Page 12 of The Hate Date

Dammit.

I’m genuinely discombobulated.

I. Do. Not. Get. Rattled.

Not over a woman. It’s never happened before. It’s not happening now.

“Fuck it,“ I mutter to myself. Pull out my wallet and toss a hundred-dollar bill on the table even though I haven’t ordered a thing. Grab my phone and head toward the front door where Zed is waiting.

He stubs out a cigarette and points toward the buildings up the hill. “She jumped in an Uber and headed that way. Probably back to the Sutton Place Hotel. That’s where the cast and crew are being housed.”

It’s a blessing in disguise. Her disappearing act gives me the perspective I need. I have an important call with Tokyo in just under an hour. The last thing I’m going to do is chase this woman around the city. This shit with Eminence Partners has taken up too much time as it is.

“Well, go keep an eye out. I have work to do. Call me if anything I should know about happens.” I dismiss Zed and start toward my hotel.

On my short walk back to the Fairmount, I decide to get real with myself. First, the way I’m drawn to her is dangerous. Second, I’m making this business with Eminence Partners too personal. Third, I don’t need to be here. If this were an ordinary acquisition, my corporate integration team would handle the transition and I’d let Seth worry about getting the money back from Clover.

For fuck’s sake. It’s what I should do now. It would be easy to call for my jet, head back to my headquarters in New York and return to business as usual.

I’m going to stay, though. Might as well admit it.

Thankfully, I’m a master keeping my priorities in line. Staying focused. Keeping my feelings out of the mix. Now that I’ve identified my own weaknesses, I can work around them. Keep them in check.

I’m leaving for Singapore in a few days anyway. Until then, I’ll hang around the studio to get a read on the situation. My presence won’t seem out of the ordinary—I have every right to be there. I own the goddamn place.

If she recognizes me, it’ll be because I’m the handsome man she locked eyes with at The Cactus Club. I’ll flirt with her. Maybe take her to dinner with a nice bottle of wine so she’ll let her guard down. I’ll figure out what her involvement is. Where the money is.

Then lower the boom.

If somewhere in-between all of this we happen to get naked?

That’ll just be an added bonus.

Chapter five

Clover

A Few Days Later

The working title of the show is The Essential Hunk List, but Netflix has decided to change it to The Boyfriend Experiment. We’re a few weeks into filming the mockumentary style dramedy. My character frequently speaks directly to the camera and has various confessional interview segments which will be woven into the scenes.

The entire production is first class. The cast and crew are fantastic. Ronni is, well, perfection.

I’m in absolute heaven.

My character is Jenna Lewis, a thirty-something woman, married to a doctor who leaves her for one of his residents. On the day her divorce is finalized, her best friend, Sunithra Jones, challenges her to date outside her comfort zone. They come up with a list—called Essential Boyfriends—which details the types of men Jenna has never been with before. She’s not allowed to get serious until she works her way through the entire list.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how smooth everything is going on set. Apparently, Netflix wants the series to premiere later this year, so we’re working double-time to finish principle shooting. We’ve filmed most of the scenes between Jenna and Sunithra. Now, we’re working through the dates with the “boyfriends” and my confessionals.

The pace is insane, but also invigorating.

I can’t help asking myself—how is this my life? Last year I was essentially a failed actress-turned-stay-at-home wife. Now, I’m starring in the single-most-anticipated series this fall. One that could absolutely be based on my own life.

Insanity. All of it.

“Clover, ten minutes.” A production assistant knocks on the door to my dressing room.

Vivi, my makeup artist, powders my nose and spritzes me with setting spray. “You’re gorgeous.”

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