by Olivia Evans
“Well, good morning, Josie. I figured you’d need a morning wake-up call. Madison’s in the shower. You sound about as good as she does. Work should be fun for you two today. Later, sunshine!” Holden’s voice rang in Josie’s head, his tone cheerful and loud. Jerk.
Josie stumbled to the bathroom and crawled into the shower, not bothering to wait for the water to warm up first. She needed all the help she could get to make it through the day. Luckily, she only had to be at the studio for a few hours.
Her stomach fluttered with nerves as she thought about the reason she had to go to the studio. She considered calling in sick but couldn’t make herself do it, not when she was the only person to blame for her pathetic state. Well, her and Anders Ellis. As the cold water washed over her face, she wondered how he would act today. Would he be distant and uninterested, or would he pretend nothing happened? She clenched her jaw and yanked her shampoo from the shelf. Her resolve to not care about Anders and his games was a lot easier to declare with five shots of tequila in her system. Yet now, with a somewhat clear mind, it was a jumble all over again.
While Josie tried to get herself together, Anders paced the length of his trailer and checked his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. Josie was late. He’d called her department, but no one had seen her. He eyed his phone, ready to call her when something bumped against the door. A frown twisted his mouth when he turned to see Josie stumble inside. Even though he’d prepared to lay into her for being late, something about her appearance stopped him. She looked...like shit.
“Are you sick?” His voice was harsher than he intended.
She glared at him through hazy, bloodshot eyes. No matter how unreasonable or misplaced her feelings were, she blamed him for her massive hangover. “Why do you care?”
The tone of her voice set him off. “I don’t. But if you’re sick, you should have the common courtesy to tell people. I don’t need to catch whatever you’re infected with.”
Josie opened her mouth, a snarky reply on her lips, when a wave of nausea washed over her. She steadied herself against the wall as her vision blurred and her stomach churned. Anders was at her side before he realized what he was doing. He wrapped his arm around her waist to hold her upright, his face scrunched with concern. “Hey.” His voice was soft as his eyes darted over her face. He pulled her to his chair, his movements slow and cautious as her face flushed with color. “Ivy, are you okay?”
She pushed his chest in a weak attempt to get away from him, but her effort was more about principle than actual discomfort. “No,” she groaned, falling into his chair.
The moment she spoke, the smell of tequila hit the air. Anders pulled his head back in distaste, the familiar smell wiping away any concern he felt. “Yeah.” His voice was flat and clipped, as he stepped away from her. “Tequila’s a bitch.”
Josie pressed her palm against her forehead and squeezed her eyes closed. She spoke before giving any thought to how her words would be interpreted. “Maybe if I took my shots from between someone’s breasts, I wouldn’t feel so bad.”
Anders’ eyes widened and Josie cursed under her breath. She balled her fists and waited for the smart-ass remark she didn’t have the energy to fight. For once, though, Josie was going to get a free pass. As much as Anders wanted to be a cocky asshole, the confirmation she had seen the pictures sent him into damage control mode.
He walked over to the carafe of coffee and poured a cup. “How do you take it?”
“Out of a shot glass, like normal people, asshole.”
Anders chuckled. He couldn’t help feeling smug. Josie put up a good front, but every day she revealed how much she wanted him, no matter how hard she pretended not to.
“Not tequila. Coffee. But if that’s what you want, I could find some.”
Josie lifted her head, her eyes narrowing as she focused on Anders holding a cup of steaming coffee and a pack of sugar. He flicked his wrist, shaking the packet as one side of his mouth lifted in amusement.
“What?” She blinked, certain she was hallucinating. Maybe she was still drunk because there was no way Anders Ellis was making her coffee.
“Your coffee, Josie. Do you want sugar? Cream?” He’d attempted small talk for only a couple of minutes and already he’d grown tired of it.
“Just black,” she answered reluctantly. No doubt an ulterior motive lurked beneath the surface. He nodded and crossed the room until he stood in front of her.
“Here,” he murmured.
“Thanks.” They sat in uncomfortable silence for several minutes. Anders had to start the conversation. He needed to convince her he wasn’t an asshole. Even making a conscious effort to not act like dick, he still managed to bring up the one subject Josie had no interest in discussing.
“Why did you get smashed last night?” He tried to sound casual, but the memory of their last encounter floated to the forefront of his mind. It made him wonder again if she’d been with some guy the entire weekend.
Josie grimaced. “I went out with a few friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yes.”
“That’s all I get?” His tone was indignant. “You show up late for work, hung-over and reeking of tequila, and instead of laying into you like I should, I make you coffee. Still, you can’t give more than a one word answer. Typical.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Josie spat. She slammed the coffee onto his dresser, the hot liquid sloshing over the rim and scalding her hand. “You pour a cup of coffee and refrain from being a jerk for two minutes and you think that entitles you to details about my personal life? Newsflash, Anders. Normal people do that kind of thing without expecting something in return.” She peeked at her hand and grimaced at the bright red color of her skin. “I should have known better.” Her words were a whispered mumble as she fought back angry tears. She was too hung-over to get into a sparring match, and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t let him have the last word. She kept her eyes down and searched for something to wipe her hand as she tried to get her emotions under control.
“Jesus Christ,” Anders groaned, unaware of Josie’s change in demeanor. “Does everything have to turn into an argument with you? I was making conversation. If you’d pull that stick out of your ass, you might be capable of answering a simple fucking question.” He moved closer until he stood a couple of feet away, his eyes downcast. When she didn’t respond, he looked up just in time to see a tear slip down her cheek. His eyes widened with disbelief and his stomach clenched with...something at the sight of her tears. “Are you crying? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I burned my hand.” Her voice was low, her words choked as she spoke through gritted teeth.
“Shit.” He grabbed her hand, lifting it to his face and frowning at the welt forming. “This is what happens when you can’t control your anger. Next time you should think twice about having a temper tantrum while holding a cup of hot coffee. You need ice.”
He dropped her hand and moved to the table, pulling a couple ice cubes from the cooler and grabbing a bottle of water as well. Josie stared at his back, her eyes wide and her jaw slack. Any tears of frustration that had leaked from her eyes were nowhere to be seen. Now she only felt dumbfounded.
“How do you ever get a job? How do you...function in life period? You’re the most socially inept person I’ve ever met.”
He turned to face her, a slow smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “This is typically where I make a joke, reminding you there’s nothing inept about me, but I’m trying to refrain.” He walked over to her and rubbed the ice in a slow circle over the back of her hand. After several moments he looked up, his face twisted in a pout. “It’s very hard.”
Josie laughed; she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t sure if it was the hangover, her mini breakdown, or the fact that even when he tried not to be a perverted asshole, he still couldn’t do it. “That’s what she said.”
He barked out a short laugh and lifted his brow. “She can sp
eak and have a normal conversation. Shocking.”
“Don’t push it.”
They fell silent as Anders continued to massage her hand with the ice. He thought about what to say to keep the conversation going. She seemed to have calmed, but it never took much to set her off. He drew in a deep breath and decided to bite the proverbial bullet and bring up the pictures.
“You can’t believe everything you see on those gossip sites, you know.”
Josie stiffened and tried to pull away, but Anders held her in place. She huffed and lifted her gaze to his. “So you didn’t lick salt off a girl’s chest and pull a shot from between her breasts with your teeth while she straddled your lap?”
Anders’ movements faltered, the ice gripped between his fingers sliding to the floor. “Well, no. I mean, yes. But―”
Josie pulled her hand free and held it between them. “You don’t have to explain. What you do is your business.”
Anders ground his teeth. He hated justifying himself, but if he intended to make any headway, he had to do just that. “I didn’t fuck her,” he blurted out.
Josie jerked back in surprise. “Like I said, it’s none of my business.”
“So you don’t care that I’m telling you I didn’t sleep with that girl because of you?”
Josie’s chin dropped to her chest and her eyes closed in defeat. It seemed their truce was over before it began. “How do I fit into this?”
“Because even though you refuse to go out with me, I’m still refraining from fucking other women.”
Josie blinked, her face devoid of emotion. “There’s something wrong with you. You’re telling me that you drew the line at fucking her in hopes I’d still go out with you, but making out in a club full of people is still fair game. Good to know.”
“I wouldn’t have been there at all if you’d stop fighting me so damn much.”
“What, for one night?” Her voice was full of exasperation. “Been there, done that, remember?”
“What are you saying? That you want more?” Anders’ entire frame became rigid at the thought.
“Are you even listening to me? No, I don’t want more. I don’t want anything. Period.”
“Come on, Ivy, just have dinner with me. Let me at least make up for giving your boss the impression you were doing a shitty job. I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
“You don’t have a gentlemanly bone in your body. Besides, if you wanted to make it up to me, you’d tell him I’m doing a great job and you no longer need my services.” She smiled brightly when Anders scowled.
“Perhaps if you’d agree to have dinner with me, I’d do just that.”
“When did this become about food? Since the beginning you’ve been after one thing: sex. If you’ve given up on that, why bother?”
“Maybe I like arguing with you or maybe I’m trying to be nice. Although, I could be switching tactics because your stubbornness is driving me fucking insane. Either way, you’ll have to give me a chance to find out.”
“I think the answer to that question is pretty damn obvious, Anders.”
“And I think you want to say yes, but you enjoy watching me beg. Am I right? Do you like me chasing you?” He stepped between her legs and placed his hands on the chair arms so he hovered over her. “Does your heart beat faster and your muscles clench when you think about me catching you, Ivy?” He skimmed his nose against hers, then slid his mouth to her ear and rested his cheek against the side of her face. “Say yes.” As he spoke his lips brushed the shell of her ear, his voice no more than a whisper.
Josie dug her nails into her palms and shook her head. It was the most pathetic act of defiance she’d ever given him. “No.”
“Will you at least think about it?” He pulled away, fighting every instinct in his body to tell her to go fuck herself and walk out of the room. The only time he’d begged this much was while chanting “don’t stop” right before shooting his load in the mouth of a girl deep-throating him.
“I can’t go out with someone like you. I don’t care if it is only one dinner as an apology.”
Anders felt cornered. He needed to change her mind, no matter the cost. “Do you have any idea how many pictures those assholes take until they get one that appears scandalous? Because I can tell you, it’s hundreds. Just like the ones taken the other night. The pictures you’ll never see are the ones of a group of girls asking me to do a shot off their friend since it was her bachelorette party.” The lie rolled off his tongue so smoothly that for a minute he believed it too. He almost felt bad, but the shock on Josie’s face was enough to keep him in check.
“What?”
“Yeah.”
“I―”
“Listen, don’t answer right now. Just think about it.” He looked at his watch and sighed. “I’ve got to get on set. I even dressed myself.” He swept his arms out wide and grinned as he moved toward the door. “Stay as long as you want. Although, you should go home. You look like hell and your breath smells like tequila.”
He laughed and shut the door behind him, drowning out the muffled insults and nasty names she was calling him. He didn’t enjoy having to lie to get what he wanted. He preferred to be upfront with his intentions, but since he was breaking one of his rules already, what was one more?
A couple of days later, Madison stood frozen in the doorway of the costume design room, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. “What the hell happened here?”
Josie peeked around the corner of her cubicle and offered a tight-lipped smile. “I’m redecorating!” Her voice was high, cheerful, and coated with sarcasm. “I thought I’d try the Little Shop of Horrors motif. You like?”
“Well, it’s horrific. There’s no denying that.” Madison took slow, hesitant steps into the room.
Josie fell back in her chair. Annoyance twisted her features as she stared at the hundreds of ivy plants covering the room. “I’m still waiting for a big ass plant to jump out of the corner and yell, ‘Feed me, Seymour!’”
Madison cracked a smile. “But really, what’s with the ivy?”
“Anders.”
“Anders?”
“Yes. He even sent breakfast.”
“What a freak. The breakfast I get, but ivy? Why not flowers?” Madison’s expression shifted from confused to suspicious when Josie began studying her hands. “You, however, seem to know exactly what it means.”
Josie shrugged, her face blank, impassive. “I don’t understand anything that man does.”
“Wow. You’re as shitty of a liar now as when we met.”
Josie rolled her eyes. “Shut up. I lie fine to everyone else. You just know too much.”
Madison stared, unmoving. She’d wait all day if necessary. Josie growled in the back of her throat and balled her hands.
“Fine. It’s…he calls me that. Sometimes.”
“Come again?”
“He calls me Ivy. It’s...a nickname or whatever.” Exasperation coated her words as she flicked her wrist in the air as if shooing away an annoying pest.
“He gave you a nickname? Aw, that’s kind of cute.” The smile in Madison’s voice was unmistakable.
“Are you kidding? Have you forgotten who we’re talking about?”
Madison’s expression sobered. “Right. Sorry.” She pursed her lips and dented her brows while scowling at the ivy plant next to her. “What an asshole.”
“You suck.”
“And you’re caving. He’s getting to you.”
“What? No way. How can you even say that with a straight face?”
“Have you called Philip?”
Josie opened and closed her mouth a few times. “That’s not fair. I’m busy. It’s not like I went on tons of dates before.”
“Oh, I know. But you also didn’t have a hot French guy chasing you.”
Josie’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll call him.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I will! It has nothing to do with Anders.”
Madison lifted her brow and
backed toward the door as Josie scowled. “See ya later, Josie.”
Josie made a noise that sounded strangely like a growl and eyed the large arrangements next to her as Madison disappeared down the hall. “I’ll show him,” she muttered. Wrapping her arms around the bottom of the pot, she took off toward Anders’ trailer. Unable to knock or turn the handle due to the plant in her arms, she did to the door what she wanted to do to Anders―she kicked it. Hard.
Anders jerked in surprise at the sound. He stood from the chair and threw his script on the vanity, annoyed by the interruption. “Don’t you see the do not fucking disturb sign?” he spat, yanking the door open.
“No, I can’t see the do not fucking disturb sign. I can’t see anything because I’m holding a fucking jungle.”
Anders’ eyes widened, then crinkled at the corners as he clutched his stomach and let out a full belly laugh. The gigantic plant hid half of Josie’s body. She was thankful Anders couldn’t see her fighting the slight twitch of her lips. With one hand on the door, he grabbed a handful of ivy and pushed it aside. He leaned in, his playful smirk turning into a smile when his gaze landed on Josie’s scowling face.
“Whatcha got there, Ivy?”
“Don’t start with me, Anders. I’m in no mood.” She shoved the plant into his chest, causing him to let out an oomph before grabbing it. Once inside, she spun to face him. “No more plants. I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I want you to stop.”
All the humor drained from Anders as he took in her hostile stance and angry eyes. He couldn’t decide if the look on her face made him want to yell at her or fuck her senseless. Since fucking her wasn’t an option at the moment, he went with the first choice. “What’s your problem? I do something nice and you shit all over it. Are you always such a bitch or do you reserve that for me?”
“You’re not being nice. You’re being obnoxious. Nice is sending a small flower arrangement, not a hundred plants that fill every corner of the room until I can’t even get to my desk.”
“Fine. I was being obnoxiously nice. It’s better than being an asshole.”