Chapter 5
After a quick call with Kevin, I found out where they were shooting today and drove straight there.
When I pulled up, Daniel’s assistant, Jason, looked like a deer in headlights–frantically patting his pockets for his phone as I sprinted past him into the tourist area.
“Where’s Daniel?”
Jason stammered, “Uh–up there. Just up ahead.”
I couldn’t have timed it better.
There he was–Daniel, standing right behind a girl with big, beachy curls, helping her tie a halter strap around her
neck.
From a distance, they looked like a couple on a beachside date.
Both smiling like it was something out of a damn perfume commercial.
She was stunning.
Wind blowing her curls into Daniel’s face, her pale skin glowing, chest practically spilling out of that little sundress.
I didn’t even need to see her face to know she was gorgeous.
“Careful.”
Right after Daniel tied the strap, the girl took a few steps and twisted her ankle in her heels–falling straight into his
arms.
I actually laughed. It was so cliché it hurt–straight out of a trashy soap opera.
Jason stood behind me, dead silent.
“Lauren? What are you doing here?”
It was Daniel who noticed me first.
The second he saw me, he dropped the girl’s hand like it was on fire and rushed over in his flip–flops.
“What? Am I crashing something?”
He clearly caught the edge in my voice.
“No–no! Don’t be silly.”
I let out a sharp laugh.
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Oh! Your ‘Gift‘ Was Betrayal? Here’s My Return: Eternal Remorse!
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Chapter 5
For once, I couldn’t keep my emotions in check.
“First time I’ve ever heard of a tour guide tying halter straps for his clients.”
“You’re really going above and beyond, Daniel.”
“Lauren, it’s not what it looks like.”
“Jessica hurt her arm during the shoot earlier–no one else could really help, so I had to step in.”
That made me laugh outright.
“No one else could help? She doesn’t have friends?”
“And what exactly is your relationship with her?”
“Funny how I’ve never heard of this super close female friend before.”
Right then, Jessica strolled over, draped in a silk scarf, with the fakest sweet smile plastered on her face. She parked
herself next to Daniel.
“You must be Daniel’s girlfriend. I’m Jessica–Daniel’s… old classmate.”
We’re all adults.
If I couldn’t pick up the implied pause in that sentence, I’d have to be an idiot.
“Ohh, you’re the high school seatmate he mentioned?”
Jessica perked up, chest out like she was proud of it.
“So he has mentioned me.”
I gave her a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.
“Of course. I heard you used to be really into holistic wellness too, right?”
“Didn’t you end up going abroad after not getting into the program here?”
I gave a pointed shrug.
“If you’re still interested in the field, you’re welcome to come by my clinic sometime.”
“It’s doing pretty well. I could offer you a discount if you’re looking to learn.”
The look on Jessica’s face at that moment?
Absolutely priceless.
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