“And how is this an issue? You’re smart, beautiful, and creative. This should be a piece of cake for you.”
Groaning, I twiddled a piece of my hair and stared out at the other cars passing by on the busy downtown freeway. The lanes were six wide each way and it was still bumper-to-bumper.
I licked my lips. “It would have been nice to know what to expect.”
“Sweetie, I sent over a copy of the contract. It detailed out what your role was. You signed it. I’m sorry you didn’t read it. And for future reference, I will say never, and I repeat, never sign a contract that you haven’t read thoroughly.”
That comment grated against my already frail nerves. “You’re my agent. You should have given me a heads up.”
“You’re blaming me because you weren’t prepared? Dollface. I’m sorry. However, I’ll only take responsibility for not prepping you completely when I knew that you were in an emotional state. Although, I wouldn’t have agreed to the contract if I didn’t believe this was the right move for you. As good an actress as you are, you’re not the best. Let’s face it. You don’t play too well with others. In this type of environment, you get to make the decisions. Well, you have to run them past the execs—mostly Dr. Hoffman—according to the outline of duties, and then you’re set.”
She paused for a while as if letting that sink in before she continued. “You’re making twenty-five thousand a segment, sweetheart. That’s more money than you make for ten commercials selling tampons or pregnancy tests. This is a good move for you career-wise. Take the bull by the horns and make something of it. Now’s your chance.”
Millie was right. It was my chance. It was my time to prove that I could do something other than modeling, pretending to be someone I’m not, or just being someone’s more. Not that I minded that. Being Wes’s more was everything, but it was personal, private, between us. This job, this opportunity was for me and me alone. It was time for Mia Saunders to kick ass and take names. You only get one shot at something this grand, and there was no way I was about to let the opportunity pass me by.
“You know, Auntie, you’re right.”
She laughed. “Of course I am. Honey, I’m always right. Get to work. It’s Friday, so you’ve only got five days to come up with your segment concept. I look forward to watching it on TV. I’ll be DVRing it weekly.”
It felt good hearing that my aunt, the only maternal figure I had left in my family, cared enough about me and my future to push me into succeeding. My Aunt Millie Colgrove might be a shrewd businesswoman who operated on just this side of legal in her dealings, but she still had a heart, and it beat for me.
“Thanks for believing in me.” The whispered words came across garbled. I was having trouble getting them out.
She hummed. “Oh, dollface. I’m beyond proud of you. Chin up. It will all work out as it’s supposed to.”
I had to believe she was right.
Everything would work out as it was supposed to. The phrase rolled around in my mind as the driver pulled up to our home and let me out. I entered the house, ready to tell Wes everything that happened and eager to get his opinions on the Living Beautiful segment when the scene in front of me shattered me into a million pieces.
Wes. My Wes. His arms wrapped around a brunette. This one I knew all too well. She was clutching him around the back digging her fingers into his shoulders. Her face to me, eyes closed tight, Wes facing out the other way. As I stood there, silenced by the thudding of my heart, the warble of sound rushing in and out of my ears, she lifted her head. Tears poured down her cheeks in a river.
There she was. The woman I never wanted to see again. Gina DeLuca sat on my couch, in my new home, in my man’s arms. Fuck me.
Chapter Five
Not knowing what else to do, I cleared my throat…loudly. Enough so that the couple embracing on the couch turned. Wes saw my face, stood up as if he’d been scalded. Then he grabbed Gina’s hands and lifted her to her feet.
“Uh, Mia, um…I didn’t expect you home already,” he said, pushing a hand through his unruly hair, not at all helping the predicament I found him in.
Wrong answer, buddy. “I can see that. Should I leave you two alone?” I grated through clenched teeth.
Wes’s eyes widened, and he looked at Gina and then at me. “Oh, God, no!” He lifted his hands up. “Sweetheart, this is not what it looks like.”
I pursed my lips and tipped my head. “No? Because it looks a lot like the man I love comforting his ex while I was away at work.”
Wes shook his head and stepped away from Gina. “Baby, no way. Nuh-uh. Do not read into this.” He came over to my side, reaching his arms out. I stepped back before he got a hold of me. His arms dropped to his sides.