresh white cabinets Mel had just painted herself to brighten up the space, where two glasses of wine were already poured. “And I took the liberty in choosing the wine.

“Moscato, my favorite!” She grabbed her glass and took a sip. “Delicious.”

“Every wine is your favorite.”

“True.”

Mel laughed and picked up her glass. “And much needed after the day I put in. The weirdest thing happened.”

“You too, eh?” Liv took another sip and put down her glass. “I had a run in with someone interesting today.”

“Oh yeah, who?” Mel asked, her incident with Kennedy forgotten.

“Oh you know, just your boyfriend.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“On the contrary.” Liv pulled out a newspaper and pointed to an article. “It seems like you do.”

Mel wrinkled her nose and took another sip of wine. “Yeah, I saw that article in my boss’ office today.” She moved to the cabinets and pulled out a couple of plates. “Kennedy wants me to get him to be the face of our new fall lineup.” She brought the plates over to the round wooden kitchen table and handed one to her.

“Get out,” Liv said. “What did you say?”

“I said no, of course.” Mel opened a pizza box. “To which he told me that if I didn’t, I could lose my job.”

“He didn’t.”

“Well, not directly, but in so many words.” She pulled out a piece of pizza and put it on her plate. “I don’t know, Liv. Kennedy is just doing what he always does – using media sensations to sell dresses, but in this case . . . It feels wrong to me.”

“Perhaps because you’re involved this time?”

Mel flashed her friend a frown. “No-I mean, maybe a little, but it’s more than that.” She thought about it for a moment while she sipped from her glass. “I suppose in the past; the celebrities were willing participants who received a percentage of the royalties. This time, there was no mention of compensation. It felt more underhanded, you know?”

“I never liked what he did. Fashion should stand on its own, without the celebrity backing.”

“I know. The celebrities don’t even get samples of the clothing they endorse.”

“They don’t?”

“Not for free. They have to buy it like everyone else.”

“You’re kidding.”

Mel shook her head. “I wish I was. Kennedy feels he is paying enough for their name. He shouldn’t have to give them free clothes, too.”

“That’s horrible.”

Mel sighed. “Yeah, and now he’s turned his sights on Jett.”

“And I don’t blame him after reading the article.”

“You don’t?”

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