Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 65643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 328(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 219(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 328(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 219(@300wpm)
Adrian didn’t agree with me. No way in hell would he give me that satisfaction. But he did sit back in his chair with a deep, thoughtful frown, jiggling his jean-clad leg. Eventually, when people started moving around, I went over to sit next to Julian.
“How’s it going with the asshat?” Julian asked in a low, confidential voice that was at odds with his jovial, smiling face. Julian was a master at that—presenting a broad smile to the world no matter what the conversation. After twenty years of friendship, I was just starting to get over the cognitive dissonance.
“It’s going okay,” I said. “I fed him some bullshit about how brilliant he was. He ate it up.”
“Of course he did.” Julian’s voice registered disgust. His smile broadened congenially.
“Stop that.” I frowned for him. “It’s creepy.”
“Stop what?” The wattage of his smile increased.
“You know.” I moved back to Adrian, who was a dick but at least his face matched his voice.
He looked over at me speculatively. “You used to be married to Noemi Thompson.”
“Yeah,” I said, not liking where I thought this might be going.
“She was the lead in Destiny Pollock’s first major movie role.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” I tried to sound like I was recalling something from way back when. “I remember that.”
Adrian had that look on his face again, the one where his mouth puckered like he’d just taken a bite of something and was thinking about spitting it out. “Noemi and Destiny are close, aren’t they? I just saw pictures of them together in People magazine.”
Fucking People magazine. They knew everything. Noemi had bargained with them ahead of time–she’d give them exclusive first photos of her wedding if they didn’t send any photographers to crash. You couldn’t do that with every tabloid, but People could be counted on to keep their word. They hadn’t let a peep slip about Noemi’s wedding, and in return, she’d given them eight pictures. One of which had all of the guests gathered behind her.
Destiny had been standing to her right.
And I had been right next to Destiny.
I ran every play in my head. None of them worked. I’d underestimated Adrian and overplayed my hand. Now he knew my cards–that I wanted Destiny in that movie. And I had a bad feeling I’d just ensured that neither Destiny nor I were going to get what we wanted.
28
DESTINY
After Jasmine’s interview, I’d spent the rest of the day in a stomach-churning spiral. I’d reviewed and regretted every life choice I’d ever made, including coming to Hollywood in the first place. Then I’d called my mom and asked if she thought I’d make a good teacher. And then, when she stopped laughing long enough to finish the conversation, we both came to the conclusion that no, I would not.
“You think Hollywood executives are jerks? You haven’t met eighth graders,” my mom said, humor still dancing in her voice. Like I’d always known that I was meant to be an actress, she’d always known she was meant to be a teacher. She wouldn’t last a day, dealing with Hollywood execs. I wouldn’t last a day with her bevy of hormone-charged fourteen-year-olds.
So, I hung up and drew a hot bath and contemplated if there was anything at all I wanted to do more than be here, fighting for the next role, playing the long game. And I concluded that there was not.
By the time Garrett let himself in at close to midnight, I was feeling like myself again. I’d melted down, but I’d reforged myself, and I was stronger this time. But when Garrett stepped into the light and I got a good look at him, I realized that he looked like shit.
Diabolically handsome as ever, but his skin had a gray undertone instead of gold, and his whiskey-honey eyes looked weary.
“Bad night?” I asked, wrapping my arms around him.
“Fucking awful.” He let me hug him, but he didn’t make a move to return the gesture. Instead, he looked down at me with an unreadable expression.
“What’s wrong?” I pulled back and tightened the belt of my robe, suddenly self-conscious. I hadn’t once worn this robe and not seen his eyes darken with lust, but now he could have been staring at his tax return for all the heat there was in his gaze.
Garrett looked like he wanted to say something, but he shook his head briefly instead and looked away. His eyes fixed on a point behind my head. I had a feeling that even if I turned around, I wouldn’t see what he was. What had happened in the last few hours?
“Destiny, I want you to know that even if this one role doesn’t work out, I’m going to do everything I can to help you get the next great one. An even better one.” His voice was solemn, with a dark edge and a fatalistic undertone that I didn’t understand.