Page 19 of No Interest in Love

“Uh, yeah.”What else are we gonna do?“Can’t they pay for another rental or something? Get us to Vegas where our airline tickets are?”

“I can’t fly without my license. I’m pretty sure it went down the drain with the credit card.”

I almost hear the hallelujah chorus play. Adjusting her legs, I snake my hand into my damp jeans pocket and yank once, twice, three times before her license finally pops free.

“How about now? Feel like calling them up?”

Her eyes meet mine briefly before she darts them to the fountain drinks. A mom is filling up her kid’s Sprite, and when she leads him into the play area, Shay lets out a long breath and her head smacks the table.

“I’m in some serious horseshit,” she says into her lap. “Like,waist-deepcow pie.”

“Well, which is it? Horse or cow?” I grin, but all she does is lift her head and glare at me. Okay, so losing the company credit card isn’t exactly the best thing that can happen when you’re on the bottom of the totem pole, but it can happen to anyone. Especially if they’ve had the Monday from hell that we’ve had so far.

“I’ll tell them we got mugged,” I suggest. “Guy was eight feet tall. I saved your life…but not your purse.”

Shay shakes her head at her leg.

“No good?” I ask. “But I’m an actor. I’ve got this.”

“It won’t work.”

“All high and mighty about being honest?”

She flinches. “Not exactly. I’m…um…technically, I’m not supposed to have a company credit card.”

Something gets caught in my throat, and I end up with a coughing fit. “I’m sorry, what?”

She leans forward and gives me a tap on the back. “I’m a junior agent. I wasn’t even supposed to go to the premiere with you.”

“But you’remyagent—”

“Under Julie.”

Her eyes slide to our legs again as she leans back, and I really wish she’d knock it off. Every time she looks down my neck gets so warm I feel like I’m gonna pass out.

“So you begged her to let you go…just so you could see me in a tux?” I say, knowing my big head will get her to stop relaxing so much into me.

“Wow. It’s like you’re reading my mind.” She raises her middle finger. “What am I thinking now?”

“You wanna fool around?”

She jabs my arm hard, and I chuckle and adjust her leg off my junk, since it’s made its way there again. “All right, explain then…’cause I’m lost.”

“Julie wanted me to scope out any talent at the premiere and come back with a list of potential clients. She lent me her company credit card.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Then that’s really on her.”

“She trusted me.” Her shoulders lift slightly, and she watches some guy walk past us to the restroom. “After the premiere was a bust, I caught the news on Carletta’s new movie and how they were still looking for a leading man. I called them up, sent in one of your tapes, and Carletta watchedThe Walking Stiff. They contacted me within three hours.Three hours,Jace. That’s insane.” She tosses her arms out, nearly knocking the girl in the booth next to us upside the head. I take her wrists and lower them back down.

“I know this already,” I tell her. Shay leans forward, ankle inching up my thigh again. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was doing it on purpose.

“I called Julie almost right after I talked with the studio, told her what was happening, and she said to use the credit card to get your ass to Alabama.” Shay pauses for a minute and gazes back on her ankle nearing Woody and the Gang, but her eyes are sort of cloudy, as if she’s not even sure what’s she’s staring at. “If I land the contract,” she says quietly, “I’ll be promoted to head agent.”

Shay gnaws at her pinkie nail, and I lean back in the booth, folding my arms. “So…why can’t you call her and tell her what’s up?”

“If the agency finds out that I lost the credit card I wasn’t supposed to have, not only will they kick me out the door, but Julie will be gone too. I can’t do that to her. Not when—”

“There’s still a chance to land a six-figure contract.”

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