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“Ah!” Gabrielle slammed the door behind the seventieth delivery person that visited her apartment the next morning. “Hugh’s done it this time.” She threw yet another assorted flower bouquet on top of the millions littering her floor. “He’s done it!”
“You still wanna act like nothing happened last night?” Ashleigh got a paper towel from the wall dispenser in Gabrielle’s kitchen.
“It’s the truth.” Gabrielle kicked bouquets from her path.
Ashleigh got a stirring spoon and dipped it into her coffee mug. “A man doesn’t send a woman a million flowers after a date for no reason.”
“It wasn’t a date.” Gabrielle stuck her index finger in the air. “Nothing happened except I told him to leave me the hell alone. The next thing I know, I wake up to an endless brigade of flowers.” She kicked a bouquet across the room. “I can’t take this and I hate flowers.”
Ashleigh crossed over to the living room with her Toffee Nut cappuccino. “Maybe you gave off mixed signals.”
“I kicked him in the balls, Ashleigh. No mixed signals here, honey.”
The door intercom buzzed.
Ashleigh headed to it.
“Ignore it.” Gabrielle pulled her hair. “It’s just more flowers, and I can’t take more flowers.”
“You?” Ashleigh stepped over bouquets, tripping. “I’m suffocating in here.” She stretched out on the couch with her computer in her lap. “This keeps up I’ll expect a raise.” She typed on the computer with one hand, the other still occupied by her mug. “I can’t work under these conditions.”
“Miss Montane?” Mateo yelled through the intercom. “You have about five more delivery guys out here with flowers.”
She pressed the button to speak. “What the hell do you expect me to do about them?”
“I could ask the same of you!”
“Ooh.” Ashleigh grinned. “Can’t remember the last time Mateo was so irritated.”
“Please turn the men away.”
“I’ve tried that with the last batch of delivery people.” Mateo huffed. “They’re saying the same thing. They’ve been paid so they have to deliver the flowers. I have to let them up.”
“No!” Gabrielle jumped. “There’s no room for anymore fuckin’ flowers in here. They’re covering the floors and stuffed against the walls—”
“We can’t leave them out here. They’re your responsibility.”
“Throw them out, Mateo.”
“The flowers are the delivery men?”
“Both.” She released the button and screamed, “Ooh!”
“Bad move, Gabby.” Ashleigh typed. “Shouldn’t have gone out with them last night.”
Gabrielle glared at her, mouth open. “You’re the one who told me to go.”
“If I told you to jump off a bridge...” Ashleigh chuckled, sipping. “Would you?”
Gabrielle tossed bouquets off the two seater and sat. “If this is anyone’s fault, it’s yours.”
“Something came through the grapevine today.” Ashleigh stretched. “Heard from an assistant friend of mine who knows the assistant to Hugh’s assistant—”
“Jesus is gossip all you assistants do because you sure as hell don’t work.”
“Anyway.” Ashleigh rolled her eyes. “Hugh still doesn’t have a lead actress for Fatal Honor.”
“So?”
“If you ask me it’s a great opportunity for someone whose career is floundering.” Ashleigh winced. “I mean, who might need to get things back on track.”
“Are you suggesting I try out for Hugh’s film?”
“Why not?”
“I got a few reasons.” Gabrielle moved her mouth back and forth. “I’ve never acted a day in my life, and I hate Hugh’s guts. I’m trying to keep Hugh away from me not get closer to him.”
“All I’m saying is you gotta look at the big opportunity here. It could be fate that brought you and Hugh together last night.”
“God, you’re talking like him.”
“Fatal Honor is produced by the biggest action producer, Ian Delfino, directed by one of the most successful directors in the world, Hugh, and is starring the hottest actor on the planet, Dash “Too Fine” Phillips.” She hit her laptop. “How many bricks have to fall on your head for you to get
the picture? This is the biggest opportunity for you since Futero offered a contract.”
“Hugh wants me in his bed, Ashleigh. Not his movie.”
“That’s why he’d want you in his movie.” She laughed. “Try out for the part, but something’s telling me you won’t even have to try out.”
“No.” Gabrielle walked from the two seater. “I’ve worked my ass off so people could take me seriously. You know how many men tried to use their power to get me into bed? If I can’t get something because of my mind or talent then I don’t want it at all. I won’t be Hugh’s whore just because things aren’t going right.”
“Course, I didn’t mean be his whore. I admire your principles Gabby, but you need something happening.”
“Something might be happening.” She held back a smile.
“You got news?”
“Lessie told me that a representative from Iris International wants to meet with us.” Gabrielle grabbed the corner pillow from the two seater and held it. “Sounds like they might wanna make an offer for me to be their spokesmodel.”
“Ah!” Ashleigh kicked, knocking over her laptop. “Gabby, that’s great. I’m happy for you.”
“It’s not a deal yet but from what they tell Lessie it’s possible.” She sat on the two seater, giddy. “What do you think?”
“It’s wonderful. You’re too great not to get offers.”
“Iris International isn’t half as big as Futero’s brand, but I’m flattered they’re interested in some old, has been like me.”
“Stop it. Iris should be lucky you’d meet with them. Sure, they aren’t a huge brand now, but they’ve only been around five years. If you get on board, they’ll be bigger than Maybelline in about six months.”
“Thanks.” Gabrielle chuckled, sticking her chin out. “See? I don’t need Hugh and his little movie.”
Ashleigh sipped cappuccino. “You go, girl.”
Gabrielle’s cell buzzed on the coffee table. “It better not be Hugh.” She snatched the phone. “Gotta remember to change my number.” She checked the caller. “It’s Warner.” She answered, “Warner—”
“Hey, Beautiful. How’s your day going?”
“Like hell.” She stood. “You owe me, Warner.”
“Wait, what did I do?”
“You made me go out with Hugh and now my apartment is full of every flower in California.”
He chuckled. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t care how you do it or what you do but you get Hugh Macintosh off my ass or our friendship is over.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“You made this mess, Warner.” She trekked to the kitchen in tube socks. “You clean it up.”