Page 22 of Act Like You Don't Care
Shit.
Conceding defeat, I went back into the bedroom and sat on the end of the bed, burying my head in my hands. It had been years since I’d let myself indulge in what the industry considered the classic omega response to frustration or fear or happiness or any strong emotion. Not since the first time I’d been told I would have gotten a role if it hadn't been for being an omega. I wasn't going to cry and give anyone that fucking satisfaction.
The soft hiss of shoes on laminate approached and I lifted my head to see Miles crouched in front of me. "Why don't you sleep and I'll see what I can do to make sure your privacy is secure?” he said. “Maybe the building will let us run wire through the conduits."
I paused for a moment, searching Miles's face for some hint of the condescension that usually appeared any time I showed even the smallest weakness, but there was none. Just a man doing his best, trying to help his client out as well as he could. "Thank you." Maybe this would work after all.
Miles nodded and stood up. "I'll let you rest now. Tomorrow, we'll talk about the cameras again. Our security systems guy will have some ideas, I’m sure."
I waved at him, then remembered something. "I don't have to be at the studio until seven tomorrow, but the day after, we're on a remote site again, so we'll be in a hotel tomorrow night. And then we’re in Kentucky for a week for exteriors again." I’d have to check with Will about the schedule, make sure it hadn’t changed. I didn’t think the remote stuff would, though—those were hard enough to set up in the first place.
"Thanks, I'll let the crew know. And I'll make sure we get the details before we go."
"You're going with me?" Oh, that was stupid. "Yeah, of course you're going with me. Stupid."
Miles shook his head. "You're tired and you’ve had a few stressful days. Different than stupid and easily fixed. Go to sleep."
"Yeah." I paused, then was overtaken by a yawn. "Sorry. It's been a long time since I've had an actual boyfriend. I'm out of practice."
"You're fine." Miles started to leave but paused just outside the doorway. "Lock the patio door and leave your door unlocked. I won't come in, but if I hear anything in the night, I don't want something like a lock slowing me down."
The slow fatigue that had been settling in my bones evaporated. "You think he might try to get in while we’re here?" This was a secure building. It took at least two codes just to get up to the right floor, and then another one for the condo. It had an alarm system. The thought of someone getting past all that--but that was why Miles was here, right?
"Probably not, it's just standard practice."
I nodded and rubbed one eye with the base of my palm. "Yeah, okay. I don't close my door anyway. Just don't go peeking around the corner."
"Not my job," Miles told me with that dangerously comforting smile. "I'm going to have a closer look at the rest of your security system and log the information. You have a good night." He tapped on the doorframe, I supposed as a sign that the conversation was over, and disappeared down the hall.
For a moment, I wondered if I should follow him out to make sure he didn't need anything. After all, it's what my mother would have done.
Naw. He's a big boy. If he needs something, he can look for it.
My bed was calling me, even louder now. Following orders, I locked the patio door before I stripped out of my clothes, tossing them carelessly on the floor. I’d have to pick them up before Josefina came, or she'd scold me for treating my nice clothes with so little respect.Should never have given her Mom's phone number.
With a jaw-cracking yawn, I crawled naked under the covers, set the alarm on the table beside it, and was out like a light a half-second later.
Miles
The condo was surprisingly small, considering how well I figured Tam was being paid. After all, starring roles were usually pretty well compensated, even for the movies he’d been in. The exterior walls were almost entirely glass, a fact that made the back of my neck itch with discomfort. There were curtains, but the material wasn't heavy enough to provide much more than privacy—I’d bet that anyone outside could see silhouettes if the lights were on. First order of business would be to fix that.
A half-hour later, I had a short list of things I wanted changed and a small gray shadow that followed me from room to room, judging me. Tam hadn't mentioned a pet and I hadn't noticed a litter box anywhere, but there were two little dishes tucked away in a not-too-obvious corner of the kitchen and the little gray cat seemed entirely at home, so I assumed she belonged to Tam.
I finished up my tour in the living room. It was obviously Tam's favorite room in the condo—the furniture was expensive but looked like it saw use. A fluffy, furry blanket lay half-crumpled at one end of the couch and I automatically picked it up and folded it before laying on top of the back.
The cat jumped up onto the arm of the chair and stared at me accusingly. "I'm just tidying up," I explained. "He's too tired. I'm going to sit down now. Are you going to attack me?" She turned up her nose and settled down on the soft fabric. As I watched, she did that thing that cats did, where it looked like they'd pulled all their legs up inside their bodies, and then she very obviously dismissed me as not being worth her time. "And good day to you, too. Snob," I muttered, but still, I took a seat at the other end of the couch. Just in case.
The first person I called was Jim.
"Hey, how's your first night of wedded bliss?" Jim demanded, laughter in the words.
"Funny. I have work for you." Quickly, I listed off everything I’d noticed about the condo. "You'll probably want to do a walk-through yourself, though. I'm pretty rusty."
"We'll have to figure out how sneak me in. Unless he's changed his mind?"
"I don't think so, but he was dead on his feet when we got here. He's in bed at the moment. Why don't you give Mom a call and see if she's put together a bag for me for the night? You can bring it over. I can play the over-excited boyfriend and invite you up to see the place."
"Yeah, that's a reasonable cover. You're going to come out of it looking like an ass if it gets out, though. What would Dad say?"
