Riley’s voice sounded a bit like Rita as she spoke. “Whydarling, what do you mean? Wasn’t it you who told me all press is good press? Like that DUI. If that didn’t hurt me, surely a harmless little cute costume I wore wouldn’t ding my career.”
“Of course it won’t,” Rita said, but it was obvious she didn’t have full faith in the statement.
Riley shook her head.My, my, how things change.
“I’ll have a courier send over the scripts, but you’ll have to sign for them. One of them is a superhero thing and you know how tight a lid the studios keep on leaks with those.”
This had Riley’s curiosity and excitement piqued. Joining a big comic book franchise was a golden ticket! She couldn’t wait to read over the project.
“When?”
“Four.”
“Sounds good. Thanks.”
That would give her plenty of time to make it home, sign for the scripts, and then get ready for her date with Briggs scheduled for six.
There was another pause on the call before Rita said, “And Riley?”
“Yeah.”
“Just… think before you post anything else, darling. I’d hate for you to inadvertently hurt your career.”
That devilish grin returned to the actress’s lips. “I’m just so confused. You’ve told me so many times that even bad press helps. I mean, you want me to be a brat, right?”
True, being a Little didn’t mean being a brat, but the point was still the same, Riley thought.
“Of course,” Rita said. “It’s just… look, darling, I have to go. Hugs and kisses.”
The call ended and all the Littles finally lost it, laughing hard.
“Operation Brat has begun!” Stryker said with glee.
Riley nodded. “It has indeed. And it’s going to be fun!”
Chapter Seventeen
Briggs wasn’t sure how he should dress, so he just settled on his boots, jeans, and a black polo-style shirt.
But the moment he saw his lovely date, he forgot all about how he may or may not look.
Riley was absolutely stunning. The sundress she wore was almost as cute as she was. Her blonde hair was falling past her shoulders in rippling waves. Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement, curiosity, and just a hint of mischief.
“Wow. You look amazing.”
The smile that appeared somehow made her face even more radiant. “Thank you. Do you want to come in and see my place?”
“Sure.”
He stepped into a very nice but modest home that was right at home in the suburb of Burbank. It seemed a world away from the mansion Athena’s nursery occupied or the other giant houses up in the Hollywood Hills.
“This is it,” she said. “It’s cozy. And paid for. I still can’t believe that. I’ll probably live here until I move out feet-first, if you know what I mean.”
“Whoa. That’s a cheery way to start a date,” Briggs said.
“Haha. Sorry. I just meant… I love it here. It’s perfect for me. All I’ll ever need.”
“You’ve built quite a life for yourself,” Briggs told her, unable to keep the admiration out of his gaze.
