Page 15 of Free to Fall

Then I blocked his number and didn’t give myself time or space to reconsider.

I slidmy sunglasses lower on my nose and shuffled forward in line, heart still hammering from the silent rage I hadn’t let go of. I wasn’t even awake enough to be outside, but I needed caffeine if I was going to survive a full day on set. They called my name, or so I thought. I grabbed the drink, pulled the lid off, and took a sip instantly knowing it was the wrong order.

“Excuse me,” a smooth baritone voice called from behind me. “I think you just jacked my order.”

I turned, about to be on the defense, and stopped mid-eye-roll.

Damn. He was tall, like very-tall, and suited up. Chocolate brown complexion, tapered cut, black-rimmed glasses, and a perfectly tailored gray suit. He looked like the type who didn’t break a sweat under pressure, didn’t raise his voice when he argued, and probably had an 850 credit score.

“My bad,” I muttered, licking foam off my top lip. “You sure this yours?”

He smirked. “Unless you’re also Marcus who drinks oat milk cappuccinos with cinnamon and three pumps of vanilla?”

I smiled a little. “I’m not. But now I’m questioning my own order.”

He reached for the cup gently, fingers grazing mine. “No worries. Coffee thieves are welcome if they look like you.”

“Smooth,” I said, amused.

“Thank you. I try.”

We stood in a light silence as I waited for my actual drink. “You work around here?” I asked, more curious than I expected to be.

He nodded toward the glass building next door. “I’m at Pemberton & Chase. Investment banking. I’m on my early morning grind.”

“Fancy.”

“You? It’s pretty early in the day.”

“I’m in entertainment,” I said vaguely. “An actress, on my way to set.”

He tilted his head. “Anything I’d know?”

I smiled behind my cup. “Doubt it. I’m just a minor actress trying to make a name for myself.”

“Well, Miss Minor Actress,” he said, extending a hand, “I’m Marcus Pemberton.”

“Egypt,” I replied, shaking his hand. No last name and he didn’t ask. I liked that.

My name was finally called, and he walked with me out the door, both of us sipping our coffees.

“You ever do regular people stuff?” he asked. “Like dinner?”

“I do. Sometimes.”

“Wanna make that sometimes… tomorrow?”

I paused, looking him over. He was clean, calm, safe. And definitely not Nasseem, looked like the complete opposite in fact.

“Sure,” I said. “Dinner sounds nice.”

We exchanged info then he walked me to my car, opened the door and smiled like a gentleman. Maybe this was the kind of man I needed.

I made it to set not long after, pulling into my parking spot and getting out with an extra pep in my step. I don’t know why Marcus inviting me to dinner had me so giddy, or maybe it was hope. Hope that I could actually be on the right path now that I had let go of a major distraction.

“Why are you cheesin’?” Serenity asked, tossing a robe over her costume as soon as I entered the makeup trailer.

“I met somebody,” I replied, settling into my chair.

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