Page 84 of Anxious Hearts
Esme narrowed her eyes. ‘I’ve got good news and I’ve got get-your-shit-together news. Which one do you want to hear first?’
Finn’s mind went into overdrive trying to predict which news fell into these two categories. The good news had to be about his audition with Jessica Meadows. But what about the get-your-shit-together news? Could that mean lift his game for a callback, or was something else going on? The coke had helped to quell the anxiety he felt after Monica had told him he seemed a little off, but he couldn’t escape it entirely. Especially not between hits. His right knee started to shake.
‘Give me the good news,’ he said.
Esme smiled. ‘You got a callback.’
The weight of dread drained out through his feet in a torrent so powerful, it brought immense physical relief. His leg stopped shaking. His body temperature began to right itself and the thorn of an undefined future catastrophe was plucked from his mind. He was so relieved and excited, he could barely speak. ‘That’s so good,’ he whispered.
‘It’s fucking amazing,’ Esme said. ‘You’re almost there, Finley. They loved you in the audition. Thought you had great chemistry with J-Med.’ She stopped talking.
‘But,’ Finn said.
Esme rested her elbows on the table. ‘But the feedback from the set ofHenderson Springsisn’t so glowing.’
Finn couldn’t speak. He sucked in a deep breath through his nostrils. Exhaled. Tried to stay calm. Tried not to walk to the edge.
‘The producers told me you’ve been off your game for the past month. Showing up late, forgetting your lines. You’ve lost weight and the bags under your eyes are bigger than mine. What’s going on?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Don’t bullshit me.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Drugs or alcohol?’
‘Neither.’
‘Why has Ashley Quinn deleted all her Instagram posts of the two of you?’
‘What? Already?’ This was bad. Complete tabloid fodder.
‘That’s not an answer.’
‘We broke up last night.’
‘No shit. Why’d you break up?’
‘Different lives. Different expectations. Nothing more than that.’
‘Amicable, then?’ Esme said.
‘Yes.’
‘Bullshit. You don’t delete every picture of your ex-boyfriend within hours of breaking up when it’s amicable.’
Esme was closing in on the truth. Finn had to throw her off the scent. ‘I cheated on her.’
Esme shook her head in disbelief. ‘Will she talk?’
Finn wanted to wince at her coldness but could hardly justify it, given his own duplicitous behaviour. ‘Ashley won’t.’
‘And the other girl?’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
