‘Anna,’ I interrupted, trying to ignore the tension creeping up my spine. ‘Anna, please.’
Silence. Then a heavy sigh. ‘The things I do for you.’
‘And I’m so grateful, thank you, Anna, thank you so –’
‘It’s fine. You can pay me back with a lifetime’s supply of Maria’s coffee. Now, give me five minutes of silence.’
I listened to her mutter as she rattled through the paperwork.
‘… party of the first … co-signed … have set their hands to these presents as a deed on the day month and year hereinbefore mentioned …’
‘God, I’m so glad it’s you not me understanding this.’
Anna’s chuckle was low. ‘That’s why I became a lawyer. And speaking of the law – I would sign this.’
I groaned.
Anna chuckled at my theatrics before she continued. ‘Listen, babe, you could do a lot worse. The whole thing boils down to: date Patrick in public, and get paid a shit-ton of money.’
I dropped my head into my hands.
‘You know you’ve got nothing better to do.’ That was the trouble with Anna – she was so … so blunt. ‘Hell, girl, isn’t this the dream? Hot famous guy asks that you date him, and you get paid for it?’
Except Patrick wasn’t really asking me, was he? His publicist was.
‘He’d take you to all the best bars – you know, that place that only opened –’
Trust Anna to be thinking about all the perks.
‘– and I justknowthat he’s good in bed, the way he moves his hips on stage –’
‘I am not going to sleep with Patrick Tetlow!’ I hissed, louder than I intended.
Derek raised an eyebrow.Fuck.‘No one is asking you to sleep with –’
‘She is!’ I gestured at the phone as Laura stared at me, utterly lost.
‘Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,’ came Anna’s cheerful voice down the phone. ‘It’s not like you’re inundated with offers right now.’
‘Thanks, Anna,’ I said, rubbing the spot between my eyes. ‘Super helpful.’
‘Am I wrong?’
‘What’s she saying?’ Laura leaned closer, trying to hear. ‘Anna, are you telling her to –’
‘My professional legal opinion isyes, sign it,’ my friend said with a chuckle. ‘I’ve got to go in a sec, Jessy. Don’t you have to be at work?’
Work? What the hell did that matter when my life had been turned upside down?
‘Actually, I think it would be a good idea for you to take time off work while you’re wrapped up in this,’ Anna said. ‘Call it a sabbatical.’
I blinked. ‘Why – what?’
I could almost hear Anna’s eyeroll. ‘You seriously need to read this contract for yourself. Weekly dates, public events, all hours of the day? You’re not going to have time for work.’
This was insane.
‘We’ll talk more about it later,’ Anna said, breakingthrough my thoughts. ‘I need to get back to work. It’ll be fine, don’t worry about it too much, OK?’
