Adjournment (The Fate Series) (8 page)

I personally believe that he and Lexi would be perfect for each other.

“Since he wants to make sure you aren’t falling for someone. I think you should lie and tell him your date went really well and you’re head over heels for the guy,” Jacob says causing the two of them to burst into laughter again.

I’m going to ignore them and just set up my things.

While GQ is hot, he is also an actor—again, see rule number one.

Strike one for me, point for Lex.

But he is modest, so I guess that’s a point in his favor for both of us.

He is nothing like my “type”. He is, in fact, the exact opposite: shoulder length champagne blond hair that reminds me of a surfer, which makes him look out of place here. Oh, and he has gorgeous crystal blue eyes. Want to take a guess at whose type he is?
She
denies it, says
she
doesn’t think of him like that because
she’s
known him too long… but
she
also has been known to accidently say yes to a number of things that didn’t require yes as an answer.

“What did you do this weekend?”

“Yes.”

It always comes out shaky and breathy like she’s waiting for him to suggest sex… so funny.

I will admit when GQ and I first met I would sometimes zone out in thought of what it would be like to feel his perfectly sculpted chest against me as I run my fingers down his abs to where his pants show off just enough of his hips to let you know those are perfect too. Dragging my tongue along his perfect jaw line, as I slowly taste every inch of him until I reach his full lips.

But that is all in the past. Where Lexi has “known” him too long, I’ve worked with him a lot over the years. He’s only a few months older than me but when I’m around him I feel years older than he is. I carefully calculate my day, I’m on the clock and my time is never my own. He, on the other hand, lollygags around and since he knows at any moment someone can take a photo of him he often goofs off just for show. He loves the spotlight… but what actor doesn’t?

Don’t you think he would be perfect for Lex? Me too… You’re probably wondering why I don’t try to set them up.

Well he’s dating the “leading lady” half-wit. Her name is Melissa, and she is one of those actresses who slander the title for all the other by carrying on in a manner that is appalling. Melissa always manages to make the headlines for some tragic wardrobe malfunction, some innocent with a photographer, or some ‘he said, she said’ breakup.

Why are they dating?

I think it’s more for publicity but who knows. They’re so cute. Not like new couple cute, more like business agreement cute. I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I think he is faking the whole thing when the cameras are out. Behind the scenes she is always waiting for him to go to set, hanging on his arm as she talks non-stop about herself—where her and her friends are going to be that night—then she leaves him at the door as she does these pouty noises that make me want to vomit into the garbage.

Did I mention she leaves him at his door? That woman needs to cut the cord…

The door behind me opens, and we are assaulted with the sound of her pleading with him and saying how much she
loves
him just before he slams the door behind him. I watch him behind me in the mirror. He looks at Jacob first, slightly shaking his head to show his annoyance, then glances at Kate, and finally to me—the irritation leaving his face when our eyes meet. He sits down in the chair so I can get to work on making his face look bruised.

“Well, Ms. Sidney, how was your date?” His chipper tone makes me want to beat him until he doesn’t need makeup.

“Let’s see… where to start… where to start?” I thoughtfully tap my chin.

Jacob is turned away from me but I can tell by the movement in his shoulders he is already laughing.

I didn’t even start yet.

“First he ordered for me, then he snapped his fingers at everyone around us to get their attention, he ate my leftovers—chatted on the phone—checked himself out in the mirror behind me, and finally ended the night with a full-on assault of my mouth,” I say with as much joy as I can achieve. Bending down next to him I get to work.

“So a typical date for you then?” Jacob laughs from across the trailer.

GQ and Kate join Jacob in laughing as I reach for a sponge to launch at Jacob’s head.

“HA. HA. HA. You should have been a comedian. Any…ways. Jacob, how was your night?” I try to change the subject.

“I met… the hottest man… ever! Sorry, Brett, you’re not my type.” He smiles at GQ.

“That’s okay. You aren’t my type either, it would just be awkward,” he says sliding his ear buds in while the rest of us laugh.

“Any…ways, his name is Tyler. MMM he is so cute!” He fans himself as he falls into an empty chair.

After about an hour of me and Kate working, Jacob is still going on about Tyler.

Seriously, it’s only been an hour?

I am just finishing GQ’s makeup while Kate gets ready to spray his hair in place. Giving his shoulders a tap, I send him a thumbs-up to signal he’s ready. He doesn’t remove his ear buds, just nods, gets up, and leaves.

“Was it something I said?” Jacob giggles.

“I think it might have been everything you said.” Kate raises an eyebrow to him. We grab our stuff, tying our aprons around our waists as we leave.

Once outside I notice Melissa is right where I knew she would be, and she is doing exactly what I knew she would be doing… texting. GQ is already ahead of her when she looks up and sees him. She puts her phone away, running over to him and latching onto his arm while she tells him the most hilarious news and blabs on and on about their upcoming charity event. I wish I had ear buds for moments like this. The set is maybe fifty feet away, and I can already tell this is going to be the longest walk of my life.

Warnings disguised as candy are delicious…

After an entire day of listening to Jacob and Kate volley opinions of where we should go, the sound of the director calling it a day is music to my ears. I race back to the trailer to clean my brushes and pack up my supplies before it gets too hard to leave.

I need an assistant. This would all be done if I had an assistant. It’s amazing the amount of crap you gain being in one place so long.

I go to pick up all my stuff when there’s a knock at the door.

I should have known I couldn’t make it out without the whole ‘I will miss seeing you every day’ thing. I open it and instead of being greeted by someone with a tissue to their eyes it’s a man with a bouquet of candy in his hands.

Refined sugar!!! This must be for stupid GQ. Lucky bastard.

“Ms. Chandler?” He smiles, handing me a clipboard and pen.

This is a cruel joke. Everyone who knows me knows I don’t eat this stuff.

“I’m sorry you missed her.” I glance over the candy.

It’s all the same kind…

“I was given a description of you Ms. Chandler. I was also told to make you accept this by any means necessary.” He gives a bashful smile. “Please take this. I don’t like the idea of pining you down and forcing you to eat it like I was told to do.” He shoves it at me. With a quick wave, he grabs the board from my loose grip and says, “Enjoy your day ma’am.” Then he is gone.

I grab the card to read it over.

If this had been from anyone else I would have dropped it into the waste basket. Grams is one of the few who I have kept in contact with over the years. One, because she’s old, and two, because she would have no problem taking me out at the knees and running over me with her scooter.

I’ll accept that because she’s old she has probably forgotten that I no longer consume copious amounts of peanut butter cups to relax.

But why did she have to send so much?

With my supplies in one hand and the bouquet nestled in the crook of my arm, I stumble out of the trailer and spot Jacob walking toward me, telling his assistant what needs to come out and where it needs to go. He’s beyond frustrated since I remember him explaining this to the guy two days ago.

If things don’t get cataloged right, then put back correctly, they get lost. Not a good thing when the lost items have to be replaced, and it’s your paycheck that does the replacing. I don’t envy Jacob’s job. Although I love what he can pull together, working with that many people under and around me would stress me out. However he works well under pressure and rarely ever freaks out over disasters.

His motto is “All disasters are new challenges to overcome and they keep us on our toes.” I’ve adopted this motto as my own over the years when I am in the middle of a disaster. It’s better than my old ‘I’m in control. Let me pound down some peanut butter cups to calm down.’ one.

I look down at my bouquet. This makes me a bit nervous. I must resist them and be stronger than the cups.

Giving my goodbyes to everyone, I wave to Jacob and signal for him to call me later to work out the plans for the evening. From where I’m standing the fans can be heard waiting for cast members to come out.

See, caution tape draws a crowd.

My phone beeps, and I check it and see I have a message from Lexi saying she will catch a car later since there has been a mix-up between her and Evangeline’s supplies. This is why I like working in the actor’s trailer alone rather than the makeup one—much less confusion.

I walk out toward the crowd and smile as people are staring at me wondering if I look familiar. I don’t, so they glance over me, and I walk on. This is why I like being behind the scenes—no one sees me. I see what GQ has to go through when he goes anywhere. The constant tugging and screaming… flashing lights everywhere. The schmoozing of people, who he doesn’t know half the time but still has to pretend to be friends with. There is nothing about that life that makes me want it back, and it’s one of the many reasons my sisters stayed in California after I left. It’s hard to stay out of the public eye when your parents host galas and charity events that put them in the paper constantly. I don’t want people talking about where I was and what I was doing. I lived it, and I’m lucky to have survived it the first time around.

“Miss!” I turn to see a man running toward me.

He is practically laughing when he comes closer.

“You dropped this.” He extends his hand.

The way he holds whatever the object is makes it hard for me to see.

“Oh, thank you so much.” I smile, reaching out for it.

When the object hits the palm of my hand, I look down at the small black piece.

“I’m sorry.” A hesitant laugh escapes me as I roll it around in my hand. “This—isn’t mine…” I look up, he’s gone.

How would a chess pawn fall off me? I know I collected some weird shit being here so long but I haven’t played chess in years.

Tossing it into my bag, I hail a cab, load my stuff, and hop in.

“Two-twenty-three Twenty-First Street!” I cheer at the driver, who doesn’t look anywhere near as happy as I am, and collapse into the seat.