Page 9 of Off Script
When I arrive home for the night, I grab a beer out of the fridge and sprawl onto the leather sectional in my living room. Flipping through the sports channels, I check the college football schedule, all the while trying to ignore the cell phone that’s burning a hole in the pocket of my jeans.
Giving up the fight, I grab my phone and open my recent calls log. My finger hovers over Carlisle's work phone number.
I cannot call her now. It’s too late. Plus, I have no reason to call her.
Do I need a reason? Isn’t wanting to talk to her again enough reason enough?
I toss my phone face down on the couch next to me, but my willpower only lasts a few more minutes. There's an inverse relationship between the amount of beer left in the bottle and how much I want to talk to Carlisle again.
Taking a long pull from my beer, I drain it and grab for the phone again. Carlisle said she was going out tonight. The bars only closed a few minutes ago, so there’s a good chance she’s still awake.
And that’s a chance I’m willing to take.
With alcohol having stolen the last of my inhibitions, I press the number and wait as the phone starts ringing.
A male voice answers.How had I not considered that she might have a boyfriend?Despite my initial inclination to end the call, I persist and ask to speak to Carlisle.
When she comes to the phone, she’s just as ornery as I remember. “Hello, hot stuff. I’m Carlie and I’m here to be your beck and call girl,” she purrs.
“Carlie, is it now? And here you had me convinced that you were just a sweet southern belle slinging staples and paper clips.”
She issues a surprised yelp, sounding rattled. “Brent! Oh my gosh, hello. Hi.”
“How’s your second job going tonight? If I need to let you go, so you can keep working the phoneline, I can,” I joke, flustering her further.
“Ugh, forget I said all that. I was kidding. I am well past tipsy and nothing I say can be held against me!”
“If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?” I sing softly, also well past tipsy. Those voice lessons I had to take for a movie role are still paying dividends.
“You know The Bellamy Brothers?” Carlisle asks, sounding surprised. “Also, side note: you have a nice singing voice.”
“Thanks. And yes, old country music is one of my guilty pleasures. I figured as a Mississippi girl you might catch the reference.”
Her voice grows leery when she asks, “How did you know I’m from Mississippi, Brent?”
“Your accent gives you away. Plus, you mentioned you went to Ole Miss, so I just assumed.”
“Oh, that’s right, I did,” she chuckles, sounding more relaxed. “Since you called, I hope you can clear something up for me.”
“Okay,” I reply slowly, hoping the jig isn’t up, that she hasn’t recognized my voice and figured out who I am.
“Please don’t take offense.” She draws a choppy inhalation. “But you’re not a crazy stalker who’s going to kidnap me, are you? Because my roommate is totally freaked that you know my name, place of employment, and life story. You should have seen her storming around the apartment locking every door and window in case you came prowling.”
I grin widely. If only Carlisle knew who I was, then she'd understand that I’m usually the one to attract stalkers, not the other way around. “Nope, I promise that I’m not a stalker.”
“Damn, Icanhear the smile in your voice,” she replies quietly, throwing me off balance. “I totally thought that HR meeting was wrong.”
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about right now.”
“Never mind. So, how was your night? What’d you do?”
I place one hand behind my head and lean back, settling into my couch before responding. “The usual Friday night bullshit. Dinner. Drinks. Came home after last call.”
“Bullshit, huh? That doesn't sound very fun.”
“You’re perceptive, Carlisle. My evening was fine, but not necessarily fun. I would have preferred to stay in and have a quiet night at home, but you know how it goes.”
“Sometimes you gotta see people and be seen by people.”
