Caz shrugged on his shirt one-handed while they walked and only let go of her to get his arm through the sleeve.
Without warning, a bright light flashed, and she stumbled, momentarily blinded. Paparazzi cameras flashed from the sidewalk up ahead. Caz reached back and dragged her forward.
Chapter 6
The paparazzi stood between them and the parking lot. She should have had Caz wait inside while she drove the car around. She’d know next time.
“Let’s go,” Caz said. Heads down, they ran all-out to the car. Holding up the keyless entry, Ashley chirped open the locks as soon as they were in range.
After speeding out of the lot, she said, “Maybe it’s good you have a driver. Photographers are crazy.” She slowed to make the turn and said, “What am I thinking? You’re an actor. Do you want me to circle back around so they can get more shots?”
“No.”
Caz checked his phone and frowned.
“What?”
He didn’t answer.
Shut into the tiny car with him, she could really smell the baby oil. She decided to give him a break. “I wish my friend Marissa didn’t have to work all summer and could come up. You bringing anyone over?”
Silence. Then he said in a gravelly voice, “Didn’t you see the news?”
Oops, of course she had. His friend Garrett spilled the news about his parents’ split on air. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
He shook his head.
Ashley said, “At least Garrett’s here, when you decide to forgive him, that is.”
Caz frowned and shifted in his seat. “Never happen.”
Ashley sucked in a breath. “A lifelong friendship and you’re giving up after one mistake?”
“Fool me once.”
Okay, one shot and you’re out; that sounded like Hollywood. She didn’t think she could keep a friend who wouldn’t allow her to make a mistake. Everyone made mistakes. Actors made lots of them. Ashley braked for the red light.
They rode in silence for a few blocks and then Ashley tried for a new topic. “Marissa sent me a new recipe, but I can’t get it to taste as good as takeout. I’ll have to call her when I get home and see what ingredient is missing.” She chatted about Marissa’s creative recipes for the rest of the trip.
Caz looked kind of expectant right up to the point where she parked near his trailer. Putting one hand on the door handle, he raised his eyebrows at her. “Did you want to get dinner?”
Please, twelve hours on set were enough. She really hadn’t been hitting on him with the condoms. He needed to let that go. “Too busy, but you have a good night.”
“Good night.”
***
The assistant director caught her as Ashley walked into the warehouse the next morning. “They need you in the filing room, warehouse twelve.”
Olive stood in the background, nodding. She held a tray of coffee cups with one empty slot. A matching cup rested in the AD’s hand.
Olive said, “I’ve got this set covered. You go ahead.”
“No problem.” Ashley turned back to the door.
Olive’s hurried stomps caught up to her. “Coffee?” she asked loudly. Ashley shook her head. Olive knew she didn’t like coffee.
Olive leaned close and whispered, “Sleeping with someone may have gotten you the job, but I guess whoring won’t save you from filing.”
“What? That wasn’t part of your interview too?”
Olive’s hazel eyes glowered. “I’ll go do my job now. You have no idea how much I have to do around here.”
“Who do you think I slept with?”
“We all know.” Olive scooted back and pounded her way to the coffee cart.
Ashley detoured by the makeup station. While walking, she shot off a text to Marissa. “Hollywood gossip says I slept with someone to get this job.”
Marissa texted, “It’s an unpaid internship. You must not be very good at it.”
Ashley smiled and felt some of her tension ease. “What do I do?”
The reply returned immediately. “Fry vat overflowed. Irina suggested I still serve the floor fries. Tell gossiper what I told
Without warning, a bright light flashed, and she stumbled, momentarily blinded. Paparazzi cameras flashed from the sidewalk up ahead. Caz reached back and dragged her forward.
Chapter 6
The paparazzi stood between them and the parking lot. She should have had Caz wait inside while she drove the car around. She’d know next time.
“Let’s go,” Caz said. Heads down, they ran all-out to the car. Holding up the keyless entry, Ashley chirped open the locks as soon as they were in range.
After speeding out of the lot, she said, “Maybe it’s good you have a driver. Photographers are crazy.” She slowed to make the turn and said, “What am I thinking? You’re an actor. Do you want me to circle back around so they can get more shots?”
“No.”
Caz checked his phone and frowned.
“What?”
He didn’t answer.
Shut into the tiny car with him, she could really smell the baby oil. She decided to give him a break. “I wish my friend Marissa didn’t have to work all summer and could come up. You bringing anyone over?”
Silence. Then he said in a gravelly voice, “Didn’t you see the news?”
Oops, of course she had. His friend Garrett spilled the news about his parents’ split on air. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
He shook his head.
Ashley said, “At least Garrett’s here, when you decide to forgive him, that is.”
Caz frowned and shifted in his seat. “Never happen.”
Ashley sucked in a breath. “A lifelong friendship and you’re giving up after one mistake?”
“Fool me once.”
Okay, one shot and you’re out; that sounded like Hollywood. She didn’t think she could keep a friend who wouldn’t allow her to make a mistake. Everyone made mistakes. Actors made lots of them. Ashley braked for the red light.
They rode in silence for a few blocks and then Ashley tried for a new topic. “Marissa sent me a new recipe, but I can’t get it to taste as good as takeout. I’ll have to call her when I get home and see what ingredient is missing.” She chatted about Marissa’s creative recipes for the rest of the trip.
Caz looked kind of expectant right up to the point where she parked near his trailer. Putting one hand on the door handle, he raised his eyebrows at her. “Did you want to get dinner?”
Please, twelve hours on set were enough. She really hadn’t been hitting on him with the condoms. He needed to let that go. “Too busy, but you have a good night.”
“Good night.”
***
The assistant director caught her as Ashley walked into the warehouse the next morning. “They need you in the filing room, warehouse twelve.”
Olive stood in the background, nodding. She held a tray of coffee cups with one empty slot. A matching cup rested in the AD’s hand.
Olive said, “I’ve got this set covered. You go ahead.”
“No problem.” Ashley turned back to the door.
Olive’s hurried stomps caught up to her. “Coffee?” she asked loudly. Ashley shook her head. Olive knew she didn’t like coffee.
Olive leaned close and whispered, “Sleeping with someone may have gotten you the job, but I guess whoring won’t save you from filing.”
“What? That wasn’t part of your interview too?”
Olive’s hazel eyes glowered. “I’ll go do my job now. You have no idea how much I have to do around here.”
“Who do you think I slept with?”
“We all know.” Olive scooted back and pounded her way to the coffee cart.
Ashley detoured by the makeup station. While walking, she shot off a text to Marissa. “Hollywood gossip says I slept with someone to get this job.”
Marissa texted, “It’s an unpaid internship. You must not be very good at it.”
Ashley smiled and felt some of her tension ease. “What do I do?”
The reply returned immediately. “Fry vat overflowed. Irina suggested I still serve the floor fries. Tell gossiper what I told
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