“She’ll be cool,” Danny reassures me as he swings the door open and I hear a posh voice say, “Hello, hello.”
Danny exchanges cheek kisses with the blonde at the door before gesturing to where I cower in the corner of the room, desperately praying I’ve suddenly developed the power of invisibility.
“This is Anya,” he says.
Pip Covington looks at us with a raised brow, her face screamingbusted. She pulls off her glamorous sunglasses and blue eyes the same shade as Danny’s sparkle at me.
“Hi, Anya,” Pip says, breaking out in a smile aimed at Danny. The kind of shit-stirring smile that is reserved purely for siblings.
“Anya, is my—”
“I’m Danny’s assistant,” I blurt out, ignoring his wince.
Pip’s grin grows, nodding her head.
“Your t-shirt is on inside out.” Pip taps Danny’s shoulder as she squeezes past him and towards me.
Horror spears through me. Definitely busted.
“How are you finding Paris?” Pip asks me in a friendly voice. I find myself searching for a catty undertone, something that would make her bubbly personality fake.
“Oh uhm.” I’m thrown off now. Aren’t models supposed to be bitchy? “Yeah it’s nice,” I finish off lamely, glancing at Danny over her shoulder.
“How long are you here for?”
“Oh uh — until wrap.” I run my hand through my hair. “Or well until Danny leaves, I guess.” I swallow my tongue. “Not that I’m likefollowing himor anything just that well — I’m, y’know his assistant so when he’s not around, I don’t really have a job. So I’ll be here until Danny, uh, leaves.” Kill me. Please.
I chance a look at Danny and see that he’s biting his smile back and failing. I glare at him until he eventually steps forward and intervenes.
“What are you doing here, Pip?”
“Just a quick visit.” She flaps her hand in his direction and takes a seat on the armchair. “What are you planning on doing after this?”
Danny’s groan tells me that that question is directed my way. I stare at his sister blankly as she smiles at me.
“I don’t know,” I say, trying to not let it sound like a question. No matter how nice his sister is, it’s pretty clear she’s trying to figure me out. Trying to decide if I’m using her brother to get a leg up in my career. It’s nothing I haven’t already thought every person who finds out about us will think, but it still hurts.
“Phillipa,” Danny says sternly, taking a seat on the small settee and pulling my frozen body down next to him. “Back off.”
“I’m only asking!”
“It’s okay,” I say, my back straightening. I look Pip in the eye. “I don’t know what I’m doing next. I’m still figuring out what I want to do. Where to go from here. This job isn’t exactly…what I was expecting.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. Danny’s hand follows mine, running his fingers across my neck and gently brushing my hair over my shoulder. Claiming me.
I’m not sure if any of what I said makes any sense but Pip beams at me. “I like you.” She turns to Danny. “I like her. I like this.”
Uhm.
“Look, I know my brother. He’s not one to fool around with the help, so you must mean something to him.”
Danny ducks his head as I pull my eyes away from his whirlwind of a sister.
“How long has this been going on?”
I turn to Danny with wide eyes. I’ve already handled my interrogation, now it’s his turn.
He rubs his hand across his face. “Jesus Pip, please chill out.”
“I am chill!” Pip exclaims. “Am I not allowed to be happy for you? Honestly Anya, you should have seen him before. It was like living with a feral cat.”
