Page 14 of Make The Cut

“I’m so happy for you!” Her brown eyes glimmer with joy—and curiosity. “What’s it like working for him? I’ve never met a celebrity. Then again, I’ve only been in L.A. for a year.”

“It’s…” I take a sip of the tea that Sasha ordered, a special rose hibiscus blend. “It’s been chill. Just… unpredictable. I never know when he’s going to call me for a last-minute outfit change or something.”

“That sounds kind of fun.” Sasha tilts her head to one side as she stirs sugar into her tea. “Things have been pretty stressful since you leftLa Mode.”

“Really?” A vengeful, immature part of me wants the magazine to do worse now that I’m gone. Then again, it’s not like I was running the place.

“Yeah. Cynthia is a total shrew.” She rolls her eyes. “Yesterday, she splashed coffee onto an intern’s face, and I’m only forty percent sure it was an accident. I mean, it was iced, but still.”

“Geez.” Even when I was an intern, I never saw anything as bad as an assault by caffeine. “Glad I left.”

“I’m thinking of leaving, too, if I’m being honest—“ Sasha pauses, staring at something over my shoulder. “Oh, hey, isn’t that your new boss?”

I narrowly avoid choking on my tea as I spin around.

It’s Naoya Sugawa with none other than the supermodel, Rose McCartney. They’re talking and laughing and drinking tea and generally looking like they’re on a date. Hadn’t he said that he was doingMake The Cutwith her? Maybe they’re here for a business meeting.

Then again, the way his hand is on her knee under the glass table is less-than-professional.

“That’s him, alright.” In the flesh. Blue hair and all, a new tattoo on the back of his hand of a pair of birds. He’s at the table just behind us, his chair right behind mine. So close, yet impossibly far away. “Small world.”

I scoot my chair back and excuse myself to use the bathroom. Part of me is morbidly curious to hear what they’re saying, to know if he’s talking to her about the show, or if he’s getting back together with her. After all, she’s a gorgeous supermodel with a thriving fashion line. Whowouldn’twant to date her? The same curiosity that burns in me makes my fingers itch for a pen or my laptop to record this on my blog.

Sadly, I gave up onMuse Unmasked. Writing one last post the day I was fired, I explained my circumstances and deactivated the blog. Even if it is for the best, I still feel the urge to share this juicy bit of news withsomeone.

Which is why I’m going to text Skye in the bathroom.

But just as I get up and walk in the direction of the ladies’ room, Naoya spots me. “Hey, Poppy.”

He waves with one hand, the other still on Rose’s toned, slender thigh. She’s leaning backward in her seat, affecting the kind of disinterest that a woman like her would wear when she sees a waitress drop her tray on the other side of the restaurant. Unfortunate, but none of her business.

Maybe it’s not a date.

Or, you’re just not a threat to her. I shake my head. If they want to mix their romantic and professional lives, it’s none of my business.

“Hey, boss.” Out of the corner of my eye, I spy Sasha’s jaw dropping as she sees me speaking to Naoya. Wow, she really must be a dedicated Naoya Sugawa fangirl. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m on a…date.” He says the last word with heavy reluctance. “This is Rose. Rose, this is Poppy, my stylist.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m a huge fan of your work.” I reach out to shake her hand, but just as I do so… I overturn the china teapot on their table.

She jumps up and yelps. “Oh, my gosh!”

The teapot falls over, thankfully not breaking—I can only imagine how expensive it would be to replace—and spills tea everywhere.

Including my new, white, puff-sleeved dress. Of course.

And the woman I’ve idolized since I was twenty-one.

Naoya leaps from his seat and angles his body in front of me as if to protect me from the waterfall of tea that is sluicing across the table and dripping onto the pink carpet. I’d be touched by the gesture if I wasn’t too busy making a fool of myself in front of not one buttwoHollywood celebrities.

“I amsosorry…” I don’t think I’ll ever be able to smell Earl Grey tea again without remembering the most embarrassing moment of my life. Well, maybe it makes the top three. “I swear, this was just an accident.”

“I’m sure it was,” Rose says with a sniff, walking briskly toward the bathroom as her pale blue dress drips tea.

Just as she makes it a few feet from the table, a man grabs her by the arm and steers her toward a corner of the restaurant. Presumably, they know each other since he addresses her by name. “Rose! Darling, are you alright?”

Wow. Her life must be some kind of soap opera. Just as I’m about to turn around and introduce Sasha to Naoya, I find her seat empty. Weird. I thought she was a fan of his. Maybe I was wrong?

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