Page 32 of A Lucky Shot

“It needed an editor, a budget, and good wardrobe, and now you have those.”

That he did. Even today’s meeting with the team was putting his fears at rest. He let a half-grin creep onto his mouth. “Careful, now I just have a budget for lens flare,” he said wryly. “Might still be amateur hour here.”

“I don’t believe that for a second,” she said, smiling. “Plus, I’ll design such a gorgeous wardrobe you won’t need to resort to gimmicks.”

“Gimmicks? You offend me.”

“I don’t believe that, either. I think you like it when I tell you what I think.”

His smile spread to match hers. Yeah, they’d work together just fine. “We’ll see about that,” he said. “Looking forward to working with you.”

“Same.” She closed her eyes and looked like she was psyching herself up. “Um, if you haven’t already, I’d really appreciate it if you deleted our chat thread,” she said in a quiet voice.

Josh didn’t need to blush. Cass was going red enough for both of them. He couldn’t blame her for not wanting intimate photos in the hands of someone she was working with. “Of course,” he said gently. “Do you want to see me do it?”

“Thanks, but I don’t need to watch. I trust you.”

That felt good. Unearned, but good. He’d delete the thread later, when she wouldn’t see herself saved as Cass Spectacular Tits in his contacts. Cass Head of Costume was more appropriate for a strictly working relationship, anyway. “I’ll see you first thing tomorrow.”

“Raya’s useless here.” Josh scowled down at the app and scrolled … for nothing. He’d received an invite for the exclusive dating app years ago but had never used it. Never needed to. But here in Calgary, with no one he knew in town, he was still out of luck, and Raya’s list of locals was so thin it was virtually non-existent.

For the best, really. Focussing on the production and all.

“Does poor Josh need to use Tinder like a peasant?” Stephen mocked, turning the car into the underground parking garage of the long-term rental Terry had secured for the out-of-towners. “Those fuckers better not have given us a shared wall. I don’t want to listen to your?—”

“Life changing lessons on how to please a woman?” Josh checked their apartment units. Nine-oh-eight and eight-oh-eight. Lucky numbers. He’d have to call his grandmother and let her know. “I’m right below you. Take off your fucking boots when you’re home.”

“If I wanted to be told how to live, I’d have moved back in with my parents while we were here.”

The neighbourhood seemed fine enough. Just outside of the city’s tiny downtown, the fully furnished apartment was by far the nicest accommodations a studio had ever put him up in. Modern appliances he wouldn’t use, with sleek chrome finish on everything. Grey walls and dark faux hardwoods, the spare furniture selected to coordinate without looking too matchy-matchy. The designer must have gotten a discount. The same set up could be seen through the windows of the neighbouring suites.

Stephen exited the elevator on Josh’s floor, following him to his eighth-floor apartment.

“Aren’t you going to, I don’t know, go home?” Josh said, turning the key in the lock.

“Later.” Stephen toed off his shoes and pushed past him. He dropped onto the rental’s couch and kicked his socked feet up on the coffee table. “So, Cass, huh?”

Josh deposited his bags in the tidy bedroom and crashed on the other end of the couch. “Yep.”

“And?”

“She stuck around after the meeting, and we talked. Didn’t dance around it. We agreed we can leave it in the past and be strictly professional.”

“Really? You talked about her for weeks after she left. I don’t think you talked about anyone you’d hooked up with. Ever.”

He didn’t. Not usually.

But Cass was different. Funny as hell. Great taste in movies. Gorgeous and sweet.

And his head of costume. Fuck.

Josh rolled his shoulders under his tee shirt. “We had a good time. We hung out. Once. I’m keeping her at arm’s length.”

“Uh-huh. Well, you’re pretty good at keeping people from getting too close. Maybe you didn’t like her that much. You didn’t bother to find out her last name or where she lived when you hooked up.”

He tried. The offer to fly her out was genuine, but she didn’t give it to him. Maybe she was the one who wanted to keep things casual. Josh shrugged it off.

Stephen kicked up to leave, but hesitated in the doorway. “Listen. I’ve known Cassie for a long time. She’s a sweetheart. Don’t mess around with her, okay?”

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