Page 47 of Enthrall
A look of worry flashed over his face. “Mia, are you sick?”
“No.” I walked over and snatched it from him. “This is personal.”
“This medical bill is for twenty-five thousand dollars.”
My step-mom’s not well,” I said. “She lost her job along with her medical insurance.”
“I’m sorry.” He glanced back at the stack of bills.
“That’s why I need this job,” I said. “The billing department have threatened to cut off her medicine if I don’t pay them.”
“Why are you paying this? Where’s your father?”
“He died in a motorcycle accident. Lorraine took me in soon after. She’s an actress.”
“You mean waitress?” he said, unaffected. “Let me guess, Denny’s?”
“That’s not very nice.”
“Well I imagine SAG would have covered this.” He glanced at the bill. “I’m sorry, Mia. I had no idea.”
“So you can’t fire me,” I said. “Tell me you won’t.”
“Do you want to be an actress?”
“No.” I put the bill back with the others.
“That’s lucky for you. Your nervous rash would have its own SAG card.” He laughed at his joke. “Do I really make you nervous?”
I slid the bills out of his line of sight.
“I don’t mean to.”
“Then don’t be so...”
“My therapist tells me it’s all part of my death wish.” His face fell. “Still, at least no one would be left grieving.”
“Why do you say that?”
“If everyone loathes you they’ll be glad you’re gone.”
That didn’t make any sense. “The girls think highly of you.”
“I’m sure they’d like being referred to as ‘the girls’.”
“Anyway, they seem more scared of Cameron.”
“Most people are.”
Hoping he’d say more, I tried to read his face.
He scanned the room.
“What’s your place like?” I said.
“Bigger.” His gaze settled on my bed in the corner.
Bailey had told me to buy a room divider and right now I wished I had.
