Page 13 of Man Cuffed
But not his voice. Hot Cop is disappointingly silent. Ah, well.
“So tell me about your new man,” I say, wiping down the countertop.
“Oh.” Cassidy’s face is solemn. “Date number two is coming up.”
“God, could you look any less excited?”
“It’s early,” she says flatly. “We don’t really know each other yet.”
Oh dear. Her lack of enthusiasm tells me everything I need to know. But I can sense that Cassidy isn’t ready to hear it. “Well, if you’ve snagged a good man in your life, it’s my turn next.”
“Deal,” she says.
“I could make the thin walls shake, too.”
“Loudly,” she agrees.
Although that only makes me think of Maguire next door. Would it be too much to ask if the man I end up dating looked like him?
* * *
When dinner is ready,I plate everything up and carry it ten paces to the living area, where I’ve set out napkins and silverware on the new coffee table. “Thanks for cooking. I feel spoiled.”
“Anytime.” Cassidy sits down on the couch beside me. “Well? Tell me how it tastes. And then tell me what’s happening with the Chicago audition.”
I take a bite of chicken. It’s succulent and spicy. “This is terrific. Wow.” The cucumber salad is a nice contrast, too.
“You didn’t answer both questions.”
“I’m avoiding my email, to be honest. My agent sent something, but I’m afraid to read it.”
Cassidy sets down her fork at once. “Where is it? I’ll look. I have a good feeling about this one.”
If only I did, too. Right before I moved into this apartment, I drove to Chicago to audition for a tampon commercial. Don’t laugh. A single tampon commercial can earn enough for a house if it gets enough airplay. Cassidy rode along with me for fun, and to do some shopping.
We ended up staying an extra day, though, because I got a callback. And then another one. By the time they were done with me, it was down to three women, and they said they’d be in touch.
Today.
I take another bite of chicken and sigh. Then I fish the phone out from under the couch cushion, unlock it, and open my email. While it’s tempting to make Cassidy read it for me, I’m a big girl.
A big girl staring at bad news.
Megan, we loved meeting you! And we were impressed with your poise. But ultimately we went in another direction.
Wordlessly, I hand the phone to my guest.
“Oh!” she gasps. “No! I was so sure. This is awful. Howcouldthey? I mean, when you were pretending you had those cramps, I totally believed you! I tried to give you ibuprofen and rub your head, remember?” As I watch, Cassidy’s eyes get red.
Mine don’t, though. I’ve had a good ten years to get used to this kind of rejection. “It happens to every actress. Even Emma Watson.”
It must. Or at least it used to. Maybe.
Though I can’t really see Emma Watson selling tampons.
Cassidy tosses the phone onto the couch between us. “I’m disgusted for you. Those other women were soboring. I wouldn’t buy a sandwich from them. Let alone somethingintimate.Don’t you think?”
“I think…” I set my fork down, too. “There’s no way to tell you what I think without sounding like a crazy person. But it’s starting to get to me.”
