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Hemi is a full-on badass. She’s no-nonsense and takes no shit from anyone. But she’s also a great friend, and we’ve gotten close since I interned with her. “I have a situation.” I gather myself a moment. “It is not unlike Rix’s. Minus the hate-fucking. And I’m not intentionally keeping it from you, but I don’t know what’s going on, and it’s been a bit of a cluster.”
Hemi’s eyes narrow and then widen. “Oh. Oh, shit. Oh, holy shit. If this is about who I think it’s about… Holy fuckballs.”
We stare at each other for a few long seconds.
“I’m clarifying that you don’t have the hots for Flip, right?”
I make a cringey face. “Oh, God, no. I mean, he’s a nice guy, but no thank you to the nightmare that would be running into the endless string of women he’s been with. I feel bad for him and the girl he eventually falls in love with. His regrets hole will be deep and horrible to climb out of.”
“Okay. I didn’t think so.” She blows out a breath. “And it’s not Dallas, right?”
“No. It’s definitely not Dallas.” Besides, I’m pretty sure Dallas has a hard-on for Hemi that rivals her hate-on. Sometimes I catch him looking at her the way I look at Hollis.
“I figured that was unlikely. Dallas is afraid of clowns, you know.” She says it like he’s committed an unforgiveable crime.
“Clowns can be creepy.” I’m with Dallas on this one.
“I guess,” she says grudgingly.
“You really can’t stand him,” I muse.
“I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. I’ve known him a very long time. He’s habitually late for every endorsement campaign. I tell him to be there at least an hour earlier than required so he isn’t ridiculously late every single freaking time.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It’s part of the job.” She drops her voice to a whisper. “It’s number fifty-five, isn’t it?”
I nod.
She slaps the table. “I knew it!”
“Shh!” I flick her in the arm. “Keep it down.”
“Sorry. So are you two like…” She makes a circle with her thumb and finger and pokes the index finger of her other hand through the hole.
I shake my head.
“But something is going on?”
I shrug. “I think so. But it’s so complicated.”
Hemi’s back straightens, and she pales. “This has been going on for some time? You’ve had a crush on him for years.”
Suddenly I understand Hollis’s conflict in a way I didn’t before. “Wherever your head went, that’s not what’s happening here. He’s always, always been nothing but appropriate with me. He’s tried to stay on the right side of the line. But it’s like…I opened a door, and we both stepped through it, and now I don’t know if we can ever close it again. And I don’t want to, but I worry he’s still several steps behind me.”
She exhales a relieved breath and nods. “He’s a good guy. A little bit of a black cloud at times, but I never picked up on any vibes between you until this season.”
“You mean after the BDF.” Batdick Fiasco.
Hemi shakes her head. “No, I mean since last year in the beginning of the season, when you started interning with me.”
It’s my turn to straighten. “How do you mean?”
“It was little things. I caught him looking at you like…he was seeing you for the first time.” She gives me a small, empathetic smile. “It makes sense. You were dressed for business. You’re smart, savvy, a natural in this industry. Everyone saw how competent you are. Him included. He’s watched you turn into this self-assured, ambitious woman.”
“It’s messy.” I rub my bottom lip.
She nods. “It is.” She taps on the edge of the table. “Look, I’m not saying this to make things harder, but I want to be honest with you. If I were in your shoes, I would be careful. Dating players is highly frowned upon. Head office takes it very seriously. I know you don’t want anyone to think your dad is the reason you get the assistant job and that’s one of the reasons you’ve stepped in and taken over the gala. Proceed with caution, okay? The heart wants what the heart wants, but I would hate for you to have everything blow up in your face. Just because I know how hard you work, doesn’t mean everyone else is going to see you for who you are.”
