Page 109 of Howl for Me
I shake my head, and he stops. His mouth opens like he’s still got more, but he swallows it. Then he says, “Just so you know… it’s you. Every time. It’s been you every single time.”
And I hate how much that melts me. I hate how it shows on my face. Because we’re not supposed to be doing this. Before I can say anything, Naomi walks in with a garment bag slung over one shoulder.
“Damn. One date and I get a delivery service now?”
Naomi rolls her eyes and drops the bag on the floor with zero grace. “Please. That was a favor. And I just wanted to check on her, not you.”
Johnny scrambles to pick up the clothes, brushing out invisible wrinkles like a wounded puppy. “That was cruel.”
Naomi turns to me, voice soft. “You good?”
I nod. “I’m fine. Don’t even feel it, really.”
Naomi smiles and steps back toward the door, but just as she reaches for it, there’s a knock, and then it creaks open. One of the crew guys pokes his head in, looking pale.
“Uh… the shoot’s been canceled.”
All three of us say, “What?”
He flinches like we might all throw something at him. “I…it’s the co-star. She canceled. I don’t know. She won’t answer calls. I think maybe it’s because of the party stuff? Like, she didn’t wanna work with… you know…”
He glances nervously at Johnny, who looks like he might implode.
“Shit,” Johnny mutters, running both hands through his hair. “What does this mean?”
I stand up. “You have to do this shoot. Hector will flip.”
“Exactly,” Naomi says, arms crossed. “He’s gonna think you scared off another co-star, especially after the buzz from the party.”
Johnny looks at me helplessly. “What am I supposed to do?”
My mind is racing. I know what Hector will do if this doesn’t happen. And I know Johnny can’t afford to fall out of favor again. He won’t survive it. I look at him and I know. I can do this. Maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe it’ll be another step toward something we can’t take back. But I can’t let him take the hit for this. Not again. He sees it in my face before I say anything.
“I don’t like that look in your eye,” he warns.
I ignore him and spin toward the door. “I’ll do the shoot.”
The crew guy blinks. “Wait, what?”
“I said I’ll stand in. Shoots back on. Give us twenty.”
Johnny is tense enough to break, “Hell no. Cass,”
“Shut up,” I snap, not turning around.
I look at the crew guy again, dead serious. “You heard me. Twenty minutes.”
He stammers, “Y-yes ma’am,” and vanishes like smoke.
Johnny is right behind me, his voice low and furious. “Cass, no. You don’t have to do this.”
I turn slowly and look him dead in the eyes.
“Yeah. I do.”
And he knows, just like I do, this changes everything.
Chapter Twenty-Three
