Page 69 of Mr. Fixer Upper
Andy guzzled water behind the screen, studying Gannon as Tony followed his every move. Felicia wiped her forehead on her raised arm and moved the boom pole in closer to catch whatever Gannon was muttering under his breath.
A white Escalade rolled up to the curb behind them, and Paige squinted through the mirages shimmering over the white concrete. Without being ordered to, Rico broke away from shooting Gannon and focused on the SUV. The driver, in suit and tie, hustled out and around to open the back door. One tanned, shapely leg ending in a bloody red stiletto appeared and then another.
What. The. Hell.
Meeghan Traxx slid out of the backseat in a fitted red pencil skirt and nearly sheer white sleeveless top. The cowl neck lay atop her spectacular breasts, calling even more attention to their sheer volume.
Her blonde hair was salon fresh, set in perfect beachy waves. Movie star sunglasses obscured most of her face, drawing more attention to her perfect painted red lips.
She brought a finger to those lips and wiggled her fingers, tipped with fresh fake nails, at Rico’s camera. Andy’s mouth fell open, surprise written all over his sweaty face. Paige glared at him, willing him to yell cut, but he kept rolling.
Meeghan waited until Rico moved into view and then pranced over cables and around fans that were doing nothing but stirring the heat. She came up behind Gannon and put her hands over his eyes. Paige clapped a hand over her mouth as Gannon nearly fumbled the electric sander. Worksite safety be damned.
“What the—” What was sure to be a colorful question was cut off when Gannon spun around and Meeghan attacked.
She launched herself at him, and the kiss she laid on him was enough to suck the oxygen out of his lungs. The kiss that he didn’t exactly fight his way out of, Paige couldn’t help noticing. It wasn’t until she’d dragged in a sharp breath that Paige realized she’d stopped breathing.
That lying sack of—
“Kitty cat!” Meeghan squealed, spotting Cat approach. She released the dumbfounded Gannon and grabbed Cat in a chokehold. “It’s so good to see you!”
Cat shot poison dart eyes at Gannon who stared back blankly at them. Cat wiggled out of Meeghan’s hold and moved to stand next to her brother.
“Surprise!” Meeghan said, spinning back to flash her million wattage smile at Tony and Rico.
“Uh, cut?” Andy called weakly. He glanced in Paige’s direction, confusion and embarrassment evident in his eyes.
Meeghan’s driver, eager as a golden retriever, tottered over to hand his mistress her giant Michael Kors tote.
“Here, sweetie,” Meeghan said, tossing the giant tote into Paige’s arms. “Do something with that for me and get me an iced skinny soy vanilla latte extra whip.”
Paige’s breath left her in a silent woosh. She glanced down at the bag in her arms and dumped it on a chair as if she’d accidentally accepted a fresh roadkill. She wouldn’t look at Gannon or Cat.
Meeghan pranced over to Andy, shaking her hair over her shoulder. “Mind if I watch the playback?”
“Uh, why don’t we all take an hour?” She heard Andy’s voice in stereo through her headset and her uncovered ear. She didn’t wait for anyone else to move. Paige yanked off her headset and mic and bolted.
“Paige,” Gannon began. But she held up her hand and cut him off. He had nothing to say that she wanted to hear. Not with Meeghan Traxx’s lipstick smeared over his mouth.
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Paige felt bad about taking the production van back to the hotel, but she couldn’t deal with being around anyone else. She needed to be alone.
She stopped at a drive-thru and got herself her forbidden comfort, an ice-cold Coke, and numbly stabbed the elevator button for her floor. The doors closed, and finally sure she was alone, Paige slumped against the back wall. And began the internal debate that had wanted to rage for the last ten minutes.
What the hell had happened?
Gannon had lied. That’s what had happened.He’d lied to her repeatedly about his involvement with that… that… person. Did she hate Meeghan because she was Gannon’s whatever? Or did she have a legitimate reason?
The doors slid open silently, and she shuffled out onto the red and gold carpet that reminded her of a casino.
They didn’t see her, she realized as her heart thudded in her chest. Gannon, with Meeghan wrapped around him like a weed, was fighting with his key card to open the door.
“I like it when a man is impatient,” Meeghan all but purred. Paige nearly vomited.
“Get inside,” Gannon ordered dragging her over the threshold and slamming the door behind them.
Hot tears burned Paige’s eyes. She turned and ran to her room on the opposite end of the hallway. Forcing her way through the door, she threw herself on the bed and pulled a pillow over her head.
