Page 11 of Dirty News
Ty and Joe looked at each other, then at Duke. “You might want to work on yours a bit, Duke,” Ty toldhim.
Duke leveled a stare at me. “No, mine is goodtoo.”
“Yeah,” Steve said. “But hers isgreat.”
To say I was on cloud nine would be an understatement. I knew I’d written something special, but to hear that they all thought so too was thrilling. Best of all, Duke’s expression told me he agreed with everyone too, and it scared him abit.
After recording the video, Ashton took Nina and Steve with him to review both of our little introductions. I headed out to find a cup of coffee and to call my mother to let her in on the good news. I had gotten one job already, afterall.
As soon as I got seated with a warm cup of mocha espresso in hand, I made the call I knew she’d been waiting for. “Lila!”
“Mom, I’ve got ajob!”
She whooped and hollered. “Yes!”
“But I’m up for one more. A big one, Mom. If I get both of these jobs, then I won’t need to share an apartment with anyone—heck, I might even be able to buy a place of my own! If I don’t get this other job though, then I’ll definitely need to rent a room with someone here. Either way, I’m staying in New York, Mom.” I took a sip of the hot drink and waited to see what she’d have to say about mynews.
“I’m so proud of you,” she said with the sound of tears in her voice. “My baby girl is going to make it big, just the way you’ve alwayswanted.”
Nina popped into the little café with a big smile on herface.
“Mom, I’ll call you later to tell you more. Bye, loveyou.”
She came right to me. “Ashton says you both did amazinglywell.”
“Both of us?” I couldn’t really celebrate a tie, now, couldI?
“Yes, both of you. But I’ve got more news. My sister and I talked, and you’ve got the interview with Ted Turner. Not right away; he’s got some things going on right now. But as soon as he’s free, you can go to him in New Mexico to do it.” Nina clapped her hands. “And we’ll get to go with youtoo!”
My heart was pounding. It was all happening. And just as I began to feel like I might just win this thing, Duke came in with Ashton and Artimus, the three laughing and acting allchummy.
I might be good, but Duke knew how to get in with the bigwigs. The competition wasn’t going to be getting one biteasier.
ChapterSix
Duke
Sitting in the same small café as Lila, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over at her—too many times. She just kept drawing my attention, like a moth to a flame. The way she laughed, the tilt of her head, the way her lips pursed when she seemed to be thinking about something—all of it drew myattention.
And I hatedit.
Artimus, Ashton, and I had decided to grab some coffees, and I’d had no idea she’d be there too. I might’ve passed on the coffee if I’dknown.
It had to be the competition that had me feeling so out of sorts about the girl. I’d never competed with a woman before; I didn’t know how to act. And I sure as hell had had no idea it would affect me the way itwas.
Her touch couldn’t really be sending sparks all through me. The way she smelled couldn’t really be that damn intoxicating. It had to be the competition. That’s all it couldbe.
I wasn’t some horny teenager who chased after every girl in a five-mile radius. No, I was the guy who sat back, checking out the bevy of beauties before finding one to my liking. Then I’d ease up to her, give her a little of my attention, and before she knew what had happened, she’d wake up in my bed. Her hair would be a sexy mess, her body naked, and she’d find herself extremelysatisfied.
And maybe that’s just what Lila needed,too.
Why wasn’t I giving it to her the way I would with any other chick I found to myliking?
She got up, she and Nina leaving the café. They headed in opposite directions, Lila going one way, away from the station, and Nina heading in the otherdirection.
Lila was alone, and my chance had come. “I’ll see you guys later. I’ve got something to do.” Getting Lila in my bed and out of my head had just become my top priority— it was something I had to do if I wanted to be a real contender for thisposition.
“Oh, before you go.” Artimus grabbed my arm, stopping my hasty retreat. “I need you to be in a class tomorrow morning that I’ve signed everyone up for. Now that the staff has all been hired, you all have some classes totake.”
