“Her colossal mistake,” Marissa said softly.
He smiled.“You’re sweet.She did, actually, decide it was a mistake, but I wasn’t willing to take her back.Once that kind of trust has been broken, there’s no recovering from it.”
She slid her palm in his.“Do you know, I found Billy Fox in my sister’s bed yesterday morning?While his new girlfriend was stumbling around downstairs?”
He squeezed her hand.“That sucks.I’m sorry.”
She shrugged.“His girlfriend said she didn’t mind, so I guess they were made for each other.Better her than me.”
He glanced at his watch without letting Marissa see.He wanted to delay her panic as long as possible.Finding a natural moment, he steered her back in the other direction so they’d arrive at his house around the time they had to leave.
Chapter3
Marissa checked her phone on the ride over in Joel’s Mercedes.Her battery indicator was on red.“My mom called seven times,” she said.
“Why don’t you call her now, to prep her for the meeting?”
“Nah.I’ll let her stew,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.
“I also have a text from Ella Janes.”
“The supermodel?”
“Yeah, my ex’s new girlfriend.She says she wants to hang out.What is wrong with these people?”
He chuckled.“I don’t know, but don’t engage with the crazy.”
She shut her phone off.“I won’t.”
Julie, her agent, pulled into the studio parking lot right after they did.“Marissa,” she called, walking over in a crisp but sexy business suit, her heels clicking on the pavement.
“I’ll let you two talk,” Joel said in a low voice, heading inside.
Julie pointed toward the door he’d entered.“You came with him?”Not waiting for an answer, she gave a knowing nod.“Nice work.What’s on your lip?Listen, I can handle this.Your job is just to look contrite and let me do the talking.”
“That’s what Joel said,” she muttered.
Julie raised her eyebrows.“Did he?Smart man.Let’s go.Oh God, there’s your mother.Come on, let’s go in before she catches us.”Julie grabbed her arm and tugged her through the door and into the elevator, closing the doors before her mom appeared.
“Try not to let your mom say anything crazy, okay?We’re just lucky they’re willing to talk terms to keep you on the movie.I don’t know what the hell is going on, but you need to get your shit together, sugar, or your entire career is sunk.Yesterday everyone was throwing out the oldshe will never work in Hollywood againlines about you.”
If Julie meant to reassure her, she’d done a terrible job.She touched her cold sore with her finger and trailed after her agent into the appointed conference room where Joel held out a chair for her to sit beside him.Antonio sat across the table, his fingers interlaced, staring at a corner of the ceiling.
Joel dropped a hand onto her nape in a signal to everyone in the room of his support.
She exhaled and forced a smile.
“This is Alan Gray, from legal, Joe Rymes, you know Doug Smit, the producer.And we’re just waiting on Mr.Betts, who will represent the studio executives today,” Joel said.
Her mom toddled in and plopped down on her other side.“Where have you been?I’ve been trying to call you for the last twelve hours,” she hissed.
Marissa shrugged.“My phone was dead,” she said.
Joel’s eyes slid sideways to look at her but he didn’t comment.
Mr.Betts came in and the room fell silent.“So, what are we looking at?”he said, obviously not into small talk.
