Page 11 of Billionaire's Second Chance

“Name one thing Lily Rae can’t do. You model, you act, and you still find the time to look effortlessly ravishing. I’m sure you would make a wonderful designer," I complimented her.

She blushed red.

“Oh, well. Thank you. Do I know you?” She squinted her eyes with curiosity.

“Uh, I don’t think so,” I said, then offered a hand. “Ava Sage.”

“Pleased to meet you, Ava. It seems you’re familiar with this space. I just joined.” She looked around.

“Well, you're in luck. I’m an instructor here. How about we begin with a little jog on the treadmill?” I urged her on.

Lily was all smiles. We were close to the treadmill when a phone buzzed. I reached for mine, but it wasn't ringing. She patted her little gym bag.

“My bad. Sorry, I have to take this.” She smiled and turned away.

I took a few steps back to grant her privacy. Now that she was in grasp, I needed her to teach me how she made it through the industry so effortlessly and even won my role without auditioning.

“Hello, Damon,” she said.

I froze. There was no way I heard her correctly.

She squealed, dropped the little bag on the floor, and hugged herself. If ever there was a time to exercise, it was now.

She had stolen my part.No. He had stolen my part and given it to her. What was it between them, though?

The treadmill ran faster. Her voice still filtered into my ears.

“Sure, Damon. Dinner sounds good,” Lily Rae rejoiced, twirling her hair.

My heart outran the treadmill.

“The Bon Restaurant. 8 pm," she confirmed.

I slowed down the treadmill so that I could hear better.

“Bye, love." She hung up.

Damn you both.

“Sorry, Ava. I have to run along now,” she informed me, picking up her bag as quickly as she had dropped it when her phone rang.

“But we were just getting started,” I attempted to stop her.

“I’ve got to go get ready for a date,” she beamed.

I stepped out of the treadmill. “That’s nice. When do I see you again?”

“Tomorrow, I guess. Thank you for being so kind and inviting,” she extended her hand and held mine.

I smiled. “It’s nothing.”

Then she sashayed away, and my eyes trailed her movements. Whatever this farce between Lily and Damon was, I needed to know.

***

I had stared at the door for so long that I momentarily forgot what my bedroom looked like, which was strange since it was nothing fancy: a queen-sized bed, a framed picture of my graduation from Columbia University, and an old, rugged desk I had dragged out of the Salvation Army, filled with scripts.

Audition scripts.

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