Page 16 of Role Play
“It’s been a long day and I have a feeling tomorrow will be even longer.” Then, in a veiled attempt at changing the subject, I gestured to Andrea who was at the other end of the bar, fixing a martini. “And just so you don’t get blindsided by us twice… on Monday, Andrea will be meeting with you and Kelly. She’s the designer I was telling youabout.”
He blinked and leaned back, noticeably surprised. And giving me just enough space that my breath returned to normal. “Well, you two are just full ofsurprises.”
I shrugged and grabbed my purse from the hook below the bar. “Right. So, you see why this was probably a bad idea. Besides, I doubt Kelly would be very happy if she found out aboutthis.”
“This?” He lifted abrow.
He had asked the question, yet there was a knowingness in his tone. Heknewwhat. He just wanted to hear me say it. “About you and I having a drink together. Just the two of us… outside of thestudio.”
Jutting his bottom lip out in thought, he answered, “Well then, let’s go back to the studio. Have a drinkthere.”
I huffed a sigh. “You think you’re being cute, but it’s actually annoying.” Annoyingandcute.
“We’re just two people who work together who happened to run into each other at thebar.”
I shifted on the stool and fidgeted with the empty tumbler. “So yousaid.”
“You don’tagree?”
When I didn’t answer him, he continued staring at me in that same intense way. The man had to be blind not to notice the way Kelly was constantly coming on to him. Not that I could blame her… If I had any game at all, I would be coming on to him, too. Sadly, “having game” in my world meant that I was the reigning champion of Clue. And I was, too. Seriously… break that bad boy out and see. I’d know that it was Colonel Mustard with the lead pipe in the Conservatory in fourturns.
After an intense game of chicken to see who would talk first, Ash sighed. “Well, just so you know, this annoying guy feels bad for getting you into trouble after the meetingtoday.”
I snorted and stabbed my straw into the now melting ice. “Nah, it wasn’t so bad—wait, how did you know I got introuble?”
He took a sip, taking his time to roll the amber liquid over his tongue and desire pulsed between my legs at the sight of his tongue working the drink.Stupid, lucky scotch. “She was yelling in the hallway. I heard her as Ileft.”
Heat stained my cheeks. Shit, that was embarrassing. I knew that some people on the crew heard me getting my ass handed to me, but I had desperately hoped Ashhadn’t.
“See?” Ash said, pointing at me. “That right there… that look. I feel bad. I’m sorry for getting you introuble.”
I shrugged. “You didn’t do anything wrong in that meeting. All you asked for was myopinion.”
“I know. Andyoudidn’t do anything wrong by answering my question. Really, the person who should be apologizing to you is Kelly. But I think we both know she won’t be doing that any timesoon.”
“She’s not so bad to work for. She seems really excited for this movie and she’s just trying to do her best for you. I don’t know anyone who would react well to their boss looking to an assistant for input on a project they were having trouble with. Anyone would feel threatened bythat.”
Ash snorted. “She comes from streaming programming where her dad was the executive producer of the show. And to be honest, she’s not acting threatened. She’s acting like a spoiled brat. That’s what happens, I guess, whenDaddygets you into an industry where you don’tbelong.”
Even though his words weren’t about me, they still stung. I shrugged and looked up at Ash once more to find his gaze intensely steeled onto me. “Nepotism or not, she’s here to stay. So give her a chance. I bet she’ll make itwork.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why are you defending someone who has it out foryou?”
That was a damn good question. Maybe because in some ways, defending Kelly was like defending myself. Maybe because she was my boss and I felt a loyalty to her. “Because… I don’t believe Kelly is bad. I think she’s hardened by this industry. And being catty in response to her isn’t going to help—it’s just going to make her retaliate. All I can do is live and work with kindness and honesty. Be the good I want to see in the world… and all that Kumbayashit.”
Ash studied me and gave a small “hm,” sound—sharp and short, almost like he was laughing. But he wasn’t. Not even close. A simmering heat swirled in my stomach. Then, breaking my gaze, he shook his head, taking another sip ofscotch.
Andrea slid me another drink and gave me a glint-eyed smirk. I had already had one too many, and with only the handful of almonds I ate on the way here, it was going to my head.Fast.
“Kumbaya shit,” Ash repeated. “That’s very… mature ofyou.”
“I have mymoments.”
A woman with short, blonde hair in a pixie cut slid into the bar next to Ash, interrupting us. Her gaze remained down, focused on the edge of thebar.
“Eve,” Ash said. “Oh, shit… I totally forgot about ourmeeting.”
“I see that,” she said, her eyes sliding briefly to me. Her eyeliner winged out at the edges and bright red lipstick filled in an already plumppout.
