“I’m not sure why you’re so upset, Mr. Maxwell, when this is what you wanted.”
“Stop fucking calling me that,” he seethes. “She likes you.” His voice goes quiet.
“Who?”
He shoots daggers at me and I laugh, my feet turning inward and back out when I look down.
“You know who,” he spits.
“Oh, you mean Rachel?” I studied her name and whatever else I could learn about her in a short time so he’d think I cared enough to know. I didn’t then and don’t now. I only care about the beautiful reaction he’s having. He’s all hot and bothered, hischeeks turning a pretty pink. It’s so sexy. Only because it’s not me he’s mad at. It’s her and himself.
“You know I do.” He lets out a flustered sound.
“Again, you’re the one who wanted us to stop seeing each other.”
“It’s not . . .” He sucks his teeth. “I didn’t want to stop.”
“Didn’t seem that way the other day when you couldn’t get out of my car fast enough.”
“Is that what you thought?” His eyes hold onto mine. “Because that’s not what it felt like.”
“What do you want, Sterling?” I already know the answer, but I need to hear him say it.
“I . . .” He averts his gaze, swiping the back of his hand over his brow again. “I don’t know.”
“And that’s my problem how?” I look down at my watch. “I need to grab some water and a snack. I only have three minutes left to do it. You should go sit for a bit, because you’re not looking too hot right now.”
His nose flares, his breaths coming out rapidly. “Don’t go with her, please.”
“Give me one good reason why first.” I hold his stare and a muscle ticks in his cheek, but his mouth doesn’t open.
“Yeah, cool. See you in three minutes, then.” I pat his shoulder casually and he stiffens against me. It’s not how he wants me to touch him, but I can’t give him what he wants until he can tell me. He has to be a hundred percent sure too, with no second-guessing or looking torn like he does now.
I leave the room and him standing there all alone. I don’t know if he goes back to his room or not, and I don’t want to check, because if he’s doing what he usually does to get ready for filming, then I don’t want to be tempted to offer him a hand.
My phone burns a hole in my pocket as I sit in my car, draining my water bottle while looking at the clock. I could look and seereal quick. Just a peek. I put a camera in his room last night so I could get my fix of our private movies. In case it’s all I ever have, although deep inside a voice is saying it won’t be.
I haven’t checked the footage yet, but my fingers thrum on the wheel so I don’t reach into my pocket. A group of people enter the front of the building, and I take it as my cue to join them.
Sterling mixes his lines up again, and his tone is shaky and off-kilter. He sounds so worn down and defeated. If only he’d hurry up and give in to whatever he’s fighting so hard against. He’ll feel a lot better once he does, and Lisa wouldn’t be yelling inches from his face.
“Let’s take another twenty since mister big star here can’t get his shit together,” she says, rolling her hand in the air, and the other actors shoot Sterling a sympathetic look, one of them coming a little too close for comfort with his hand on his shoulder. Of course it has to be Justin. What is this guy’s deal thinking Sterling always needs him to come to his rescue?
“I’m sorry, guys,” Sterling says, with sadness wreaking havoc in his eyes.
“That’s okay,” Justin says. “It’s not you. It’s her,” he says, directing his angry stare toward the doorway. “She really can be horrible.”
“No . . . no, it’s me. I don’t know why I can’t get it together.” His hands shake as he lifts them in front of his face.
“She shouldn’t have made you come back so soon,” a random girl says. I can’t for the life of me remember her name. “Or any of us for that matter.”
“Seriously,” Justin agrees. “We’re going to get through this together, okay?”
“Yeah.” He gives Justin a small smile.
“One minute at a time. Come on, let’s get you a snack. I bet it’ll help.”
My hackles rise when Justin steers Sterling toward the crafty with his arm around his neck. I see red, temporarily forgetting how to breathe.