Page 3 of Billionaire's Second Chance

“I know, but this is different. I can feel it in my bones,” he patted me on the back.

Of course. Standing before the man I had a one-night stand with must be different.

“Where is the audition happening again?”

Greg glanced at me. “Second floor. And you look hot, Rose!”

I smiled. He was already addressing me as the character I was auditioning for. I hadn’t gotten the role yet, but arguing with Greg was useless.

We walked inside the building. Garrett Pictures, Damon’s ALX Studios subsidiary, owned it.

Would Damon even recognize me?

It had been three years, but what if? What if he had tried to find me after that but couldn't? I kept changing my apartments and phone numbers, so I might have made it harder. But what if he hadn’t even thought about me since?

“You’re worrying about Damon again, aren’t you?” Greg prodded, seeing the discomfort in my eyes.

“No,” I looked away and stepped into the elevator after him. “Why would I be?”

“You looked like you were. You have the face you made all weekend long when discussing him. If I didn’t know better, I’d have said you still have a crush on him.”

And you'd be right!

“At least you know better," I scoffed, brushing his comments under the rug.

The hallway was filled with more blue-eyed blondes than I had ever seen. Each held a script and paced around nervously. Those that didn't were sitting on the floor with creased brows.

“Told you,” Greg said. “It's a dollhouse. See that door?” He pointed to a brown door to our left. “That’s your ticket to stardom.”

My eyes scanned the door, then wandered across the entire hallway. Everything was a blur except for an older man in a black trench coat who leaned against the wall with a blank stare. His face wasn’t familiar, but the look on it was. He wore the scowl of a tired actor, always searching for a big break but never getting one.

What role was he hoping to land?What's your story, old man?Had he hunted for lead roles all his life? Would that be my fate?

I shuddered at the thought. I should do better. Iwoulddo better.

“You know what all these girls have in common?” I poked Greg with my elbow.

“A script?” He joked.

“No, not that. Something beyond their looks,” I rolled my eyes at him.

Greg arched his brow. “You’re not going to make another blonde joke, are you?”

His voice must have been a little too loud. A couple of blondes eyed him and moved away. I punched his arm.

“Hope, Greg. That’s what everyone here has in common. Hope that they’d land this role or any role at all.”

“Then they better have enough hope to last them till the next audition. You’re definitely getting this lead.”

“You really think so, Greg?” I looked at him with wet eyes.

“Of course, Ava. Almost everyone here is counting on some underhand connection to help them land the job. But you are one hell of an actress.”

“I could do with some underhand connections too.” I smiled nervously.

“Oh, plea—”

The brown door squeaked open, interrupting our conversation, and a man in a red cardigan called out a number. Greg pinched my arm.

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