“Don’t worry. I got it,” Matt says. “That’s quite an honor. You know what this means? The rumors must be true. Mancinimustbe considering Sebastian for his next movie. An actor getting an invite to his estate is pretty much a guarantee that he’ll star in one of his films.” He snickers. “Porter was always salty because he never quite made the cut.”
I nod and look at my list, carefully crossing off the last item. “Okay. That’s it, then. I’m officially done,” I say.
My eyes make their way around the familiar kitchen, which has been my office for the last seven years. My heart clenches atthe idea that I’ll never again sit here. Never bicker and banter with Sebastian.
He bitched at me because I was still working in the kitchen and wasn’t using the gorgeous office in the carriage house. But since I’m not staying, it didn’t seem right to settle into the new space.
Matt looks up from his laptop. “I’ll have to deal with Sebastian all on my own,” he cries in mock horror.
I laugh at his dramatic expression. I’ll miss him. Though I only got to know him in the last two weeks, he’s quickly become one of my favorite people. And he’ll be a kick-ass assistant.
“You know he isn’t that bad. And you’re more than capable of handling him.”
“That isn’t the problem. He doesn’t want me, Emma. He wantsyou.”
“Well, we can’t all get what we want. It’s not the worst lesson for Sebastian to learn,” I say crisply, ignoring the frisson of excitement at his words. I look at my watch. “Shit, I only have half an hour to change for the premiere.”
I eye the mountain of scripts and signed photos in front of him. “Are you sure you’re okay here? I tried to get out of going to the premiere tonight because he doesn’t really need me, but Sebastian insisted I attend with him.”
Matt grins. “As his date?”
“Not date. As his guest.” I huff out a breath. “All I know is it wasn’t easy to find a suitable dress at the last minute.”
I bite my lip at the thought of going with Sebastian to the LA premiere of the finalWanderersmovie. It will be a huge event, and I’ll be sitting with the stars. I’ve never done that before. I’m usually only there to make sure things go smoothly and to avert any crises that might come up. I wear what other publicists, managers, and assistants wear to those events: something nice, but not formal. This will be different.
But it’s not like I’ll be there as his date. Just as his… companion?
“You’ll have a lot of eyes on you. Sebastian’s been having me monitor his social media. And there have been really interesting comments since that photo of him carrying you out of a club,” he teases.
“Thanks for reminding me,” I say dryly. “But after tonight, all that will die down. Because I won’t be here to be photographed with Sebastian.”
Matt’s phone pings with a series of notifications. His eyes widen at whatever he reads. He looks up at me nervously.
“What?” I’m instantly on high alert despite the long day. And then it strikes me. Whatever crisis there is, it’s not my business any longer. It’s Matt’s to manage.
He must come to the same realization because he shrugs. “Uhm. Nothing. Just, uh, that cover article inModern Manis coming out. I haven’t seen it yet, but a friend at the magazine said—”
“Oh shit. Is it bad?”
“No, not bad. Exactly.” He makes a face and seems about to tell me something. But then he waves his hand. “Nothing for you to worry about. You better hurry. You have a lot of work to do to get ready for the premiere,” he says with a raised eyebrow, looking at me in a way that’s not exactly flattering.
I’ve been working fourteen-hour days for Sebastian and then going home and fine tuning pitch decks until the early hours of the morning. I need as many leads as I can get before I lose my regular paycheck.
Things like sleep, proper meals, and mani-pedis have been ruthlessly sacrificed.
Being caught being less than perfect puts me in a minor shame spiral. I flash back to Sebastian’s face when he first saw my apartment in all its dilapidated glory.
Normally, I’m the master of the polished facade, not letting anyone see the hustle and the grind behind it. I’m like a duck. Gliding on the surface. Treading water like crazy beneath.
And now, everything has ramped up. I have to tread water faster. There are even bigger stakes. Small businesses fail all the time. Usually, even.
That’s not an option.
Dizziness overtakes me when I stand. I grasp the desk until the room stops spinning.
“Are you okay?” Matt’s brows knit in concern.
I nod. “Yep. Just stood up too quickly.” But the truth is, the dizziness has been happening more and more over the last few weeks. The last few months, if I’m completely honest.
