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Shiiiitttt. “Stupid. I’m used to the craft service spread on set. Everything is for everyone.”
“I see,” she says, her expression basically telling me I’m an idiot. “Here we feed ourselves.”
“Should I … take them back?”
She pushes her glasses a little higher on her nose. “No, I’ll email Keenan and tell him about the mix up. He won’t mind. If you had taken something from Gwen’s lunch, however…”
“Won’t happen again,” I say, holding up both hands and grinning at her.
She nods blandly and turns back to her computer. Wow. She’s definitely annoyed because this is not how people treat me. She one-hundred-percent called her parents and found out I haven’t stepped foot in their bakery. “Say, Allie, I was hoping to clear something up with you.”
“Sure,” she says without looking at me. “But can you give me a second? I’m right in the middle of something time-sensitive.”
“Of course.” I sit down at my empty desk, feeling the air get sucked away from me. If I were alone right now, I’d totally be talking into the fan. Luke, I am your father… Huh. I’m hungry. Checking my watch, I realize it’s as fake as these stupid glasses. A fake watch? Seriously, Nola? I pull my phone out of my pocket, only to see that it’s after noon already and I’ve missed four texts from my publicist.
Brittany
We need shots of you in your professor fit on day one at the job for your Instagram a.s.a.p. Send me several of the following: At your desk, with some excited-looking staff, and next to one of those huge satellite thingies, you know, like from that old movie Contact with Jodie Foster. Take your jacket off in one of them so people won’t know it’s the same day. I’ll use some to cover us the rest of the week.
Dude, let’s get on this please. I’ve got to get the ball rolling here.
I forgot, you get extra points if you do 20 sec videos for TikTok and Reels.
Wayne from Galaxy is already on my ass to make sure his “hundred grand was money well spent,” so the sooner the better.
Me
I just finished with the EN crew. I’m on it.
I sit back in my chair and hold my phone up, trying to get the best shot for a selfie, but it looks like I’m just sitting in a chair with a blank wall behind me. I glance around and spot the picture of Einstein with his tongue out. Perfect. Getting up, I stand next to it and make the same face, then snap a few shots. The entire time, Allie’s typing away, although I can feel her eyes on me. Her super smart, judgey eyes. But when I look at her, she’s got them trained on her screen. I take a couple of shots of me sitting on the edge of the desk with a map of the solar system behind me, then send the pics to Brittany, hoping that’ll hold her off a bit.
Allie clears her throat, which is the universal sign for ‘you’re being annoying,’ so I sit back down in my chair. “Sorry. I don’t want to distract you. It’s just that the studio wants some pictures for my social media.”
“Of course. Do what you’ve got to do.”
I sit back and wait for her to finish up whatever it is that’s so important. Maybe I haven’t done anything to annoy her. Maybe she’s just not a people person. She sure is pretty though. A pretty, slightly nasty woman who probably knows I’m a big liar and has lost all respect for me.
I can fix this. I know I can. I’ll explain what happened with the pastries and ask her if I can take her out for lunch so we can get to know each other better. Only I better not say it like that because that sounds like I’m hitting on her. There’s a fine line between being charming and being creepy, and that’s a line I definitely don’t want to cross. Although if she were up for crossing the line…
Just as she takes off her glasses (which I’m sure are real), Chad pokes his head into the room. “Say, Hudson, if you haven’t had lunch yet, there’s a great sandwich shop just down the street. I’m heading there and you’re more than welcome to come with, if you like.”
“Thanks, Chad, but I was thinking I should take Allie here out to eat. You know, get to know each other a little since we’ll be working together so closely.”
Allie turns to me. “You know, that’s a really kind offer, but I am right in the middle of running this data so there is no way I’ll be able to leave my computer for at least an hour.” Glancing at Chad, she adds, “You guys go.”
Chad’s eyes light up. “So? Guys’ lunch out?”
Oh, perfect. “Sounds great.”
I stand and pocket my phone, then start toward the door. Turning back, I say, “Why don’t I bring you something back?”
“No, that’s okay,” she says, pointing to the food I brought her. “I can nosh on that.”
“That’s not a proper lunch,” I tell her. “I’ll get you a sandwich. Is there anything you’re allergic to?”
“Liars,” she mutters.
Did she just say liars? She did. It was barely audible but that’s what she said. I’m going to have to explain as soon as I get back from lunch. “What?”
