I Love My Side of the Story Read Online Free PDF

Josh… please don’t ask
me to call you in for this. Please. “How far are you into casting?” Shit.
    Do I tell him we just started? The devil on my
shoulder screams, never combine work with
a new relationship ! “Far. Just have a couple women’s parts to do left.” Oh
my God. Did I just lie like that? Am I a liar?
    His face falls and my heart breaks at his
expression. “Oh.”
    I say, “Yeah…” feeling so awful.
    He shrugs, nods, steps away from me and walks
through the office to the front door.
    I follow him, anxiety building in my chest. “Are
you leaving?”
    He turns, surprised. “Yeah. We’re going to
celebrate. This is a big day. My baby and I are moving in together.” He smiles,
failing to hide his disappointment.
    “Oh.” My head is spinning with guilt. I blink at
him. He smiles at me in such a way that I realize I’m topless. I look down and
cover my breasts. “I should put some clothes on.”
    He grins, jogs over, grabs me and says, “Nah. I
like you like this.” He swings me around once and kisses me before setting me
down. If a girl can be an asshole, then I am one.
    “Woo. Dizzy. Just give me a minute, baby.” He lets
go of me, shoves his hands in his pockets. I turn to get my things, back in my
office. Struggling to reach for my blouse on the high shelf it landed on, I see
it’s touching the book The Liars Club by
Mary Carr. The title appears to expand and vibrate, mocking me. I jump back
down and as I put on my blouse and right my entire wardrobe, the shame deepens
because the devil chimes in again telling me to suggest we celebrate another
time, so I can work. You were supposed to
work late, remember? The devil – let’s call her The Feminist
Revolution – is so loud that I have to say, “No!” out loud to shut her
up.
    “What?” Josh calls over.
    “What? Oh. Nothing!” I shut down the computer,
turn off the lights. Amber Monroe Casting will just have to open early
tomorrow. I’ll come in around dawn. Tonight is his.
    “I’m ready!” I quicken my walk, reaching for my
purse. “Ready?”
    “You look adorable.”
    “Oh, thank you.”
    “Where do you want to eat?”
    “Um, You pick. Doesn’t matter…” I force the
corners of my mouth up more. He holds the door open for me and then moves over
so I can lock up.
    “Doesn’t matter, huh?”
    “Nope.” It’s true. It doesn’t matter where we eat.
My appetite left with the arrival of my lie.

The Night Before The Move-In

 
 
    “Why couldn’t she make it?” I ask Jessica while
David gives the bartender a credit card so we can go to our table.
    “She said she didn’t want to be a fifth wheel,”
Jess grabs her clutch purse, frowns and throws me a sideways glance.
    “That’s ridiculous. She knows all of us –
and we all love her. What the fuck?” Nicole can get moody sometimes. “Artists.
I swear…”
    “Amber, you haven’t been single for as long as she
has. It’s not easy. Right before Josh, you had Don, and before him…” A guy
bumps into me. Jessica calls after him, “Hey! Watch it! Lady with a baby!”
    I hit her and she starts laughing, but Josh twists
around and has genuine fear in his eyes. “She’s kidding. I’m not…” His
shoulders relax and David smirks as he signs the tab, leaving the normal hefty
tip.
    Jess and I turn and follow the hostess who’s been
waiting impatiently – it’s a busy restaurant – and to Jess I
whisper, “Did he have to be so freaked out by the idea?”
    “He was freaked out by the alcohol,” she corrects
me.
    “Oh, right.” I take a sip of it. “Why do I always
go to the negative?”
    “You don’t. You’re just…”
    “Careful.”
    “Exactly.”
    “And you’re full of shit.”
    Jessica laughs hard and nods, “Right?”
    “Totes.”
    She and I sit across from each other at the table,
our guys beside us, as the hostess hands us each a menu. She places the wine
list in the middle and says the waiter will be right with us. As soon as