Page 104 of The Boss I Can't Stand
“I’m still pinching myself,” Ro said. She tilted her head, giving me a funny look. “And it’sourmovie.”
“Well,mostlyyour movie.” I grinned. We’d only been waiting half our lives for this moment, and we’d been handed the eighties rom-com of our dreams. Working with X had been amazing, but working with Ro…nothing compared to building something from the ground up with your best friend.
“So, Ro Gilmore, director extraordinaire, thank you for making the time to meet with me today.”
Ro snorted. “I’ve been trying to get costume details out of you for weeks. You’re lucky I didn’t break into Finn’s condo to spy on your notes.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I definitely considered it. Trust me. Brenna had to talk me down.”
I smirked, leading her through the shop and into my office.
“So…” Ro said, trotting along at my heels. “Are we thinking power suits and shoulder pads? Or like leather jackets with a punk influence? Either way, I want big hair andallthe accessories.”
“Don’t worry. I already put Paisley on scrunchie duty,” I said. Luckily, I’d managed to get the full team back from theEvery Dayshoot, so it was practically a family reunion.
“Is Finn coming?” Ro asked.
“He said he’d be here this morning. Probably just got hung up in a meeting.” I turned one of the boards around as Ro plopped herself on the couch. “Okay, this is what I’m thinking so far.” I held my hands out in a ta-da fashion, letting Ro take in all the neon I’d added to my sketches.
“Oh. My. God.” Her eyes widened. “I freaking love it!”
“Yeah?”
Ro jumped to her feet to take a closer look at the sketches and fabric swatches. “Is this our leading lady?”
I nodded. “I think we should really lean into the bold, playful colorblocking,” I said, walking her through my design ideas. “And for the leading man…” I grabbed the other board, turning it around just as?—
“Knock, knock.” Brenna popped her head into the office. At her shoulder were two very attractive people with glowing skin, silky hair, and picture-perfect smiles. “Ro, you’ve already met Jenn and Michael, but Sierra, I wanted to officially introduce you to our new leads.”
“Hello,” I said, smiling as Brenna made the introductions. This was our first in-person meeting, but the moment I came onto the project, I’d done my research on both leads so I could start thinking through the costume design. “Why don’t we get you started with initial measurements?”
Jenn and Michael followed me to the fitting platforms in front of the bank of mirrors while Paisley, Trin, and Carter got to work. I bounced between them, comparing fabric samples against them as Ro chattered excitedly about a dance club sequence with leg warmers and fingerless gloves. I darted back to my office to grab my notebook when a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind.
“Hello, you…”
Lips caressed my neck, breath warm against my skin, and I tilted my head slightly, a rush of desire surging through me. I bit my lip, turning in Finn’s arms. “You’re supposed to behave at work,” I warned him.
“I said I’d be good,” he murmured, low and gravelly. “I never promised to be a saint.” He flashed me a cheeky grin as a pair of delivery men crossed through the shop behind him, carrying pallets of canned drinks.
“What’s all this?” I asked, slipping past him to get a better look at what they were piling on the cutting table.
“Special delivery,” Finn said. I glanced over my shoulder where he’d leaned against the doorframe of my office, arms crossed, a smirk on his lips showing that he was up to no good.
My eyes narrowed. “What kind of delivery?” I locked in on the logo on the boxes. “What the hell is Tastea?”
“I’ve invested in a tea company,” he said. “All-natural energy without those horrible chemicals that are going to kill you.”
“You’re taking my RevX?”
“Oh, it’s long gone, Cinderella.” He took my hand, tugging me into the circle of his arms. “I told you I was going to get you off that crap, and I meant it. I need to keep you around for a good long time, Sierra Banks.For reasons.”
“Reasons?” I stared up at him, my heart fluttering in my chest as his gaze softened.
“Yes, purely selfish reasons,” he whispered, pecking me on the lips.
“You’re suretheyshouldn’t be your leads?” Michael joked to Ro, gesturing at Finn and me as he finished up with his measurements.
