Page 19 of She's the Star

He scrubs a hand down his face. “Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll take the job.”

SIX

NOLAN

Amber grins at me like I’ve just made all her wishes come true. It’s easy to see why she has so many fans. Her joy is infectious, and her smile lights up the room. Her awkward rambling has only made me like her more. I should have known when I agreed to stop by the party that I wouldn’t be able to resist saying yes.

Because I secretly wanted to.

“You’re serious?” she asks. Her face is wreathed with delight, and I can’t stop thinking how wild it is that she’s so certain of me—after nothing but a short meeting in a parking lot. Is she always so trusting? And, if she is, how has she survived being famous?

“I’m serious. You convinced me. I’ll take the job.”

“I did? Really?” She squeals. “Oh my goodness, I thought I’d bungled everything.” She practically climbs into my lap as she leans forward to hug me. “Thank you. You aren’t going to regret this. This is going to be the best job you’ve ever had, I promise.”

Her enthusiasm is catching, and I can’t stop myself from hugging her back as her arms lock around my torso and her loose curls brush against my neck. Her scent—a combination of mint and hair products—invades my senses. It’s a friendly hug—the kind she’s probably given every single person in this room, but my body lights up like she just claimed it.

Have I been clinging to her for too long? I’m not entirely sure since my brain is suddenly consumed by trying to convince my body that it shouldn’t be this excited about a simple hug—even if the hugger is Amber Hope.

Once she releases me, I attempt to get myself back under control.

The zing of lust that I can’t quite ignore suggests I’ve learned nothing in the first thirty-one years of my life. Mercifully, I have, and I’m smart enough to ignore any wayward feelings. I’m not a teenager with a crush. I’m a grown-ass man who can deal with a bit of longing. After all, Amber isn’t the first beautiful woman to give me a hug, and, if I’m lucky, she won’t be the last.

She beams at me, her knee brushing mine, and I barely resist hugging her again.

“Do you still have the contract?” she asks, seemingly oblivious to my thoughts. “Or should I get Brian to send it to you again?”

“I still have it.”

“Excellent.” She taps her chin. “Do you want to sign it now? Or do we need to make changes?” She shifts her attention behind me. “Brian,” she shouts, “can you come here?”

A second later, Brian appears in my peripheral. He has his tablet clutched in one hand, and with his other he pops the button on his suit jacket and sits on the coffee table in front of me.

“Nolan has decided to take the job. Can you walk him through the contract?” she asks.

“Of course.” He doesn’t have to do anything other than tap the screen, and the contract appears. He taps once more and then swivels the device so it’s facing me. “Have you read it?”

“I have.”

“Perfect. The terms are flexible. Are there any changes you want to make at this time?”

I can’t suggest an addendum that states, Will not lust after Amber, so I simply shake my head. “The terms are fine.”

He scrolls through the legal jargon. “Would you like Amber to assume your mortgage payments while we’re on the road?”

I’m startled by the offer. “Umm…no.” Is that really something she does?

“Are you sure? You’ll hardly be there. Even when we take a break in L.A., you’ll spend more time here than there.”

“I’d be happy to pay it,” Amber interjects.

“Not necessary.” I will pay my own mortgage. With the salary they’re offering, plus the settlement from Little Acres, I can more than afford to pay my bills.

“Okay. Would you like someone to stop in and air the place out from time to time?”

“Truly?”

He flicks a glance in my direction. “When a place sits empty for weeks, it gets stale and dusty. It’s useful to have a crew swing by once a month or so.”

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