The Fame Game

Willow moves to the side, giving me enough room to exit the bathroom.

“Do you like pancakes?” I ask her.

Her face beams with delight. “I love them.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen,” I say before I walk away.

Willow clears her throat behind me, and then she whispers something under her breath. I stop and glance over my shoulder, but when our eyes meet, she smiles and rushes into the bathroom like the hallway is on fire.

In the kitchen, I open cabinets until I find a few frying pans and set them on the stove. I haven’t cooked for a woman in years, but it’s the least I can do since Willow is cool with me staying here until I find a place to live. I remove bacon from the refrigerator and grab a box of pancake mix from the cabinet.

I get to work mixing pancake batter in a bowl, adding the perfectly blended mix to a hot pan. Standing in front of the stove, I flip the golden pancakes and turning over the slices of bacon frying in the pan.

Willow strolls into the kitchen with her wet hair hanging over her shoulder. Her face is free of makeup, though she doesn’t need it. She’s wearing a black dress with a belt that wraps around her slim waist, highlighting her gorgeous curves.

Willow tips her nose in the air. “The bacon smells amazing.” She grabs her laptop and sits at the kitchen counter, flipping open the lid. “I like mine extra crispy.”

“You got it, boss,” I say with a wink.

She giggles, her eyes pointed down at the screen. Her fingers move across the keys quickly, though I don’t miss the concern on her face.

I add three pancakes to her plate and slices of burnt bacon and slide it in front of her. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah…” She closes her laptop and moves it to the side, pulling her plate toward her. “The usual work emails. Nothing to worry about.”

Liar. She fidgets on the barstool, biting her cheek.

“You can tell me.” I take the seat next to her and dig into my breakfast. “Give it to me straight. I’m used to the rejection at this point.”

She cuts into her pancake stack and sighs. “It’s nothing. Just a few more form letter responses about the movies I inquired about.”

“For me?”

She nods and then shoves the food into her mouth.

“Do you know how many times I’ve heard the word no in my career?”

Willow wipes her mouth with a napkin, her eyes on me. “How many?”

“One thousand two hundred twenty-three.”

Her blue eyes widen. “You’re joking me.”

I shake my head. “Nope. I keep track of every time someone turns me down for a role.”

She gives me a confused look. “Why would you want to do that?”

“Because success requires failure. No one walks into any business and becomes an overnight success. I mean, sure, there are a few exceptions to that rule, but most people have to grind for years before they make anything of themselves.”

“This week alone, I’ve been told no eight times. You can add those to your list.”

She gives me a cheeky grin, her expression contagious.

We eat our breakfast, the silence between us thick in the air. I’m not used to spending time around people. Alone in my mansion, I hid behind the stone walls and drank myself into oblivion. It was nice to have my sanctuary from the world, where no one could hurt me. But now, I’m sharing a part of myself with Willow. She’s allowed me into her home and her world, and I feel the need to reciprocate. She should know what she’s gotten herself into by agreeing to work with me.

Willow slides off the stool, plate in hand, and swipes mine from the counter before she places the dishes in the sink and runs water over them.

“If you’re cool with cooking, I’ll handle the cleaning and other household stuff.”

“Yeah.” I nod. “Sounds good. I’m not a gourmet chef, but I can make simple stuff. You like Mac and cheese?”

She laughs. “Who doesn’t?”

“Get ready to eat the best three-cheese mac and cheese on the planet.”

“You’re not what I expected,” she says in a hushed tone.

I wiggle my eyebrows, giving her a sly grin. “I plan to exceed your expectations.”

“Happy to hear it.”

“I emailed Shay to let her know we’re coming tonight. I haven’t heard from her.”

Shay Marshall is my first and only acting coach and a legend in this business. She’s why I made it this far in my career, like a mother who pushed me in the right direction.

“How long has it been since you saw her?”

“Too long,” I admit.

“I have to finish getting ready for work.”

I wave my hand. “Go ahead. I’ll take care of the dishes.”

She smiles. “Thanks for breakfast.”

As she leaves the kitchen, my cock jerks at the sight of her tight ass in that dress. Willow has legs for days and a body I would love to run my hands over. But she’s my agent… and so off-limits.