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She picks up a couple of fuzzy slipperlike towels from the other side of the bench, tugging first one and then the other over the blades of her skates. “Can you get anyone else?”
“He was the only one who agreed. I called a dozen different people who owed me before trying Jerry, and they all had other obligations.” Or they completely ignored my existence.
She leans her elbows on her knees. “Did you try anyone who doesn’t already owe you one?”
I huff out a laugh. “It’s not worth it. No one else will help me. They won’t want to risk being ostracized.”
“How do you know until you ask? Or maybe you can do what you did with Luke: find a producer who’s looking to make their mark.”
Exasperated, I lift my hands in the air and then drop them at my sides. “Where? How? I need someone I know is good, and I need them now. I want to put out the best possible product.”
She bites her lip, reaching out to pat my arm. “Do you want to join us for lunch?”
“No.”
A flicker of relief passes across her eyes.
The corresponding sting in my heart is immediate and completely irrational. Finley is sick of the animosity. Hell, I’m sick of it, too. Taylor is the last person I want to be around today, so I have no reason to be upset they’re having lunch without me. I don’t have time for lunch.
I need to work, or start calling people, or doingsomething.
“You know, I’ve tried every producer I know. But I might have a few audio engineers on my list I can reach out to. Maybe something will shake out.”
Staying active and focused will get me through this. It’s just a rough spot. It’s not my first, and it won’t be the last. I’ll do what I always do and fight my way through it.
ChapterFourteen
Luke
“Hey, Luke!”
I squint in the direction of the voice calling my name.
“You want to help us out for a minute?” Archer waves his hand, gesturing me over.
He and Jake are standing by a squat storage building to the side of the paintball course. A door on the side is open, revealing stacks of dark clothing and large black guns hanging up on the wall.
Mindy might need some time alone anyway. She tried to play it off like things are fine, but the tension thrumming through her body and her ashen face said otherwise. I wish she would open up to me, but who am I kidding? We work together. Our relationship can’t be anything more.
Even though the inexplicable twinge in my chest indicates otherwise.
Shoving those thoughts to the side, I change my trajectory, swinging open the short chain link fence, and jog over. “Sure. What do you need help with?”
“Target practice.” Jake hands me a tactical vest. “You want to be the clay pigeon?”
Archer sighs. “We’re testing the paintball equipment.”
I shrug the vest on. “Cool. I’m in.”
“Here, take these, too.” Jake hands me kneepads and a helmet.
Archer hands me a gun. “Your ammo is red, Jake’s yellow, and mine’s blue.”
“Hey Archer,” Taylor calls out, walking by. “Is Finley still at the ice rink?”
He nods. “Yep. Mindy’s there with her.”
Taylor makes a face. “Thanks for the warning.”
