‘Thanks, sweetheart.Careful.With all these compliments you keep giving me, I’ll get a big head,’ I joked.
‘I wasn’t callingyouunbelievable.Well, I was but not in the way you’re thinking.Forget it.’ She huffed as the table fell silent again.
Damn.This was gonna be a lot harder than I thought.
As I scanned the room, thinking of something to say to relieve the awkwardness between us, I saw a couple posing for photos, then remembered that I was supposed to be taking pictures too.
My whole body stiffened.All I wanted to do was to try and enjoy this dinner and work out the strategy with Halle to help us make the most of this arrangement, but instead I’d have to take a billion photos of my food and fuck knows what else.
Reluctantly, I slid my hand in my pocket and put my cell phone on the table.If it wasn’t right there in front of me, I’d forget.Seemed kind of rude, but Halle was in the same business, so she’d understand why it was important.
When I looked at the screen I saw two missed calls from Wilma.Shit.
Just as I was about to pick up the menu, my cell rang again and Wilma’s name flashed up.
Halle’s eyes darted to the screen and she glared at me before looking away.I hit the ignore button, then picked up the menu.
My cell buzzed again.
‘Do you want to get that?’ Halle snapped.
I looked down at it, weighing up my options.If I ignored it, I’d piss Wilma off.
She probably just wanted to check I’d arrived safely and confirm I was taking photos.All I needed was to quickly reassure her and she’d stay off my back.
‘Yeah…’ I said.‘I probably should.Sorry.This will only take a minute.’
I stood up, slipped outside, then answered the call.
‘Aren’t you there?’ Wilma bellowed.
‘Yeah.I’m in the middle of dinner with my date.Not that she’s my real… never mind.’
‘So why haven’t you posted anything yet?’
‘I was running late.I didn’t have time.I’ll do it, okay.Just give me a chance.’
‘You’d better.There’s a lot riding on this.I had to pay upfront to secure your place at the hotel, so you owe me.If you want to save your career and make sure I get a return on my investment, you need to follow what I say to the letter.’
I swallowed hard.
I’d agreed to do this because I thought it was a way to get my career back on track without selling my soul.
But as Wilma reeled off her list of requirements for what felt like the hundredth time, I realised it was too late.
I’d already sold out.Big time.
5
HALLE
So fucking rude.
Who not only takes their phone out on a first date but then also interrupts it to answer a call from another woman?
Jake Myers.That’s who.
I saw the way he winced when her name flashed up on the screen like he’d been caught out.
