Page 111 of Role Play
“Tomorrow?” Kelly said. “Print them out right now,” she laughed. “These are divine. Perfect for the characters.” She slid a glance at Lucy who had been silent most of the meeting. “You did good,” Kelly added, and Lucy’s eyes widened from behind her black-framedglasses.
“Yeah?”
Kelly gave a sharp nod. “Yeah.”
A stunning smile twitched at the corner of Lucy’s mouth and I hated the way my stomach twisted at that gorgeous curve of her lips. “Thanks,” Lucy said. "But I didn't design anything. That's all onAndrea."
Kelly sighed. "Yeah, but you recognized the talent." She rolled her eyes, smirking. "And I'm not going to repeat the compliment a secondtime."
Lucy bit her lip and pushed her glasses higher on her nose. "Well... thankyou."
“Before we can talk compensation, though; Jon, Ash, and I need to discuss numbers,” Kelly added, directing her attention back tome.
“Whatever it is, I’ll take it!” Andrea squealed,beaming.
Kelly snorted, rolling her eyes. “Newbies,” she muttered, but I didn’t miss the smile that splayed on her cherry redlips.
My eyes shifted back to Lucy. I shouldn’t be staring. I should be paying more attention to Andrea or Kelly, but the way Lucy’s mouth pressed into a suppressed smile as she shook her head at her best friend... She was mesmerizing.And she isn't mine. I swallowed hard, and forced my eyes back toKelly.
I cleared my throat and stood from behind my desk. “Well, Kelly, Lucy, you two can go finish prepping for tomorrow’s shoot, and Jon and I will get Andrea the initial independent contractorforms.”
Lucy didn’t wait for me to give further instructions. She launched out of her seat and lunged for the door. Kelly watched, curiously, glancing briefly at me before following her assistant down thehall.
Once they were both gone, Jon jerked his head to the door. “I have to finish some prep for tomorrow, too. Can you handle thecontract?”
I nodded, relief relaxing deep in my muscles. Like an aching release as I unclenched all the tension I’d been holding. I stood, grabbing a few forms from the printer and handed them toAndrea.
She took the papers, eyeing me. “What’s going on with you and Lucy?” She asked, after Jon had left. Blunt as ever. "She’s being weird andquiet.”
Shit. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, keeping my eyes on the paperwork and sliding them across the desk. “Lucy’s always quiet atwork.”
Andrea’s head dropped to her shoulder, and she gave me the bestcut the shitlook I’d seen since my mom caught Lauren Delseco hiding in my bedroom closet at midnight, senior year of highschool.
Andrea narrowed her eyes at me. “I have known Lucy since we were five years old. I know the difference between her professional introverted-ness, and when she’s so pissed she doesn’t want to risk opening her mouth. The last twenty minutes?” Andrea pointed at the now empty chair Lucy had been sitting in. “It’s the latter. So, I’ll ask again—what’s going on with youtwo?”
“Nothing,” I said. “There’s nothing going on with us. I’m her boss. She’s my wardrobe assistant. That’sit.”
Andrea nodded, her mouth dipping comically into a thoughtful frown. “It didn’t look like nothing Saturday morning. Nothing doesn’t usually involve sending manatee care packages or helping a drunk girl safely make it through the night. Nothing doesn’t come in the form of the same clothes she was wearing when she left our apartment Saturdayafternoon.”
My brows lowered. How the hell did she know that? Lucy wore the same damn thing every day. I didn’t even need to ask the question before Andrea leveled me with a singlelook.
“Those jeans have an ink stain on the thigh. Lucy’s pen broke in class during our final semester of college. I took a guess on theshirt.”
We had washed her clothes on Sunday, and spent most of the day naked and in robes. But I guess washing doesn’t matter when one of you has permanent stains. “We both got a little … carried away this weekend. Besides, you don’t need to cover for her anymore. I know Lucy is seeing someone else.” Didn’t girls tell each other everything? As Lucy’s best friend, Andreahadto know about her relationship withRichard.
Andrea snorted. “Lucy’s not seeing anyone else. I haven’t seen that girl go on a date in almost twoyears.”
It was my turn to give her a look. “Now it’syourturn to cut theshit.”
Andrea lowered the contracts and looked me square in the eye. “Honest to God, Ash. Lucy doesn’t have aboyfriend.”
I snorted and shook my head. The air conditioning kicked on in the corner, and the low hum which I usually found so comforting was now grating on my nerves. “Well, it seems I wasn’t the only one she was hiding her relationshipfrom.”
Momentarily, concern passed over Andrea’s features. But in a blink, it vanished. She dropped the papers into her lap. “Okay, then. I’ll bite. Who is it? Who is this mystery man she’s with? And how doyouknow they’retogether?”
I didn’t want to say. It was Lucy’s place to share with Andrea, not mine. I swallowed. “Let’s just say, he works here and I walked in on them in hisoffice.”
Andrea narrowed her eyes. “Walked in on them… havingsex?”
