“Yes, if that’s what you want.Think of it as me firing you.No penalties.”Something’s not right.He’s way too calm.
“But?”I press, because with him there’s always a catch.
“Finish every project you’ve signed up for, and forget about Mallory.She’ll never lift a finger for you again.”
I swallow hard.Everyone knows Mallory West holds the sharpest grudges in the industry.Nobody survives going up against her.She turned an entire album about her cheating ex-fiancé into award-winning revenge, and she tanked her enemies’ careers just because she could.
Do I really want to be on her blacklist?Maybe she won’t even bother with me.Maybe.
“Fine.I’ve only met her once.Doubt she even remembers me.”The disappointment is there, but I keep my resolve.
“You’d really throw everything away for Laird?The reputation you’ve built for seven years?”Alan snorts, that crooked grin mocking me.
“Yes.My decision’s final.”Laird and I have talked about this for ages, but I should’ve spelled it out to him first.He should’ve known the way out before I wrote the letter.
“Fine.Then it’s a deal.But trust me, you’ll regret what you’ve just agreed to.”
* * *
I taste my Bolognese sauce from the tip of the spoon.Yes, it’s unusual, but cooking dinner for Laird is a good distraction from all my negative thoughts.
Earlier this afternoon, I decided to quit Gene.But by tonight, I might have made the wrong decision.My mind keeps imagining all kinds of worse outcomes.They haven’t happened yet, but they make me circle the flat too many times.
“Ugh, yuck.”I grimace and stick out my tongue.
The taste is sour and too spicy.It doesn’t work, even though I followed the recipe he sent this afternoon through the chat.I don’t get how he can make his instant spaghetti sauce taste so amazing.
The door beeps and opens, signaling that he’s back.Sure enough, he walks in with a wide smile on his face.
“Fenella!”He hugs me and sweeps me off my feet.He kisses my cheek and then my lips with quick pecks.
“What’s up with you?”I chuckle, amused by his behavior.This is the first time he laughs like that.
“We did it!A major studio from LA just reached out to seal the deal!”
“For real?That’s incredible, baby!”
“Yeah!”He laughs.
My eyes widen, and a smile spreads across my face.My expression mirrors his, equally lit up by this joyful news.We hug tight, and he lifts me off the floor.He even spins us around for a moment, both of us laughing out loud.
When he starts coming down from his excitement, he sets me back down.He’s panting, his face flushed, lips curled into a joyful smile.
“Congrats, honey,” I whisper and kiss his cheek.
“Thanks, hun.It’s all because of you.”He strokes my cheek with his thumb.
“No, it’s all because of you and Dave.You’ve both done an incredible job,” I say as we look into each other’s eyes.
“In that case, you’re still my lucky charm—because the game they picked is a game about you.”
Hearing that, my eyes blink, and my mouth falls open.“A game about a model?”I ask, stunned.
“Yup.It’s calledMy Supermodel.”He grins.
“Oh, wow, Laird.That’s huge.”I cheer.
But my heart sinks as I hear it.His career is taking off, while I’ve just handed in my resignation.He’s building a game about a supermodel, while I’ve thrown away my last chance to earn that title.
