Page 42 of Hot Mess

“How are you getting around? I know you don’t drive. I could pick you up. We could spend the day together. It would be fun.”

I shook my head; it would not be fun. In the days after returning home, I came to realize that one of the reasons my first trip to LA had ended the way it did, with me running away, was because I had been the butt of Jessie and Gabe’s jokes. Jessie took me shopping only to make herself feel better, not to find anything for me, since we never went anywhere with plus-sized clothes.

Lydia, the stylist, may have been a total bitch to me, but she had shown up with a rack full of dresses in my size. Not just one, but a rack full. As much as I had felt like the only bigger girl in the whole city, I knew that was complete crap. I wasn’t. I wasn’t even the only big girl at the event the night before.

Knowing I wasn’t alone made me feel a lot better about my situation.

“I’m good. I have a driver for the day,” I started.

“Wow, this new boss of yours must be a real high-roller.”

“You could say that.”

“And you met her at the Halloween party we all went to? Do I know her? I knew practically everyone there.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I met her after Gabe introduced me to Marci Wolf. And she didn’t seem to know you or Gabe when I mentioned your names. But yeah. She has big clients.”

I figured if I just kept pretending Isaac was my new mysterious boss— after all I had used his name as my inspiration— then things wouldn’t go too far wrong.

“Oh, come on, Kayla. You don’t have to be embarrassed about what the apartments look like. Rent in LA is a beast. Thank God, Daddy lets me live at home. Let me come look with you.”

“We’re at the first address,” Stu announced.

The car slowed and pulled alongside an empty spot at the curb. I had been here long enough to know finding a parking spot right where you wanted one was a rare event.

“Look, Jessie, I’m at the first building. I need to call the property manager.”

“Whatever. How about lunch?”

“I can do lunch. Text me where you want to meet. And I’ll be there.”

I couldn’t get off the phone with her fast enough.

The property manager answered on the first ring and was able to give me a brief tour of the apartment. It was nice. I think. The walls were boring and white. The kitchen was not much bigger than what I had in the hotel, and the bathroom did not have a tub, only a shower.

Isaac said he couldn’t decide if this was good enough or not. I shouldn’t complain, Nick was paying my rent. But this wasn’t my idea of a nice apartment. I thanked the property manager for her time and told her I had to review another one for my boss.

The next one was just as small, only plus point that the bathroom had a tub.

“Are all apartments like this?” I asked Stu as he drove me to my lunch with Jessie.

“You mean overpriced and too small?”

“Exactly,” I said.

“These are all in some really nice neighborhoods, so finding something bigger, you might have to look elsewhere.”

I groaned. The apartment situation was supposed to have been done. I wouldn’t have complained one bit if I had shown up and Isaac handed me the keys to either place. But now that I had a say in the matter, I was feeling very picky.

Stu pulled the car to a stop in front of the restaurant Jessie had suggested. A doorman helped me from the car. This was way fancier than what I had expected.

“There you are!” Jessie did that weird, hobbled run she did when her heels were too high.

She looped her arm in mine.

“This is my favorite place. Thank you for buying me lunch. This is such a treat.”

“I…” Crap. I had opened the door and fallen into her trap. I certainly hadn’t said I would pay for lunch, but I also hadn’t specifically said I wouldn’t, either. “Jessie, this place is out of my budget.”

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