time again. I was half-annoyed, half-joyous. A little part of me fantasized that he'd come back just to see me. He'd definitely flirted with me last time.
“I'll have the usual,” he said when I came to his table.
“Raspberry-walnut vinaigrette and all?”
“Yes, whatever Little Nell suggests.”
The name jolted me for a moment. I looked for irony in his eyes, but he just smiled and handed back the menu.
I headed to the kitchen. No, he couldn't know. I was actually rather little, barely five feet tall and maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet. That's probably why he called me Little Nell. If he'd ever been to the club, I would have known. I would have heard the gossip. I went back out with his beer and set it on the table.
“Can you sit and have a beer with me?” he asked.
I glanced around the restaurant. Another couple was still lingering over their meal. “I'm not supposed to sit down with the customers while I'm working.”
He smiled. “So you're a good little worker, are you?”
“I try to be.”
“I need someone like you. I need an assistant. Do you have any friends looking for a job?”
I opened my mouth and then closed it, but he got the hint.
“Or maybe you're looking for a better job. You like waitressing here?”
I shrugged and looked away. All of a sudden, his eyes really intimidated me. Or maybe I was just afraid he'd see how desperate I was for his job. I wondered how much he'd pay. Somehow I knew it would be more than I made working for Guillermo, tips and all.
“God, you don't know how tempting that is. But Guillermo…they're so nice here. I would hate to leave him and his wife high and dry.”
Jeremy sighed. “And loyal too. There's got to be a way to lure you away from here.”
I laughed softly. “I don't know. If you keep talking to me and keeping me from the other customers, maybe you'll get me fired.”
“Excellent plan. I'll get you fired, and then you'll have to come work for me.”
“Or just offer me a lot of money. A salary I can't refuse.”
I laughed, but he looked at me soberly. “I actually would like to find an assistant like you. Pleasant, responsible, loyal”—he smiled—“and a little bit fun. Think about it?”
“Well…” Don't sound desperate! “Yeah. I… Yeah. You need an assistant starting when?”
“I'll be traveling a lot in the upcoming weeks. I need someone right away. Someone who's free to travel, who can keep me organized and sane while I work on location.”
I looked over at the couple across the restaurant, their empty glasses and frowns of impatience.
“Mr. Gray, excuse me. I have to—”
“Go on. Come and talk to me later. But think about it.”
“I will.”
Think about it . God, as if I had to think about it. Personal assistant to Jeremy Gray. Travel, exotic locations, and the movie-star life on movie-star sets and in movie-star hotels. Wow. And I would rub shoulders with him all the time. Him , Jeremy Gray. Hot, nice, friendly, sexy, famous movie-star man. Every day. I would see him every day, wouldn't I, if I were his personal assistant? What was there to think about?
I filled glasses and gave the other table their check. They gave me a shitty tip when they left, but I didn't care. I was already picturing handing Guillermo my two weeks' notice and riding off with Jeremy Gray into the movie-star sunset. When I returned to his table he was on the phone, so I hovered around the bar and the kitchen, dying to talk to him. Finally, at the end of the meal, he gave me his business card.
“Listen, Nell, I'd love to talk to you more about this job, if you're interested.”
“Yes, to be honest, I am interested.” I tried to keep the desperate adulation out of my voice.
“Maybe we can meet over dinner to discuss it. What evening would be best?”
“I'm off Monday.” Damn, it was only Thursday, but
“I'll have the usual,” he said when I came to his table.
“Raspberry-walnut vinaigrette and all?”
“Yes, whatever Little Nell suggests.”
The name jolted me for a moment. I looked for irony in his eyes, but he just smiled and handed back the menu.
I headed to the kitchen. No, he couldn't know. I was actually rather little, barely five feet tall and maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet. That's probably why he called me Little Nell. If he'd ever been to the club, I would have known. I would have heard the gossip. I went back out with his beer and set it on the table.
“Can you sit and have a beer with me?” he asked.
I glanced around the restaurant. Another couple was still lingering over their meal. “I'm not supposed to sit down with the customers while I'm working.”
He smiled. “So you're a good little worker, are you?”
“I try to be.”
“I need someone like you. I need an assistant. Do you have any friends looking for a job?”
I opened my mouth and then closed it, but he got the hint.
“Or maybe you're looking for a better job. You like waitressing here?”
I shrugged and looked away. All of a sudden, his eyes really intimidated me. Or maybe I was just afraid he'd see how desperate I was for his job. I wondered how much he'd pay. Somehow I knew it would be more than I made working for Guillermo, tips and all.
“God, you don't know how tempting that is. But Guillermo…they're so nice here. I would hate to leave him and his wife high and dry.”
Jeremy sighed. “And loyal too. There's got to be a way to lure you away from here.”
I laughed softly. “I don't know. If you keep talking to me and keeping me from the other customers, maybe you'll get me fired.”
“Excellent plan. I'll get you fired, and then you'll have to come work for me.”
“Or just offer me a lot of money. A salary I can't refuse.”
I laughed, but he looked at me soberly. “I actually would like to find an assistant like you. Pleasant, responsible, loyal”—he smiled—“and a little bit fun. Think about it?”
“Well…” Don't sound desperate! “Yeah. I… Yeah. You need an assistant starting when?”
“I'll be traveling a lot in the upcoming weeks. I need someone right away. Someone who's free to travel, who can keep me organized and sane while I work on location.”
I looked over at the couple across the restaurant, their empty glasses and frowns of impatience.
“Mr. Gray, excuse me. I have to—”
“Go on. Come and talk to me later. But think about it.”
“I will.”
Think about it . God, as if I had to think about it. Personal assistant to Jeremy Gray. Travel, exotic locations, and the movie-star life on movie-star sets and in movie-star hotels. Wow. And I would rub shoulders with him all the time. Him , Jeremy Gray. Hot, nice, friendly, sexy, famous movie-star man. Every day. I would see him every day, wouldn't I, if I were his personal assistant? What was there to think about?
I filled glasses and gave the other table their check. They gave me a shitty tip when they left, but I didn't care. I was already picturing handing Guillermo my two weeks' notice and riding off with Jeremy Gray into the movie-star sunset. When I returned to his table he was on the phone, so I hovered around the bar and the kitchen, dying to talk to him. Finally, at the end of the meal, he gave me his business card.
“Listen, Nell, I'd love to talk to you more about this job, if you're interested.”
“Yes, to be honest, I am interested.” I tried to keep the desperate adulation out of my voice.
“Maybe we can meet over dinner to discuss it. What evening would be best?”
“I'm off Monday.” Damn, it was only Thursday, but
Similar Books
Dominating Dana: My Girlfriend's Mom (MILF)
Evelyn Charms
The Alchemist in the Attic
Antonio Urias
Day Out of Days
Sam Shepard
The Devil's Own Rag Doll
Mitchell Bartoy
The Fugitive
Massimo Carlotto, Anthony Shugaar
The House of Rumour
Jake Arnott
Chasing Boys
Karen Tayleur
Yield
Cyndi Goodgame
Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me
Javier Marías
Fly Away Home
Jennifer Weiner