Page 39 of Lucky Star

Broderick clasped his hands over his stomach. “That went well, I thought.”

Did he expect me to dignify that with an answer? When he raised his eyebrows, I realized that he did.

“Depends on your perspective, I suppose.” Excruciating. Unbearable. Insufferable. Infuriating. Those were the words I’d use to describe it.

“I know I shocked you with the promotion.”When he smiled, it occurred to me that he had no idea that I was upset, much less why. Completely clueless, he continued on, oblivious to my current state of unease.“I didn’t want to announce it like that, but Aerin gets under my skin. For whatever reason, she hates you, and I couldn’t have her being so openly hostile to you like that.”

“No, it’s fine,” I answered, because really … how Aerin Shandly spoke to me during a meeting was the least of my troubles right now. “What concerns me though was the rest of it.”

“I’m sorry?” He looked perplexed.

“Aerin announced that Cameron and Jillian aren’t just on-screen lovers.” Saying the words made my stomach lurch and bile rise in my throat.

Broderick sighed and scratched his chin. “I take it from the look on your face, he didn’t tell you.”

“Clearly not.”

“Shit, Sarah, don’t put me in the middle of your lover’s spat.”

I didn’t know why that particular response set me off, it just did. I’d been holding my emotions at bay for hours now, and I didn’t seem capable of hiding my true feelings a single moment longer. “Fuck you, Broderick. You’re the cause of this spat.” I made air quotes with my fingers. “If it weren’t for your movie I’d be picking out wedding china. Instead, I don’t even know if it’s safe to wear this fucking ring without people wanting to know who my fiancé is, and why I’ve never mentioned him before.”

Broderick put his elbows on his desk and leaned forward in what I recognized was an attempt to intimidate me. What he didn’t seem to understand was that I had nothing to lose anymore. When I refused to back down, he sighed and eased back in his seat. “He’s been your fiancé for a hot second. You weren’t even together when he auditioned.”

I glared at him, wishing I was a superhero who could disintegrate people with my mind. I took a deep breath and exhaled while pinching the bridge of my nose. My head was pounding.

“You said you’d look out for me. Why didn’t you warn me?”

“You’re a big girl, Sarah. You know how this business is. I can’t hold your hand. You need to be a professional about this.”

I flinched even though I knew he wasn’t referring to my size, but my ego and self-esteem had taken a beating today, and the notion that I wasn’t good enough, pretty enough, or skinny enough for Cameron was never far from my thoughts

“The truth is,” he continued, “as of this morning, everything about this movie is on a need-to-know basis, and you didn’t need to know.” He dragged his hand through his scruff. “You’re a sweet girl, Sarah, but you’re no actress. I needed you to be shocked when Aerin announced that Jillian and Cameron are already a couple. Any other reaction would have given you away.”

Briefly, I wondered if I was about to have a brain aneurism. Or maybe a heart attack. It felt like both my head and my heart were going to explode. I clenched my fists and exhaled, trying my best to hold tight to my fragile composure. Trying, and failing.

“Fuck you,” I whispered furiously.

“Watch it, Sarah,” he warned. “He who giveth can also taketh away.”

Now, I really was close to vomiting. I could taste the bile burning a hole in the back of my throat.Tasted it, swallowed it down, and used that burn to fire my resolve. “Go ahead,” I dared, rising from my seat.

“Sit down,” Broderick ordered.

I remained standing and we stayed locked in a heated glaring contest.

“Please?” he asked, more gently.

I dropped my head back to stare up at the ceiling, silently willing my tears not to fall. When one leaked out anyway, I gave up the ruse.

“Fine,” I said, swiping the back of my hands across my cheeks as I took my seat.

Honestly, I probably should have walked out, but in the part of my brain that was still functioning, I was still thinking about Cameron’s shot at success. Even when I felt like I wanted to die, he was first and foremost on my mind. Broderick had threatened to fire Cameron if he didn’t go along with the plan, but I knew that “fire” was code for “black ball,” which was why I’d pushed Cameron so hard to accept the terms they’d offered in the first place.

Some part of my self-preservation instinct must have kicked in, because I recognized that if I walked out in a huff, I’d never work in Hollywood again. I had a mortgage to pay, and not a lot of job prospects otherwise. What I did for a living wasn’t something you just applied for. You had to have connections, have an “in” with people who knew other people. Broderick had me between a rock and a hard place, and we both knew it.

Swallowing the last bit of pride that remained, I did what needed to be done. “How does the promotion change what I do day-to-day?”

He shoulders relaxed, and he immediately appeared relieved that I’d decided to play ball. “For starters, you won’t get coffee for me anymore. And I’m going to ask for you to go to meetings in my place and report back on any action items I need to be aware of. Obviously, I’ll make the final decisions. I also want you to coordinate with the various groups on this project so they understand what I’m looking for. I don't need them running every tiny decision past me before they're capable of actually doing something."

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