She sighed. “Well, he did say something about not saying goodbye just yet, but I didn’t know he’d do that.”
“And you didn’t think it mattered enough to tell me?” He jumped to his feet. “What the fuck?”
“No, because it doesn’t matter what others say or do as long as we trust each other,” she said, her voice rising, too. “Or so I thought.”
He ignored her comment. “What exactly did you talk about? I mean he stayed more than twenty fuckin’ minutes.”
“Mike, listen. All you need to know is that I told him that we’d never get back together, even if you weren’t in my life.”
“Obviously, you weren’t convincing enough. Text me his number.”
“No!”
“Well, he didn’t have trouble telling me to stop pursuing you before. I think it’s time I returned his call.” He regretted the statement as soon as it fell out.
“Wait… What? When did that happen?”
He dropped on the next chair, running a hand through his hair. “After the stupid talk show. He knew I was talking about you,” he muttered.
“Wow. And when were you planning on telling me this, since you’re all about not hiding stuff from each other?” She stopped him before he could answer. “You know what? Never mind. I refuse to stay another second in this conversation.”
“Maggie, wait…”
“No, I won’t wait. And just so you know, in case you hear about it from the fuckin’ tabloids, Chester Monroe asked me out yesterday, and I told him to fuck off. Ciao.” She hung up.
Stunned, Mike gaped at the wall, the phone still on his ear, his head barking with thoughts. As long as people knew Maggie was single, every hungry vulture would want a piece of her. How could he stand arms-folded, watching, pretending he had cold water running in his veins instead of simmering blood? How long would it take him before he punched someone like Burley or Monroe in the face, or worse?
The world had to know she belonged to him and him alone. But how? Waiting out their movies would take at least a year.
A year! I could barely make it through a couple of days in this charade.
This not going public thing had to end. Sooner than they had agreed. Then there would be nothing standing between them anymore. Nothing but a mistake so far in the past that hopefully would never see the light.
“Mr. Gennaro, your agent is here.”
He flinched at the voice and the knock after. “Fuck.”
Scene44
Mike
“You’re a hard man to reach.” Andrea’s heels clicked on the steps as Mike held the door open for her.
“Not really. You’re here, aren’t you?” He closed the door as she stepped into the trailer. “You’re not my agent anymore, Andrea. You need to stop telling people that.”
Her eyes raked him from head to toe and then swept the place.
“Head on into the office,” he directed.
She sashayed inside, took a seat, and unbuttoned the jacket of her gray suit. A red silky blouse with a low hem emerged underneath, the cleavage exaggerated as she bent more than necessary to put her briefcase next to her leg.
Instantly, he looked away and sat behind the dark walnut desk. “It’s a long way from L.A. to Newark. What could be so important that you couldn’t say on the phone?”
“If you have been returning my calls, maybe I wouldn’t have to fly here to talk to you.”
He linked his hands and rested them on his head, rolling his shoulders back. “What is it, Andrea?”
