Part 3 (2/2)

After a few smiles and nods in my direction, everyone turned back to Scotty.

”Plus she's a lot of fun, especially after a couple drinks, so I'm excited to have her on board and know you will all love her just as much as I do.”

More smiles and nods in my direction. I'd never been in a work environment that so blatantly blurred the lines between professional relations.h.i.+ps and personal ones, so I was a little thrown by how familiar he was being and wondered how everyone really felt about me-especially now that they knew I'd been out boozing with the boss.

I kept waiting for Wendy Davenport to stroll into the room, but she never did.

Where is she?

The meeting seemed to go smoothly, at least what I could understand of it. I quickly learned that TV people use a lot of jargon and acronyms, many of which went sailing right over my head. I was able to decipher some of it through context, but I was tempted more than once to raise my hand and ask for a translation. Not wanting to look like I was in too far over my head, however, I feigned understanding while furtively jotting down a long list of questions. I'd get Scotty to explain it all to me later.

The intern played with his phone throughout the entire meeting.

a a a ”So where was Wendy?” Scotty and I were across the street at Argot Tea. I stirred brown sugar into my latte.

”Wendy? She doesn't come to staff meetings all that much.”

”Really? But isn't this, well, her show?” I was secretly thrilled at this news.

”Yes, but it's in her contract that she doesn't have to attend every meeting, especially the regular ones where, as you just saw, we basically go over a checklist of what everyone needs to take care of throughout the week. She comes now and then, especially if we're going to be kicking around ideas for the show, but overall she thinks meetings are a waste of her time.”

”You're joking.”

He shook his head and smiled. ”Welcome to TV, my love. It's unlike any industry you've ever seen, one in which moderately talented people get paid enormous amounts of money to act like spoiled children.”

”I would have thought Wendy would be all over every meeting. She seemed like the type, you know?”

”People aren't always what they appear to be. Especially that one. You'll see.”

”I can't say I'm exactly looking forward to that.”

He put his hand over mine. ”Please. You'll be fine. So tell me about you. You're settling in OK? So far, so good?”

”So far, so good. I'm surprised at how smoothly it's gone, to be honest.”

”How are you liking Brooklyn Heights? I think it's one of the prettiest areas in all of New York City. A hidden gem, if you ask me.”

I could feel my eyes brighten. ”I'm loving Brooklyn Heights. It's hard to explain, but in a strange way, I feel like the neighborhood was made for me, Scotty. I just feel so comfortable there. They should have called it Waverly Heights.”

He smiled. ”Glad to hear you're fitting in. I knew you would. So when are you coming up to my roof deck for a drink? Given how much I've been talking about you since you took the job, I think Tad's convinced I'm going to go straight and make a move on you.”

I coughed. ”Yeah, right. I'd love to come by and meet him for more than two minutes this time. I'm curious about the man who captured the heart of the elusive Mr. Scotty Ryan. I've got to say, I never thought I'd see the day.”

”You and me both, princess.” Scotty and I had both met Tad at a wedding nearly two years earlier, but the only thing I remembered from my brief encounter with him that night was thinking it wasn't fair that his eyelashes were longer than mine. Scotty, on the other hand, had since moved from Dallas to New York to live with him.

”So when are you free?” Scotty asked.

I held my hands up. ”My schedule is wide openaexcept for having to figure out my new job, that is. I hope you won't regret hiring me.”

”Kitten, I know a natural when I see one, and you're going to be fine. This is not rocket science, so trust me, OK? Do you trust me?” He sipped his tea.

I nodded. ”I do. I've learned that doubting you is a losing strategy.”

”There you go.”

”Well, h.e.l.lo, Scott. And is that you...Waverly?” The sound of a woman's voice made us both look up.

Standing next to our table was Wendy Davenport, holding a cup of coffee to go.

Good lord, her blonde helmet has expanded. How is that even possible?

”Hi, Wendy.” I stood up and held out my hand. ”It's nice to see you again.” I tried not to stare at her hair, but it was seriously hard to look away. I was mesmerized.

She accepted my hand, but just as she'd done when we'd met on the Today show set, she didn't grasp it back. Instead, she just held hers there, limp, before we both let go. How is it possible for anyone not to realize how creepy that is?

”Welcome to New York.” Despite the weak handshake, her smile was magnetic.

”Thanks.”

”I see you two are getting reacquainted,” she said to Scotty in a tone that I couldn't help but notice was a bit...cold.

”We missed you at the production meeting,” Scotty said in a voice that wasn't cold but definitely wasn't gus.h.i.+ng with enthusiasm either. It made me wonder what was going on between them.

She waved her hand in front of her. ”Oh please, y'all don't need me to take care of those pesky details.”

”Of course not,” Scotty said. I wasn't entirely sure, but I think he may have rolled his eyes.

She looked back at me and flashed another bright smile. ”So are you excited to join my show? It's a smash hit, you know. Some are even calling it a sensation. We're thrilled to have you on board.”

I nodded and smiled too. ”I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks so much for this opportunity, Wendy. I really appreciate it.”

”Oh don't thank me, thank your boyfriend here.” She gestured to Scotty. ”If it were up to me, we would have gone with someone a bit more, shall we say, seasoned. No offense, of course.”

Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and breezily headed toward the door. ”Enjoy this lovely weather. See you at the office,” she said over her shoulder.

I looked at Scotty. ”Did that really just happen? How could she be so nice and...so mean at the same time? She was being nice and mean at the same time, right?”

”Indeed she was.” He nodded.

”How did she manage to do that?”

He shrugged. ”Maybe she's more talented than I thought.”

I turned my head toward the exit and watched Wendy cross the street. ”And was I imagining it, or does she dislike you even more than she dislikes me?”

”She dislikes us both, but you're straight, so she probably dislikes you less.”

<script>