“I wasn’t messing with you. I was saving you from making a huge mistake.”
“God, you must really think I’m dense,” I say. “I’m not falling for that. You didn’t do it out of the kindness of your heart because I’m not entirely convinced you have one. You didn’t save me. You were just trying to be a dick for some reason. I don’t know—you must get off on it or something.”
He stares at me, not saying a word. I don’t know if I’ve pissed him off or if he’s letting my words sink in and not responding because he knows I’m right. Either way, I couldn’t care less.
Turning, I head to my room, only as soon as I twist the doorknob, Sutter clears his throat.
“You really think sucking wrinkled dicks is what’s going to launch your career?” he asks.
Facing him, my mouth pulls down at the sides. “I’m going to do you a favor and pretend you didn’t just say that.”
He shrugs like it doesn’t matter. “Truth hurts.”
“The truth?” I release and incredulous laugh. “The truth is that I had a date and you sent him away because … I don’t know … because maybe you want to sleep with me? And you’re jealous that someone twice your age has more game than you do?”
Sutter smiles.
It’s a beautiful, perfect, arrogant smile, one that makes me momentarily forget how much I can’t stand him right now before swiftly remembering.
“Do you honestly think some sixty-year-old man wants to date you for any reason that isn’t related to sex?” he asks. “Do you honestly think his intentions are honorable? Or do you think he just wants some pretty little thing to show off to his friends? Some hot new starlet to take under his wing until he’s bored and ready for a new one?”
“He’s a well-respected man in the industry,” I say. “He’s got a great reputation and he’s always been nothing but courteous and respectful anytime I’ve been around him.”
Sutter slow claps. “Sounds like a real stand-up guy. I take back everything I said. It’s perfectly normal for guys like him to bag girls like you.”
“What the hell do you mean by girls like me?” I ask. I can’t tell if he’s insulting or complimenting me.
“Do I really have to explain that?” His palm slashes through the air.
I nod, waiting in silence.
“You know, girls like … girls that look like sex on legs,” he says.
“Sex on legs?” I echo his words. I’ve been called a lot of things but never that. “What does that even mean?”
His eyes skim above my head, like he’s trying to collect his thoughts, trying to find the right words to say to get him out of this corner he’s backed himself into.
“You think I’m sexy,” I say the words for him, since he appears to be struggling. Our gazes lock. “Unfortunately for you, I’d take a wrinkled dick over whatever you’re selling any day of the week.”
His jaw falls before curling into a smirk, and he drags his hand along his lower lip before saying, “Sweetheart, you’d be so lucky.”
I roll my eyes.
“Rejection is a jagged little pill,” I tell him, “but it goes down a lot easier when you try to convince yourself you never wanted it in the first place.”
With that, I leave him in the hall, slamming my bedroom door and twisting the lock, checking the knob to ensure that this one isn’t broken and he’s not going to be “accidentally” busting in here three point five seconds from now.
Taking a second to compose myself and wrap my head around that little fiery exchange, I locate my phone on the dresser and fire off a text to Nick with trembling hands.
ME: You owe me.
NICK: ???
ME: Your fucking roommate.
NICK: ???
NICK: Everything ok?
ME: Nope.
NICK: Mel … what’s going on?
ME: He’s obnoxious. Arrogant. Rude. Defiant. Disrespectful. Presumptive. Need me to go on because I can. I can keep this going.
NICK: Sutter?
ME: Yes! Who else?!
NICK: That doesn’t seem like him …
I don’t know what to say. Nick’s not one to play dumb and I know he wouldn’t have put me in this position had he known it’d turn out this way, but now I’m stuck.
NICK: Want me to talk to him?
Exhaling, I fire back an answer.
ME: No. I’m sorry. I just needed to vent. I’ll figure something out.
NICK: Did he hurt you?? Did something happen?? Now you’ve got me worried…
ME: No.
Sitting my phone aside, I bury my face in my hands, wondering if I overreacted, if I’m PMSing or extra irritable because of all these auditions that never seem to call me back lately, if I somehow brought this entire thing upon myself … but I don’t know.
NICK: Maybe you two should hang out and get to know each other? It hasn’t even been a week. He’s a really good guy, Mel. I promise. I don’t know where this is coming from. Give him another chance. If it gets worse, let me know, okay?
ME: <3
I dock my phone on its charger before peeling out of my pajamas and into some leggings and a tank top so I can go for a run and clear my head.
I’m not sure what planet Nick is living on these days, but the last thing I’d call Sutter is “a really good guy.”
Insufferable bastard? Yes.
Unbearable asshole? Hell yes.
Really good guy? Nope.
Nope, nope, nope.
I’M TRYING TO CATCH the sports highlights on ESPN when I keep hearing this strange noise … like clanking metal and then a high pitched yelp.
A moment later, I remember Melrose has a dog. I rarely see the little guy. It’s like she keeps him locked up, like she doesn’t trust me or something. Who knows.
I turn the volume up on the TV because I’m sure she’ll deal with him any second now, but a few more minutes pass. And another few. He’s still carrying on up there, going nuts.
Muting the TV, I yell, “Melrose …”
No answer.
Rising, I trudge upstairs and knock on her door. Her dog stops clamboring for a minute and then promptly resumes.
“Melrose?” I knock again.
She must be gone—must have left while I was in the shower or something.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t barge into her room like this, but I feel like I should probably check on her dog because clearly he’s got issues.
The dog—a chubby little pug—rises on his hind legs and paws at the kennel door from the inside. His water dish is spilled all over, making the fur on his feet damp.
Reaching for the latch, I let him out and he runs toward the door and turns to ensure that I’m following. From there he trots down the stairs and heads for the back door. I don’t speak “dog” but I’m pretty sure he needs to take a leak.
“You need to go outside?” I ask.
He jumps and yips and turns in a circle as he waits for me to unlock the sliding door. A second later, he bursts through the doorway and across the patio in search of the nearest tree where he wastes no time hiking a leg.
When he’s done, he sniffs around the yard, checking out a few random bushes and twigs on the ground, before returning inside.
I should get him back to his kennel before she gets home. I don’t want to get my head bitten off—again. Once in one day is about all I can take.
The two of us trek back upstairs and he returns to his kennel with little reluctance.
Turning to leave after I fasten the latch on his cage, I stop before looking back at him. “She doesn’t need to know about this, okay?”
Shaking my head when I realize I’m talking to a freaking dog, I head out of her room and close the door.
My good deed for the day is done.
END OF PREVIEW
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book would not have been possible if it weren’t for the help of the f
ollowing amazing individuals. In no particular order …
Lou, the cover is absolutely incredible! One of my favorites yet! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Sandy, thank you for being so patient, sweet, and kind over the past several months. I’m so thrilled to finally put your work on my cover! Your talent is second to none.
Ashley, thank you for beta’ing as always. I couldn’t do this without you, and I love your brutal honesty to the moon and back.
K, C, and M—hoes for life!
Wendy, thank you for being so flexible! You’re a dream to work with, as always.
Neda, Rachel, and Liz, thank you for ALL the behind-the-scenes stuff you do. Your service is invaluable and you are a joy to work with!
Last, but not least, thank you to all the readers and book bloggers, whether you’re a longtime loyalist or reading me for the first time. It’s because of you that I get to live my dream, and I’m forever grateful for that.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author Winter Renshaw is a bona fide daydream believer. She lives somewhere in the middle of the USA and can rarely be seen without her trusty Mead notebook and ultra-portable laptop. When she’s not writing, she’s living the American Dream with her husband, three kids, the laziest puggle this side of the Mississippi, and a busy pug pup that officially owes her three pairs of shoes, one lamp cord, and an office chair (don’t ask).
Winter also writes psychological suspense under the name Minka Kent. Her debut novel, THE MEMORY WATCHER, was optioned by NBC Universal in January 2018.
Winter is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
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73 Things About Me
1. What’s your favorite movie? Right now it’s The Big Sick
2. Favorite movie in the past five years? Interstellar
3. Favorite Hitchcock film? The Birds
4. A book you plan on reading? The Last Mrs. Parrish
5. A book that you read in school that positively shaped you? The Crucible
6. Favorite TV show that’s currently on? This Is Us
7. On a scale of one to ten how excited are you about life right now? A solid 9
8. iPhone or Android? iPhone 4-eva
9. Twitter or Instagram? Insta
10. Who should EVERYONE be following right now? F*ck Jerry
11. What’s your favorite food? Soup (very general, I know)
12. Least favorite food? Mushrooms
13. What do you love on your pizza? Ham and pineapple or pepperoni and broccoli.
14. Favorite drink? Starbucks Chai (iced, 5 pumps, nonfat)
15. Favorite dessert? Tiramisu
16. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Milk
17. Coffee or tea? Green tea
18. What’s the hardest part about being a mum? EVERYTHING
19. What’s your favorite band? The Avett Brothers
20. Favorite solo artist? Sam Beam (Iron and Wine)
21. Favorite song? Coffee by Sylvan Esso
22. If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be? Sufjan Stevens
23. If you could master one instrument, what would it be? Piano. Took lessons as a kid then quit because I didn’t want to do the recital. Dumbest move ever.
24. If you had a tattoo, where would it be? Maybe inner wrist?
25. To be or not to be? To be.
26. Dogs or cats? Doggos
27. Bird-watching or whale-watching? Whales
28. Best gift you’ve ever received? My babies. <3
29. Best gift you’ve ever given? My babies. <3
30. Last gift you gave a friend? I gave Marin Montgomery a Kindle!
31. What’s your favorite board game? Sorry!
32. What’s your favorite country to visit? I’ve only ever been to Mexico.
33. What’s the last country you visited? Mexico. Lol.
34. What country do you wish to visit? England
35. What’s your favorite color? Cerulean blue
36. Least favorite color? Orange. I dislike everything orange (oranges, orange pop, orange juice, etc).
37. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
38. Heels or flats? Wedges
39. Pilates or yoga? Pilates
40. Jogging or swimming? Um, neither?
41. Best way to de-stress? Sleep for a million years. Or read.
42. If you had one superpower, what would it be? Time travel.
43. What’s the weirdest word in the English language? Dongle.
44. What’s your favorite flower? Hydrangeas
45. When was the last time you cried? Watching The Zookeeper’s Wife. I had to turn it off halfway through. It was brutal.
46. Do you like your handwriting? Hate it.
47. Do you bake? Sometimes.
48. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? I get stuck in my own head sometimes and work myself up.
49. What is your most favorite thing about yourself? My ambitiousness.
50. Who do you miss most? My grandpa.
51. What are you listening to right now? The sound of my elliptical in the next room because I forgot to turn it off. Whoops.
52. Favorite smell? Coffee or leather.
53. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? The chiropractor’s office—spaced off my last appointment. Oops.
54. Who was the last person you sent a text to? The hubs.
55. A sport you wish you could play? Tennis. I like it but I kind of suck.
56. Hair color? Blonde
57. Eye color? Dark blue
58. Scary film or happy endings? Both!
59. Favorite season? Spring
60. Three people alive or dead that you would like to have dinner with? Oprah, Jason Momoa, and Nick Kroll
61. Hugs or kisses? Depends on the person ;-)
62. Rolling Stones or the Beatles? Stones
63. Where were you born? Iowa
64. What is the farthest you have been from home? Mexico lol
65. Sweet or savory? Savory66. Lipstick or lip gloss? Lipstick
67. What book have you read again and again? YOU by Caroline Kepnes
68. Favorite bedtime story? The Man With the Golden Arm
69. What would be the title of your autobiography? Don’t Quit Your Daydream
70. Favorite sound? My kids’ giggling and playing together. Close second – my dogs snoring.
71. Favorite animal? Elephants
72. Who is your girl crush? Melanie Ervin
73. Last photograph you took? A “before” picture. I just started 80 Day Obsession. Going to crush it!
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