“Hang on,” I interrupt, holding up my hand. “He told you what?”
“About the piece you’re writing on talent agencies,” she repeats. “I’m surprised you haven’t already approached me for a quote.”
Ryan turns to me, confused. “I didn’t know we were doing a piece on talent agencies.”
“We’re not.”
“You’re not?” Shamari says. “I could have sworn that Liam mentioned—”
“It came up as an idea,” I explain hurriedly. “But I can tell you this:ifwe were to do one on talent agencies, you would of course be one of the first people I contacted.”
“I should hope so. Ah,” she says, glancing to her right and giving a wave, “I’ve just seen someone I absolutely detest but have to butter up on behalf of a client. Excuse me.”
As she swans off, I spot Liam talking animatedly to a TikTok influencer turned pop star. He laughs at something she says,touching her arm, and then catches my eye. I wave him over, and in response he holds up his finger and mouths,One minute. I frown at him, but he doesn’t seem to notice.
“Who’s that?” Ryan asks, watching the exchange.
“That’s Liam.”
“Oh. He seems… busy.”
“He’s sociable,” I say, bristling. “That’s how you’re supposed to be at parties.”
“He’s giving her his card. Bit weird.”
I glare up at Ryan. “As you were saying a moment ago, it’s important to network at these events. Don’t be so judgmental, you haven’t even met him.”
“Sorry, you’re right,” he says, blushing slightly. “I’m just surprised he hasn’t rushed over yet to—at the very least—say hi to you when the only reason he’s invited is because he’s your plus-one.”
“What is your problem, Ryan?” I snap defensively, putting my hand on my hip. “Do you enjoy putting other people down? You like to feel superior?”
“What? No!” He scowls, recoiling. “I was making an observation.”
“Well, don’t!”
“Fine, I won’t!”
“Fine.”
“Fine!”
We fall into silence. He shakes his head.
“I’m going to mingle,” he grumbles eventually.
“You go do that.”
He drifts into the crowd. I clench my jaw, furious at him. Who does he think he is? I mean, yes, I see his point, it would have been nice if Liam had come over to say hello to me, but he’s in the middle of an important conversation, and it would be rude of him to break away from it, especially if he’s hoping to take her on as a client and—
Oh, okay, he’s now introducing himself to a guy standing next to her. And another influencer I sort of recognize standing next to him. He’s now completely turned his back to me and has launched into that conversation.
He doesn’t need to greet me as soon as I walk through the door. But I have been standing over here waiting for him to finish up for a while. You know what, what amIdoing? Usually I’d have worked the entire room by now. Ryan distracted me and now I’m lingering like a loser waiting for Liam while everyone else is busy chatting.
I pull myself together and leave Liam to it—he can find me later.
I soon bump into a glossy-magazine editor I love, before I’m pulled into another conversation with the two leads of a hit crime drama that’s been renewed for a second season. I make a note of their agents, after pitching the idea of doing a joint interview.
I’m having such a good time, I’ve forgotten about how annoyed I am at Liam. At one point I spot Ryan in conversation with a reality TV star renowned for her eccentricity and notice he looks particularly pained as she tells him theymustgo for drinks to discuss her new fly-on-the-wall TV show about her “bonkers life.” He notices me watching and I quickly look away so he doesn’t get any ideas about me rescuing him from the situation. If he hadn’t been so obnoxious earlier, I might have considered it.
