Page 118 of Role Play
I cringed. I’d been afraid of that—that I was leaving her with the entire work load, and right before we were supposed to go on location. “I’ll come back tomorrow. But Ash… you can’t…” Can’t what? Smile at me? Look at me? Talk to me? I wanted to say all of those things, but they were ridiculous. “You can’t treat me any differently. It has to remain entirely professional.Deal?”
“Deal,” he said, nodding. “I’ll see youtomorrow.”
* * *
I’d been backto work for almost a week. The bad news was that I now had to work alongside my ex-lover. The good news was that Andrea started working on set with us two to three days aweek.
Anytime Ash would catch my eye from across the studio, Andrea would intercept. Remind me to keep my head down, do my job, and ignore the gaping hole in myheart.
Andrea, Kelly, Miguel and I were at craft services and I had just finished devouring a cheeseburger when Andrea jumped to her feet, grabbing one of my last fries. “I’ve got to run. Have to finish hemming Jude’spants.”
“I’m off too,” Miguel said, waving and giving me awink.
With that, they dashed out of the cafeteria, leaving Kelly and I sitting there across from each other. She sent me a weak smile. “Youokay?”
I shrugged, swirling my fry into some ketchup. “I’ll survive.” I alwaysdo.
“Breakup?’
My gaze jerked to hers, wide. How the hell did sheknow?
She gave me a half smile. “I know that hollow look,” she said quietly. “Hell, I’velivedthat hollow look. I can’t seem to go out more than once or twice before I’m getting dumped by every man Idate.”
My jaw dropped. Who in their right mind would dump Kelly? Sure, she’s intense. And driven. And a bit strong-willed… a few weeks ago, I would have called her a bitch. But now? I saw her for who she was. She had to be this way, even if the rumors were true about her dad working at HBO. She was shouldering her way into a male dominated industry in the only way she knew how. She was smart and talented and ambitious and… I’d come to admire the hell out ofher.
“Well, they’re all idiots,” I said, dropping my uneaten fry back onto theplate.
A smile flicked at the corner of her mouth. “Your guy, too. You’re a catch Lucy Rodriguez.” She hesitated, spearing a bite of romaine lettuce. “He works here, right?” she pressed. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak as I glanced up and across the room where Ash was sitting with Neil, Jude, and Marlena eating lunch. “You’ll let me know if he… if he’s making your job uncomfortable in any way? We could go to Mr. Blair together ifhe—”
“I’m fine, Kelly.” I shook my head, cutting her off. She stood, taking her tray, and I followed, walking behind her to deposit our empties in the bin. Across the room, Ash and his friends stood as well, and the three men got back in line to grab dessert, only ten feet away from where westood.
“But you’ll let me know if he does?” Again, I nodded, but the motion felt hurried,disingenuous.
Kelly linked her arm in mine and tugged me toward the dessert table, too. “Come on,” she said, “let’s split dessert. I heard they’ve got tiramisutoday.”
“Splitdessert?” I scoffed. “It’s like you don’t know me at all. If I’m getting tiramisu, I’m not splittingshit.”
Kelly snickered. “Oh,fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll get my own. But if I don’t fit into my gown for the Academy Awards, it’syourfault for not sharing withme.”
“Oh my God. We aren’t even finished filming yet and you already have your Oscars dress? Woman, you’re crazy. For that, I’m going to eattwotiramisu!”
Behind us, a few of the featured extras were in line as well. I heard their snickers, and then a breathy voice gave a faux whisper that could practically be heard around the whole craft services area. “With an ass that size, I wonder if there’ll be any dessert left by the time we getthere.”
I froze, my muscles stiffened and my heart lurching into my throat. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t resist peeking at her as I slid my eyes to the left. She was tall, willowy, with voluminous light brown hair that framed her face in soft, mermaid curls. As she and her other friends giggled, her lip curled back over a set of blindingly whiteteeth.
“The fuck did you just say to her?” Kelly spun around gracefully on the balls of her spiked patent leatherheels.
“Kelly,” I whispered, tugging her arm. “Ignore them. I’m used to it and it doesn’t botherme—”
“Apologize to her,” A deep voice rumbled from behindme.
Oh, fuck. No, no, no,no…
The girl’s voice cracked and her eyes went wide, staring at Ash. “M-Mr. Livingston, I’m sorry, Ididn’t—”
“Don’t apologize tome,” he snapped. “Apologize toLucy.”
The apples of her cheeks flushed bright red and she licked her lips nervously. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and her gaze dipped to the ground. Whether it was a false act of contrition or heartfelt, I didn’t know or care. I just wanted this scene to be over. People around us were staring, and with Ash’s booming voice and strong presence, we were only going to gain more attention the longer we stoodthere.
