Page 30 of One Life to Loathe

“Oh, I’m sure.” She had to be joking. That was the only explanation. “He’s a complete and total jerk. He was mean to me from the minute we met. Did I mention we sat on the plane together when we were coming out here?”

“Youdidmention that,” Daisy confirmed. “And he is a jerk. I don’t think he’s ajerkjerk, though.”

Did she just explain something? “What does that mean?”

“I think he’s one of those inner demon jerks. Like … he has a lot of demons and a lot of trauma. He uses his jerkiness as a defense mechanism.”

I grabbed my glass, not immediately registering it was smaller than it had been, and almost choked when I realized there was rum in whatever I’d just swallowed. “What’s this?”

“A Shirley Temple with a little kick,” Levi replied. “It’s called a Shirley Temple Black. I think you’re going to need it.”

I wanted to deny the charge, but it had already been a day. We had another cast meal tonight—which meant I was going to have to see Leo yet again—and when I thought too hard on that, the drink didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

I slammed a third of the cocktail. My first instinct was to continue denying that I liked Leo. Another question bubbled up, though. “Why do you think he has trauma?”

Daisy smirked but didn’t point out the obvious. I was grateful for that. “Because his instincts are to protect you. I saw that firsthand when he tried to pull you out of harm’s way when Lux was losing it.”

“It’s not as if she was going to hurt me,” I scoffed. “By the way, has she had that kid yet?”

“No, but she’s at the hospital.” Daisy grinned. “Even though the doctor told her it wasn’t time, she planted herself in one of the delivery rooms and told them she wasn’t leaving until thebaby was out. Rather than argue with her, they gave her the room.”

“So, she basically thinks she’s going to will the baby out of her?”

Daisy shrugged. “If anybody can do it, it’s Lux. She gets things done. We’re not talking about her, though. We’re talking about you and Leo.”

“There is no me and Leo.” That was the only thing I was absolutely certain about.

“His first instinct was to protect you,” Daisy insisted. “If Lux had come at you, he would’ve put his body between the two of you, and he wouldn’t have even thought twice about it.”

She was wrong. She had to be. “That was chivalry. He would’ve done it with anybody.”

“I was there. Heck, I was closer to Lux. He didn’t try to protect me.”

“He was just closer to me.” Even saying it, I wasn’t certain I was telling the truth. “That doesn’t mean anything.” I was vehement when shaking my head. “He’s only tolerating me because I gave him a sob story about this likely being my last chance to hit it big. I’m getting too old.”

Daisy frowned. “You’re only thirty.”

“It doesn’t matter in show business. Men can still get their big break into their forties. Women are basically done at thirty.”

“What a terrible career.” Daisy shook her head. “That’s not germane to this conversation, though. Leo likes you.”

“No, he does not. He made sure to tell me that he didn’t like me.”

“And you made sure to tell him that you didn’t like him, too, right?”

“Of course.” I bobbed my head. “That’s true. I don’t like him.”

“Then why did you get worked up when I said he had trauma?”

“I didn’t get worked up.”

Daisy and Levi snorted in unison.

“I didn’t,” I muttered. “Just out of curiosity, though, why do you think he has trauma?”

“It’s written all over his face,” Daisy replied. “He’s not a jerk. He’s just afraid.”

“It’s probably because of his father,” Levi replied. He was wiping down the bar.

---