Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72543 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72543 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“Why not what?” I ask, trying to figure out how she got here so much faster than I did.
“She’s trying to talk me into being on your show,” Adam supplies.
“I told you no, Lana,” I say, and I am not pleased. “No does mean no.”
“He’s hot,” Lana says. “There’d be ridiculous gossip about you two, and it would take pressure off Damion.”
I’m not one to pull rank, even Damion’s rank, but I’m at my limit. “Lana, I think you’re forgetting who Damion is. He’s worried enough about this to want to pause production.”
This has her eyes flying wide. “What? No. That would cost a fortune.”
“Ask a man with his kind of money if he cares. I assure you, he’ll say no when it comes to my safety.”
She flips this around on me. “How hot and heavy are you two?”
“I’m moving in with him.”
She shakes her hand. “Hot, hot, and hot. Does the studio know?”
“He is the studio.” I cast Adam a pleading look. “Can we talk alone?”
“Of course.”
I start walking, and he follows until we’re several feet from Lana, who crosses her arms in front of her and just watches us. I offer her my back. “She’s making me crazy.”
“I can see why, but you handled it well.”
“You think?” I ask, needing that reassurance when I’m in uncharted waters. “Damion will approve. I hope so. We’ve had very little time to talk about all of this. Did you show him the card from the flowers?”
“I did. He says his father is contained.”
“Contained? What does that even mean?”
“I think it’s best if he explains, but he said to tell you to relax. He’s got this handled. All is well. He sent you a message.”
I snake my purse from my shoulder, where I stuffed my phone after silencing it, and yes, there’s a message from Damion: Remember when you used to make me prove you could trust me by falling back into my arms? You can trust me. I promise you, I have this handled. I will not let my father get in between us again. Ever. I’m in meetings all afternoon, one that will run until about seven. Walker will get you to your former apartment. Pack up. I’ll pick you up there, and then we can go HOME and order pizza and get naked. I’m crazy about you. See you soon.
I stare down at the message and sink into a memory from the past. I have fallen backward and know Damion will catch me. And he had. But when he wanted to do the same with me, I was afraid he was too big and I was too small for me to actually catch him. I’m still afraid of the exact same thing. There is a dark side to Damion—a dark past I don’t begin to understand—that I feel in my gut could come back to haunt him. What if he’s so busy trying to protect me that he falls, and I don’t know how to catch him?
Chapter thirty-one
It’s after five, and I’m in my dressing room gathering my things, and those damn sweet flowers bite at my senses and just drive me crazy. I shove my purse onto my shoulder, open one of the dressing room tables, pull out a candy bar, and exit the dressing room to where Adam waits on me. I offer him a Mr. Goodbar, my personal favorite. “Can I bribe you to throw these damn flowers away?”
“As much as I want that candy bar—I’m starving—I can’t leave you to throw them away.”
I blow hair from my eyes. “Take it anyway. You deserve it for putting up with me and Lana.”
He accepts the bar and rips it open. “Thanks,” he says, already shoving a big chunk in his mouth. “Can you leave a note for janitorial?”
“I should just give them to someone.” Right about then, Lana heads our direction.
I groan. “Not again. I need a bite of that candy bar.”
He holds it out, and I break off a bite and shove it in my mouth. “Don’t look like you just saw your worst nightmare,” Lana reprimands. “I know I’m a ratings whore, but I’m just trying to keep us all working. I came to apologize. I know having a stalker is scary. I’ll do better. You want me to get rid of those flowers?”
“Yes. Please. I hate the smell. I never want to see another rose in my entire life.”
Lana surprises me and pulls me into a hug. “I’m a bitch. I’m sorry.” She catches my shoulder and pulls back to look at me. “And we got an extra season, babe. You’re rocking it.”
“We’re rocking it,” I say. “And I appreciate your hard work. We wouldn’t be here without your skill.”
“Thanks for saying that, Alana. We’re a good team. Go get some rest.” She winks. “Tell Damion I said hi.”