Page 25 of The Love Raffle

“I don’t want to bother the guy.” Just then, Amber’s phone started ringing and she pulled it out of her pocket.

“Mom calling to say she’s secretly been proud of you but has been hiding it?” Elouise said with wafts of smoke leaving her nostrils.

Conner snatched the pen away and shook his head, causing a small squabble to start between him and Elouise.

This number was foreign. “No, it’s…” Amber answered with furrowed brows. “Hello?”

“Amber, hey.” The mellow voice of Levi Marks cooed into her ear.

Amber started. “Levi?”

Her friends froze at the name. They quickly ran up to her, trying to listen in.

“Hey, Amber. Um, is this too late for you? It’s like midnight. I shouldn’t be calling now, should I?” Levi had seemed slightly nervous during their date. The shake of his pitch was reminiscent of that.

“Ask if he likes you,” Elouise said in a whisper.

Amber stepped away for some space. She held her other ear with her back to her friends. Obviously, like the nosey creatures they were, they followed. “No, no, it’s fine to call me now. I was just heading home from my shift.”

“Wow, really? You’re working late.” Levi said.

Amber made it to a bench down the sidewalk and sat. When Elouise and Conner stood in front of her, she tried telling them to leave but they remained. Their reminders to intrigue the movie star was upsetting. Yes, she understood why it was necessary, but it felt wrong. She wasn’t this sly attention hog, was she?I’m really not.Now that she evaluated those feelings, she could freak out.Levi Marks is calling me!A real-life movie star!

“Yeah. That’s how certain shifts work at Riverside. Mine’s from four to midnight. They’re usually eight hours.”

“The restaurant? You work somewhere else in addition to the club, then,” Levi remarked, but he already knew this.

Amber wasn’t sure what to say. “Yeah. So, what’s up? I know that you asked for my number, but I somehow wasn’t expecting a call. You know, since you’re a busy guy?” She felt Elouise sit on her right and Conner on her left, both staring into her face like this was the Super Bowl.

“My busy schedule doesn’t start until Monday, actually. I’ve been spending today reading at home.”

“Oh, you like to read?” Amber asked in excitement. Her heart rate quickened. Was this the thrill of talking on the phone with a celebrity or something else?Maybe I’m happy about more possible doors opening for me. Seeing that he actually called.If that was the case, she needed to change her mindset. She had said to her friends that he wasn’t just a connection. It would be hypocritical to view him that way herself after chastising them.

“I didn’t mean reading books. I’m starting production for my next movie next week, so I read the script today.”

“Oh!” Her cheeks flamed with heat. “I should’ve known. Movie stars don’t have time for reading, do they?”

Levi laughed. “Once in a while but it can get hard.”

“So soon you’ll be too busy to surprise call someone?”

“Ha-ha. Yeah, probably…”

Amber nodded absently, wondering why Levi had called. It certainly wasn’t to hand her a role in his next film. It would be too easy if things happened that way. “Did you call to check in on me?” She shifted her eyes to Elouise, who wore a sly smirk.What is wrong with her?

“Yeah…I guess I did…” Levi took a deep breath. “What do you like to do, Amber?”

Amber blinked. “As in on a regular basis? To have fun?”

“Besides staying in and watching movies. I remembered, you know.”

Amber smiled and her chest filled with warmth.

“Oh,” said Conner and Elouise near her face.

Amber groaned at their teasing. They acted like elementary school kids sometimes. “It’s only been a day. If you forgot in such little time, I’d be worried about your brain health.”

Levi laughed. “You’re too much.”

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