Page 59 of Total Obsession

"You really are too good for me," I said to her, pulling her in for another deep kiss.

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ZOEY

The days leading up to Thanksgiving were a complete blur. I was trying my hardest to make up for what had happened, but Matt was giving me a hard time nonetheless. Miranda assured me that I should just relax and not let it get to me.

"The more he sees it bothers you, the more he's going to do it," she told me.

I knew she was right, but the whole thing was childish in my opinion. I was really starting to hate going into the studio and was longing for a break.

Thursday and Friday were properly confirmed days off and that was all I was focused on. Axe being at the apartment every day had been a bit bizarre in the beginning, but I'd gotten used to it. He did all his work from the kitchen table and by the time I came back each evening, he'd already laid out dinner, usually ordered from a different gourmet restaurant nearby.

"Are we still on for tomorrow?" Miranda asked me as we wrapped up shooting for the day.

"Oh," I replied, totally forgetting that she and I had agreed to have Thanksgiving dinner together since neither of us had family in the area.

"You're not canceling on me the day before, are you?" she whined.

"No, no!" I exclaimed. "Not at all. It's just that," I hesitated.

"What?" she asked, hands on her hips.

I winced. I knew she wasn't going to like what I said next. "Axe is going to be there."

She let out a dramatic sigh. "I thought you'd dumped that guy already after everything that had happened."

Miranda and I hadn't spoken about Axe since the Miami debacle. In my defense, it had only been a couple of days, but I also knew I was avoiding the subject with her. I believed what he'd told me, but I wasn't sure that she would be as fair to him.

"No," I replied calmly. "I haven't dumped him. We're just taking things slowly, and he explained everything to me."

"Oh?" Miranda asked. "He explained why he lied to you?"

"It was all a misunderstanding," I said.

"I really don't want to listen to you defend him," Miranda said. "It makes me sad. I just feel like you could do a lot better."

"You barely know him," I pointed out.

She shrugged. "From what I've seen, I don't need to know more."

"At least try and be civil tomorrow," I pleaded.

"I didn't realize that I was still invited," she huffed.

"Of course, you are," I said. "I just don't want any fighting on the holiday. That will make it feel too much like home."

She gave me a sad smile. Miranda knew about how horribly my home life had fallen apart during my high school years. It was something I still hadn't shared with Axe. Given how his life had completely fallen apart in high school, I didn't think it was fair to try and share.

"I'm not going to fight with him," Miranda said. "But, I'm not going to be like every other woman that gets into his presence. Gawd, the bitches of this town annoy me."

She said that a little bit too loud, and a few of the other cast members made a face at her as they walked by. She stuck her tongue out at them, and I had to laugh at her antics. Miranda didn't shy away from anyone.

"Just show up tomorrow for dinner," I said. "And think about leaving some of your sass at home," I said with a wink, grabbing my stuff.

"I would never dream of it," she replied. "And I'll be there before dinner starts. I wouldn't miss the opportunity to have a one-on-one with the great Aksel Michelson himself."

I groaned and gave her a pleading look. She just laughed me off.

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