Free Captive Films: Season One by Jillian Dodd Page B

And it smells amazing.  
    He hands one to Keatyn, comments on how lovely her new Chanel bag is, and then sets mine on the desk in front of me. “Rough night, boss?”  
    I wave him away and he prances back through the door. Yes, I hired a gay assistant the day I started working here full time.  
    Although, I originally hired him because I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about sleeping with him, I hit the jackpot. He’s been my assistant for the last five years. I keep giving him big raises because, quite frankly, I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s my right hand man. Incredibly organized, meticulous, never gossips, picks out most of my wardrobe, and works as hard as I do.  
    “Thanks, Tyler!” I yell.
    A few moments after he leaves, Keatyn says, “Oh, shit.”  
    Then she rushes over to my trash can and throws up.  
    Actually, she doesn’t throw up.  
    She dry heaves into it. Nothing comes out.  
    She’s just gagging.  
    And it makes me gag.  
    I grab the trashcan from her and puke into it.  
    “Oh, god,” she says, covering her nose and turning white. She leans over and presses the button on my phone. “Tyler! Get in here!”
    Tyler rushes back in, looking confused. Then he covers his nose too.  
    “Riley threw up. Can you please get this trash can and that coffee out of here? And maybe bring him some crackers and a Sprite instead?”
    “I’d recommend a nice reviving green tea smoothie. Shall I go fetch one?”
    “No,” both Keatyn and I say.  
    “You do realize you both have to speak at the board meeting in exactly forty-two minutes, right?” Tyler chastises.
    “We know,” Keatyn says, dry heaving again.  
    Tyler turns up his nose at us and quickly removes the offending items.  
    “We’ll be in my office,” Keatyn tells him, as she grabs my jacket sleeve and pulls me across the hall.  
    She plops down on the couch and pulls me down with her.  
    “Whew,” she says. “What were we talking about again?”
    “Ariela. You hired her?”
    “No, I didn’t hire her to work here. Although, I invited her to lunch with the girls today. And if she passes Vanessa’s bullshit meter, I will probably ask her to help with my wedding.”
    “Bullshit meter?”
    “Aiden isn’t convinced we should trust her.”
    “And what do you think?”
    “Honestly, I think she made a big mistake ten years ago and has been paying for it ever since.”
    “She destroyed me.”
    “I know. But this could be a good thing, Riley. You never got closure. Maybe, now, you will.”
    Tyler brings in a tray of assorted crackers then backs out of the room saying, “Excuse me, while I go bathe in hand sanitizer.”
    “He’s funny,” Keatyn says with a laugh as she shoves two crackers into her mouth.
    “So, are you ready for the board meeting?” I ask, changing the subject. I don’t want to talk about Ariela anymore. I can’t.
    “Of course, I love board days. I get to see my grandpa.”
    “We've come a long way from the Eastbrooke kids full of dreams. Captive Films has done well. Very well.”
    “That's because we always choose projects we’re passionate about.”
    “I was looking at the reports before you got here. The board will be quite pleased. The Keatyn Chronicles , part three, is doing insanely well.” Her ring catches my eye. “It’s really cool he got you a sunset for your finger. I always thought I'd get Ariela . . .”
    I stop.  
    Shit.  
    Why does she keep invading my thoughts?  
    Why can’t I get the fucking kiss or the elevator out of my mind?
    Or the way she shoved her hands down my pants like it was her right.  
    Or the look on her face when she saw Shelby.
    “A big pink diamond.” Keatyn says, finishing my sentence and four more crackers.
    “Yeah.”
    “Did you notice she was wearing the Hello Kitty ring you gave her?”
    “Yeah, bitch move.”
    “She told me last night she wore it to give her strength. She came to California for you, Riley.”
    “I don’t want to