Page 105 of Scoring the Player
“I thought he was going to yell at me.”
“Yeah, well, something tells me you’d have to get used to that if you worked for him.” She nods toward the envelope. “What’s that?”
“I’m not sure.” With shaky fingers, I open it and pull out a check. A very large check. Eddie and I didn’t discuss payment, but this is more than I ever would have asked for. “Woah.”
Jane laughs. “I guess you’re buying lunch.”
* * *
Lunch ends up being catered. Eddie invites us to his dressing room to hang out while we eat. He barely gets a bite in before he’s pulled to do…something. I don’t know when he has time to relax, let alone eat. Again, it reminds me of Felix.
I pull out my phone to check on the game.
“What’s the score?” Jane asks.
I look up from my phone. “It hasn’t started yet.”
“Sports fan?” Eddie asks, coming back into the room and taking a seat with his food.
“Not exactly.”
“She’s dating the quarterback of the football team,” Jane says.
“I’m not sure that’s accurate. We’re hanging out.”
“He asked her to be exclusive and she’s freaking out.” My best friend, once again, fills in for me.
I shoot her a playful glare.
Eddie snaps. “That’s what it is. You’re in love. I knew something was different.”
My face instantly warms.
“I’m not…” I start, but then I think about it. Really think about it. I’ve always been attracted to him, but it isn’t just that. I like spending time with him. He makes me smile and laugh. Sometimes I still feel absolutely frozen and nervous around him, but he also has a way of putting me at ease and making me feel so wanted and cared for. Besides, would I really want to be with someone who doesn’t make my heart feel like it’s going to leap out of my chest? I might not like how I clam up around him, but it’s the equivalent of a gut check. Maybe some of it was fake, but I think most of it was more real than either of us realized. I never would have let myself fall for him, but I’m glad I did.
When I blink and look back at Eddie and Jane, they’re both grinning at me.
“Well, crap. I think I’m in love with him.”
Eddie laughs. His gaze slides to Jane. “And you? Wait. Don’t tell me. You seem like the type that goes after the bad boys. Maybe a rock star?”
“Oh no,” she says. “Rock stars are attention whores. I need all the focus on me.”
His head falls back as he laughs. “I so get that.”
“Jane is an amazing singer,” I tell him proudly. “She’s coming for your job one day.”
“Oh my god. That’s it.” His eyes widen and his face lights up. “You’re that girl from that show…Ivy. Ivy Greene. God, I loved that show. What was it called? You were so good. You still sing then?”
“Jane on a TV show?” I laugh it off, but when I glance at my friend, she looks like she’s going to be sick. “Wait, what? You were on a TV show?”
My head swivels back and forth between them as an awkward silence hangs over the room.
“It was forever ago,” she says, finally breaking the silence. “A lifetime ago. I quit acting when I was sixteen.”
I’m speechless, and Eddie realizes he’s just dropped a bombshell. “Shit. I’m sorry. You were really great. You were my first voice crush. You’re not acting or singing anymore?”
“No, not really. I’m doing the college thing now.”
