Unconventional Fling (A Working Girl’s Guide, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

lovesick puppy. The other half stepped in to remind him she wasn’t here for the con. His odds of seeing her in the costumed crowds were slim.
    “Brandon, I was hoping I’d run into you.” A pleasant tone interrupted his surveillance.
    He hid his wince. Trent from Funami, the company that refused to work with him anymore. Brandon pasted on a smile, turned to face the other man, and returned his handshake. “How’s it going?”
    Trent was a few inches shorter than Brandon and thin, but the confidence the blond man exuded always made him seem taller. Trent’s posture was casual, one hand in his slacks pocket. “Could be better, but could be a lot worse. You must be busy lately.”
    Brandon almost choked on the pleasantry. He’d never seen sarcasm pulled off so flawlessly. “Not as busy as I could be. Always looking for my next gig.”
    “Really? Then it’s too bad we can’t get Michelle to return our calls.”
    The words slammed into Brandon’s brain, making him fumble. Calls? “I’m sorry, what?”
    Trent laughed. “It’s why I was hoping to run into you. I hate to go around your agent, but we’ve picked up this new series we really think you’d be perfect for, and we want you to come in and read.”
    Brandon’s jaw worked up and down for a few seconds, fumbling for a response. “What about the rumors?”
    “The…” A blank look crossed Trent’s face. “The love-’em-and-leave-’em complainer?”
    The cold assessment of the situation bothered Brandon. He may not have been interested in her, but he still didn’t like that she’d been hurt by the whole thing. “I suppose.”
    Trent waved a hand. “Shit like that happens all the time, you can’t let it get to you, you know? Kids—whether they’re fifteen or fifty—say things that just aren’t true. You can’t let something like that keep you from going after work.”
    Brandon was missing something. But at least he was catching up quickly enough to realize that the “something” seemed to be on his agent’s side and not on Funami’s. “Good point.”
    “Glad to hear it.” Trent clapped him on the shoulder. “Have Michelle call us, set up a time, and we’ll get you in to read. You’re free next week?”
    “Yeah, definitely.” Brandon’s thoughts were racing out of control. Why had Michelle lied to him? “I can be in on Thursday. I’ll let her know myself.”
    “Perfect.” Trent exchanged a few more pleasantries with him and then was gone, chasing down another distributor.
    The moment he left, Brandon pulled out his phone. He had Michelle’s number up in seconds. Each ring in his ear was another layer of aggravation and need for answers. Her voice mail clicked on.
    He wanted to leave her a furious message. But part of him was hoping it was just a misunderstanding. That, and he would hash it out with her in real-time if it wasn’t. He wasn’t letting her off with something as sterile as a voice mail. “It’s me. Something’s come up and it’s important. Call me as soon as you can.”
    Fury pumped through his veins. Why had she lied to him? The person he paid to make sure he got work, and she’d all but cut him off from a source of income. What the hell was going on?
    On top of that, he’d walked away from a fantastic night based on meaningless threats. But…a sliver of glee wormed through his irritation. That meant no one actually cared if he saw Jade one more time before the weekend was up.
    A quick glance at his watch told him he still had an hour before his first panel. He glanced at the already growing pack of people in front of the elevator and sprinted up the stairs instead. By the time he reached the sixth floor, he had to pause in the stairwell to catch his breath. Okay, probably not the smartest thing he’d ever done. But worth it. He strode toward Jade’s door, pace slowing as it came into sight. The cleaning staff was in there, and she wasn’t.
    He tried to be subtle about peeking through the crack in the