“Good advice, Cass. I’ll play a little hard to get.” She blew out a long breath. “We have the coolest place to live and fucking beautiful neighbors. If any money floated down like manna from heaven, I’d say we’d won the lottery.”
She hugged her friend. “Take things slowly. For now, go out and kill them with the second set.”
Jolene left and Cassie returned to the main room. She wound her way through the packed tables, glad that the crowd had grown. As she reached their table, she saw her seat was occupied.
By Rhett Corrigan.
CHAPTER 11
Rhett sipped the lukewarm beer as Breck went on and on about Cassie’s roommate.
“You’re gonna love her act, Rhett. She’s hilarious. I laughed my balls off and you know how hard I am to entertain.”
He set his beer down. “I don’t know, Breck. Seems to me that Missy Levell—”
“Don’t bring that girl up again, Rhett. I was fourteen at the time. I haven’t—”
“Hi. I guess I lost my seat.”
Rhett glanced up to find Cassie standing behind him. He stood and indicated for her to sit as he pulled up another chair.
“Who’s Missy Levell?” she asked, trying to hide a smile.
Breck groaned. “Don’t go there, Cassie. It’s ancient history. A lifetime ago.”
Rhett leaned over to her. “Maybe if you get him really drunk sometime, he’ll spill the beans on Missy.”
“I don’t plan on ever getting that drunk, Corrigan.”
“Why are you slumming?” Cassie asked Rhett. “Somehow, you don’t look like the comedy club type to me.”
He shrugged. “More like hiding out. Randi wanted me to go to this modeling thing. She keeps pushing for us to go public. I told her I’d meet her there. When I did, the whole place was crawling with drugged-out toothpicks fawning over each other and cameras flashing left and right. I don’t think she even realized I left.”
“Rhett, do you even like this woman?” Cassie asked.
He frowned at her question. “You sound like sixth grade. Pass me the note and I’ll check the yes or no box and then you’ll know if I like her or not.”
Cassie stared him down. “Seriously. If you care for Randi, you need to show her. That means giving up a little bit of that privacy you crave and showing your face in public with her every now and then if you really want to make a go of the relationship.” She stopped. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
Breck laughed. “I can’t believe you said it. Randi’s a twenty-two on the ten-point bitch-o-meter and you’re actually taking up for her. You’re slipping, General. The Ya-Ya Sisterhood would be disappointed in you.”
Cassie looked back at Rhett. “So answer the question, Corrigan. Do you like Randal James or not? Because believe me, with a woman like Randi, you’re going to need to take a stand pretty soon.”
How could Rhett tell Cassie that Randi simply had been hot, convenient sex whenever he was bored? That he had already dumped her in his mind because he wanted to woo his newly-hired assistant. How shallow was that?
“Randi’s okay. Though as I’ve gotten to know her better, I’ve figured out in the long run that she’s not for me.”
“Then be a better man than most and level with her. If you don’t want to see her anymore, get your key back, change your gate code, and be done with it. Don’t string her along. Hollywood’s a fickle enough place as it is. She deserves your honesty.”
The lights dimmed and Cassie turned her attention to the stage. Rhett listened to the comic as if he were white noise in the background. He sneaked a glance at Cassie’s profile.
Damn, she was honest. She wasn’t a Hollywood knockout but her natural beauty overwhelmed him as if she were the most gorgeous female on the planet. Her personality was the fresh breath of air he’d been waiting for.
He just hadn’t realized it until now.
Cassie Carroll had roared into his life and made a total impact. She’d crashed into Rhett harder than she had his car and the damage might be permanent.
What the hell was he supposed to do about it?
People started clapping so he joined in. The act left the stage and a woman followed. Breck punched him in the arm.
“This is Jolene. She’ll knock your socks off.”
Not like Cassie does.
Rhett enjoyed Jolene’s act, though. She was witty and outrageous. She jumped from political humor to her never-ending diet cycle without missing a beat. The comedian had a nice face. Big boobs. A little heavy in the hips and thighs for him, but Rhett saw that Breck was a goner.
Jolene joined them at the table after her set and Rhett almost went for the fire extinguisher after two minutes. Jolene’s bantering with Breck resembled public foreplay, with all the double entendres zinging back and forth. He leaned over to Cassie.
“I know you came with Breck but I get the feeling we’re crowding these two. Would you like to leave before they start having sex on the table?”
She nodded. They made their excuses and Rhett led her out of the club to his car.
“I don’t even think they know we’re gone,” he said.
Cassie laughed. “I have never seen two people attracted to each other so fast and furiously. It was almost embarrassing listening to them go on and on.”
He opened her door and then walked around to the driver’s side and got in. “It was worse than embarrassing. I doubled with Breck once before way back in high school when the same thing happened. My date and I sat in the front seat staring ahead like tin soldiers while Breck and his date steamed up the back. I think we were both afraid to look at each other because we might catch sex in our peripheral vision.”
Rhett shook his head. “That’s the only time I saw Breck like that. Ever. The girl’s father got transferred the very next day and they were gone in less than a week. Usually, Breck is so calm and laid back. He doesn’t get serious about anyone.”
“Jo’s the same way.” Cassie leaned back against the headrest. “Thank you for wanting to get out of there. I felt like a fifth wheel.”
“No problem. I knew we wouldn’t be missed.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes before Rhett’s stomach growled.
“Did you forget to eat?”
He glanced at his watch. “No. It was just a long time ago. It’s closing in on eleven. Almost past my bedtime. I guess if my stomach growls, I never hear it through the snoring.”
“You snore?”
“No. I’m teasing.” He pointed to a shop on the right. “Would you like to stop for some gelato?”
She gave him a beautiful smile. “Sweets are the way to win my heart, Corrigan.”
Rhett pulled in and saw they were about to close in five minutes. He didn’t have the heart to go in. If he did, they would make a big deal since he was Mr. Hollywood and stay open. He had worked enough jobs in his time when he lived for the last customer to leave so he could close and head home. He wouldn’t do that to the two teenagers he could see through the window.
“How about finding something at home instead?”
“Okay, as long as you provide the food. I haven’t unboxed my few groceries yet, much less gone shopping.”