Love Me to Death (3 page)

“Mr. Cole, good afternoon. My name is Jameson,” he says as I approach the desk.
He knows my name?
Interesting.

“Hi, Jameson.”

“Miss Waters is expecting you. If you take the elevator on the far right it will take you up to the penthouse.”
Penthouse? What?
“There is a code but I can control it from here, just go ahead and I will let you in.”

“Thank you,” I say before making my way over to the elevator. I wait as instructed and step inside as soon as the doors open. I give Jameson a curt nod just before the doors close.

The elevator is very spacious, yet at the same time, it feels claustrophobic. As I wait for it to take me to the top floor, I realize that I haven’t even asked what I am auditioning for. I could be on my way to take part in a snuff movie for all I know.
Yup, I’ve reached a new level of desperation.
This whole thing could be some kind of weird setup but let’s face it; things can’t get any worse than they are now. Larry’s about to kick me out, and this might be my only shot at sleeping in a warm bed again.

Layla was right, I could ask my father for help but in all honesty, I’d rather chew off my left arm. And yes, specifically my left. I’m very good at doing things with my right hand, I’ve been told over and over again, so that would be too great a loss.

Just as I’m about to let another crazy thought pass through my mind, I hear the chime of the elevator as the doors slide open. I step out into an empty hallway and jump when the elevator doors close behind me. I walk down the hallway, toward the only door. The walls are painted ice white and there is an array of paintings hanging on both walls. They’re all paintings of jewelry, well, rings to be specific; weird rings that look like they cost more than my entire apartment.

I step up to the smooth wooden door. I’m not sure whether to grab the stainless steel handle and push it open or knock. I decide on the latter. I wait patiently until I hear a rustling behind the door. I straighten up a little and try to appear more confident than I actually am.

The door swings open. A short girl chewing on a piece of gum, she has wrapped around her finger, stands before me. Her red hair has been thrown up into a messy bun, and she is wearing a pair of jeans that seem to have been purposefully ripped … everywhere. She is wearing a red, leather jacket. When I look up at her face, her green eyes are staring at me in surprise.

“Hi, I’m Br—”

She just slammed the door in my face. What the hell? I’m not sure whether to knock again or just leave. Although I’m not entirely sure I can just leave since that Jameson dude said I need a code to work the elevator. I decide to wait it out. I hear a lot of movement behind the door, and before I get a chance to wonder what is going on, it opens again. I’m staring at the same girl, only this time, her hair is falling over her shoulders. There is no sign of the gum she was chewing on earlier and her jacket has been discarded. She is now standing before me in a black tank top, showing a little more cleavage than I want to see.
Although she does have a killer body. Is this the mysterious Ned?

“Hi, I’m Misty.” She extends her hand for me to shake.
So, she’s not Ned.
I don’t particularly want to touch her hand since she just had a piece of gum wrapped around one of her fingers. But, I need this job so I take her hand and shake it firmly.

“Brennan Cole,” I say with a smile on my face.

“Yup, we’ve been expecting you. Come on in.” I do, discreetly wiping my hand on the leg of my jeans. Damn, I think I just found a house for my house! As I step in and look around, I try to figure out what kind of woman lives here. Does she even live here or has she just rented it out to hold this “interview?” I walk straight into an open area with a huge, black, L-shaped, leather couch. There’s a square, glass table atop a fluffy, cream rug. Oh my gosh, there’s actually a piano. Who the hell owns a piano in a New York City apartment?

“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Misty asks with a smile. She can obviously see I’m in awe.

“Yeah, do you live here?”

She chuckles. “I wish! No, it’s all Neddie’s.”

Neddie must be the mysterious Ned Waters.

“So, what is the role I’m auditioning for?”

“You’ll find out soon enough; Neddie has all of the paperwork prepared. She’ll go through it with you, shortly.”

Paperwork, does that mean I already have the part? She hasn’t even met me so that’s impossible. I haven’t been watching where we’ve been going. I’m too curious as to who Ned is and what this job offer is all about. I stop when I realize that Misty has come to a halt. “Ok, if you just take a seat, I’ll go and get Neddie,” she says before pushing open a wooden door. I look inside and find that I am now standing in a large dining area. There is a huge, oak table in the center surrounded by at least ten chairs. There is an exotic plant in the back right-hand corner of the room and a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

“Wow,” I whisper as I look around.

“Pretty neat, right?” she says with a proud expression on her face. I’m not sure who Ned is to Misty but she is clearly very proud of her.

“Yeah.”

“Right, would you like a drink or anything?”

“Just some water, thanks.”

“Awesome, I’m on it.” She winks before leaving me alone. I run my fingers over the surface of the table. It’s smooth. This place makes my apartment look like a dumpster. What does someone do to afford all of this? I wonder if she is some sort of high-end producer. I’ve never heard of a Ned Waters before.

I sit at the far end of the table and take my phone out of my pocket while I wait for the woman of mystery. I see a message from Bobby. I open it up.

Bobby: Dude, you alive?

Me: Barely. At a job interview. Know much about the chick I woke up next to this morning?

Bobby: Haha that would be Kylie. HOT BODY!! What interview?

Me: Yeah I had to kick that hot body out this morning. Chick was not impressed. Just some acting gig I picked up from the board in Gigi’s.

Bobby: Sounds good! Good luck. Celebratory drinks tonight?

Me: I hope so!

Bobby: Either way, pick me up at 7. I’m bringing the twins.

Me: I love you, dude!

Bobby: Haha laters.

I hear some noise outside the door just as I’m sliding my phone into my pocket.
The moment of truth.

“Ned, I kid you not he is HAWT! He’s perfect. You’ve got to pick him.” That’s Misty’s voice.

“Keep your voice down, I don’t have sound proof walls you know.”

I smile.

“You mean he can hear me?” Ned must nod her head because it is suddenly silent. “Damn, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

Then the door opens. OH.MY.GOSH. Ned is … I have no words. I’m pretty sure my jaw just hit the oak table. If the women of this world have Christian Grey, then I think I just found Christina Grey for the entire male population.
Please handcuff me now!

She doesn’t say a word as she heads toward me; her caramel colored eyes never leave mine. She walks up to me with a certainty I have never seen on a woman’s face before. Her brown hair cascades down her shoulders, and I have several visions, all including grabbing fistfuls of it in my hands. She is wearing a pair of light-blue jeans that I’m pretty sure were made to fit her body.
I wish I were those pair of jeans.
Her upper body is covered in a fitted white T-shirt and blazer. I gulp.

By the time she reaches me I am rendered completely speechless. I think I speak English, but I can’t remember a single word I’ve learned in my twenty-five years of life. Not. A. Single. Word.

She pulls out the chair to the right of mine, and I instantly stand to my feet to shake her hand. It’s the only time her eyes leave mine. They fall on my hand before she ignores it and takes a seat. She has a gray folder tucked under her arm and places it on the table. I’ve never had a woman make me feel this nervous before, and I’m not sure whether I like it or hate it yet. I do know that I have to force myself to sit down so I don’t jump her bones.

“Mr. Cole, you don’t look well. Are you ok?”
That voice.
This woman literally has confidence oozing out of her pores.

I clear my throat. “Yes.”

“Good, then let’s get to business.” Oh, I’m ready to get down to business. You get rid of that Misty chick, and I’ll show you what getting down to business is. Who am I kidding; I don’t even care if Misty wants to watch. “Before we begin, I would like to ask you to read this document very carefully and sign at the bottom. It’s an NDA.”
So demanding.

“A what?”

“A non-disclosure agreement. It’s to ensure that whatever we discuss in this room goes no further whether you take the job or not. It is a legally binding contract.”

Again … Christina freaking Grey.

“Right.”

Just as I’m about to take a look at the document, Misty enters with a tray that holds two empty glasses and a jug of water. She walks toward us completely avoiding eye contact with me this time.

She places the two glasses in front of us, fills them both with water and then leaves the jug on the table. Ned mumbles a thank you before Misty hastily disappears from the room. I take a sip of my water before looking down at the document in front of me.

“Why exactly do we need a …” I look down at the sheet of paper and glance at the title, “Non-disclosure agreement?”

“Because I am a very private woman, Mr. Cole, and I do not wish to have anything we discuss finding its way outside of this room.”

Is she famous or something because I’ve honestly never heard of her? “What exactly do you do?”

“Look, it is clear that you have questions and I also have a lot to discuss in very little time, so if you want your answers — which I’m sure you do — then read through the document, sign it and then we’ll talk.”

Yes, I want to know everything about you, Miss Ned Waters.

My eyes fall down to the document again. The truth is, I don’t understand most of it but the majority just explains that whatever we discuss today must not be disclosed to anyone else. If I’m honest, I’m not even sure who would believe me if I told them but clearly she has a reason to protect herself. I reach the last word but pretend to keep reading. I want to give her the impression that I’m really studying the document and have a firm understanding of its contents.

“Do you have a pen?” I ask confidently, trying to match her demeanor.

“You’re sure you understand everything in the document and are happy to sign?”

“I am.”

“Right.” She seems more surprised than I am and for a moment, I get a hint that she may not be as confident as she first made out. She places the pen in my hand, and our skin touches for a second before she moves away from me, quickly. I smirk, liking the fact that I have an effect on her.

I fill in some missing details at the top, such as my address. I print my name and sign the document in silence. I slide the pen and sheet of paper across the table to her. I watch as she too fills in the missing blanks next to her name.

“I won’t be a minute,” she whispers before taking the NDA and folder with her.

I sit back and watch as she struts out of the room. Gosh, she’s hot. Am I that shallow that I would sign a document and attend an interview for an unknown job because the person offering it is incredibly hot? Yes.

When she returns, she has another document in her hand. I watch as she moves closer to me. She takes a seat in silence as she studies my face. I don’t break eye contact with her.

“Mr. Cole, as I explained earlier you were given an NDA to sign.”

“Yes.”

“It means that anything I discuss with you today or any other day cannot be shared with anybody else. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Failure to comply
will
result in a lawsuit. I would rather not take that route, so if you think this could be a problem then I suggest you state that now.”

Who the hell is this chick? And why am I so turned on?!

“There will be no problem,
Miss Waters.”

“Good. The job I want to offer you is not your everyday acting job.”
Yeah, I think I know that already.
“It will require a lot of your time, energy, and discretion.”

“That’s not a problem because I currently have a lot of time on my hands, my energy levels have been proven and tested to be
very
high, and I can be incredibly discreet when the situation calls for it.”

Did she just cross her legs?

“Good,” she says in a tight voice. I’m pretty sure I just had an effect on her. “Before I go into detail, I think it would be a good idea for you to take a look at the contract first.”

“Contract?”

“Yes, if you are to work for me then there are certain things that need to be made clear from the beginning.”

I nod.