Page 29 of Hot Mess

“I’m not actually paying her a paycheck then?”

“Exactly. And if people ask how serious you are, you say very much. It will give a story as to why you are suddenly being seen in public with the same woman.”

“Why is the studio being such a pain about this? It’s such an old-fashioned thing for them to do. I hadn’t heard of this level of relationship manipulation from a studio since the early twentieth century.”

Isaac laughed. “That’s because you haven’t heard about it. It’s been going on the entire time. Ever see a power couple you didn’t expect? Or a couple you were so certain would get together, and then at the last minute, they split and marry other people almost instantly? The studios are constantly trying to create perfect little couples not only on screen but off. Congratulations, you are a person of interest. So much interest, the studio wants you to partner up.”

Damn, he was right.

“Hey, why do I have to pay rent on an apartment? Why can’t she live in the house?”

I could hear Isaac’s heavy breathing through the phone.

“How much talking did you do?”

I chuckled. “We weren’t exactly having a conversation.”

“Oh, I see. Well, well, well. Miss Kayla Gotlieb was a little primmer and more proper with me. She’s from a very old-fashioned family. Cohabitation outside of wedlock is a no for her. You found yourself a good girl. The only one left in LA.”

“She’s not in LA,” I reminded him.

“Well, she will be. Once we’re done here, I’ll make all the arrangements. I can have an agent on that apartment in the morning. I’ll find out what kind of car she wants. And get some dresses in. You’ll be hitting the red carpet pretty much as soon as you get back.”

“As long as this keeps the studio off my back, and they stop trying to set me up.”

“This should take care of that. And everyone will love you. How’s the shooting?”

I groaned. “Filming the nudes tomorrow.”

“Oh, Nick, you’ve got to be hungry.”

“Not really. After the first six hours or so it’s not so bad. But it’s fucking cold here. Take care of Kayla, get everything all set up. Get her whatever car she wants, as long as it's not nicer than mine. And no Ferraris, okay Isaac.”

13

KAYLA

A few weeks later…

“Martha told me at the Auxiliary Guild Thanksgiving that you gave notice at the craft store. Isn’t that something you should have told me?”

Mom cornered me in my room. I was going to tell her, in my own time. I just hadn’t figured out when that was exactly.

“I was going to tell you.”

She glared at me, and at the pile of clothes I had out on my bed.

“It looks like you have a few things to tell me.”

I let out a sigh. Yeah, I had a lot to tell her. I guess I didn’t have a choice, might as well tell her now. After all, she already knew I gave notice, and this was my last week at the craft store.

“I think you need to start with why you thought it was a good idea to take the job and then quit practically immediately. It’s not as if you have many options, not with your lack of experience and skills.”

I blinked up at her. Did my own mother think so little of me that my only job options were store clerk? Whatever happened to starting at the bottom and working my way up? That was part of the message she had always told me. It’s why I stayed with Stole Brothers all through college. I actually didn’t like working for the small department store, but I had advanced to department assistant manager for housewares.

The message from Mom had never been to figure out what you love and find a way to make it into a career or go after something that pays well. And that’s what I desperately needed, more money.

It’s why I was doing this. Nick Sadler had nothing to do with it. At least that’s what I kept telling myself. As much as I was embarrassed by everything that happened, I had liked him, liked him more than I knew I could. I didn’t understand why he requested me for this job. How could he want to see me after what had happened? But according to Isaac, the man who had contacted me, Nick specifically requested me.

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