Page 44 of Hot Mess

“For someone who looks like they dress out of a rucksack, you do fuss a lot.” Isaac crossed the room, grabbed a pair of well-worn Doc Martens, and handed them to me. “Yes, your mother wants you to buy her another beach house.”

“So did I?”

“What, buy her a beach house? Yes, of course, you did. Had the keys attached to a big red and green bow to make it festive. Now if Kayla was as easy as your mother.”

I shot Isaac a glare. Kayla was nothing like my mother. I didn’t want her to be. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Isaac rolled his eyes. “You are too easy to tease, I swear. Kayla is still at the hotel.”

“I thought I was getting her an apartment?”

He shook his head. “She doesn’t like any of them. She’s completely appalled at the cost of rent for what she gets. She is convinced you are being ripped off. I mean, you are. Rent is out of control.”

“If she isn’t in an apartment. Don’t tell me she’s still at the hotel?”

“Has been all week.”

“And you’ve just let her go apartment hunting on her own?”

“Kayla is subversive.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I chuckled.

“Oh, she wants you to think she is all demure and sweet. ‘This is so overwhelming Isaac.’ But she is on top of her game. I think she is a secret financial genius or something. Shrewd and confident in her negotiations.”

“I agree. She acts all shy but is actually hot and sexy.”

Isaac laughed. “You have it bad. I knew you liked her.”

“Yeah, I like her. The real question is, does the studio? Or are they going to force their choice on me?”

He had his phone out and was sending someone a quick text.

“Isaac?”

“Yeah, Kayla wanted to know if her outfit for tonight’s party was okay. I didn’t send over a stylist, so she was concerned. Apparently, I texted her that it was casual. I was just covering your ass, as usual.”

He put his phone down.

“When exactly did I text her about a party tonight?”

I grimaced. “Yesterday.”

“You are allowed to text her directly, you know. Now she thinks this is an official appearance and not some kind of date.”

“Hey, you’re the one who keeps telling me this is a business arrangement, that she doesn’t want there to be anything nonprofessional between us,” I held up my hands in frustration.

“And what do you want there to be between the two of you?”

It was my turn to stare at him as if he had done something wrong, said something idiotic, missed the fucking elephant in the room. I thought it was so obvious what I wanted that I was a walking joke.

“Well?” he asked.

“You are just trying to put me on the spot. Kayla is beautiful and charming, and funny. Whatever there is between us, professional or not, I want there to be more. Whatever I have with her will never be enough. But I’m playing by the rules, at least for now. When she is more comfortable around me, I can ease up and make my intentions more obvious.”

“That explains all the preening. You want to impress her.”

I shrugged.

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