Free Hollywood Stardust Supporting Roles - Wilson and Giselle by Kim Carmichael Page A

training his staff and then corralling them
out the door, the multitude of phone calls from anyone and everyone
except Giselle, and trying to deal with the other odds and ends of
opening his business, he was a frazzled disaster by the time he sat
down with a bottle of whiskey and paperwork well past prime
time.
    At hearing the door in the back open, he
simply took another gulp of his drink. All day long he had jumped
at every sound that could be Giselle and he was done. It was
probably Logan anyway. He poured some more of the amber liquid and
then did the loser thing where he took a swig right out of the
bottle.
    “ I thought you didn’t
drink.” Giselle’s voice filled the room.
    Relief didn’t wash over him, only a fresh
batch of anger. “I’m not drinking, I’m sampling, it’s one of the
perks of owning a bar.”
    “ Oh, did you have your
meeting with that vendor?” She tiptoed into the room. “He had some
end-of-month specials.”
    “ I had a video conference.
I’m sure I would have gotten a better deal if I was actually able
to see him, but I was too busy training the staff.” He started to
write a check and then realized he had no idea what he was paying.
All he knew was he had to keep his cool.
    “ I’m sure you did
magnificent. They had to know all about Wilson’s and who better to
show them?” She slid in the booth next to him.
    “ Maybe the woman who hired
them?” Finally, he turned to her. Damn if the woman wasn’t
gorgeous. “Is this how you quit your other jobs? Will I now end up
as one of your stories to your next boss?”
    “ I never wanted to quit,”
she whispered.
    “ What do you want?” After
what she put him through, there had to be a reason.
    “ I brought you a sandwich.”
She lifted her purse and pulled a bag out of it. “I thought we
could share, then have some nuts, and maybe something
else.”
    Seriously? She wasn’t going to offer an
explanation? Not even an apology. All she was going to do was make
light of the fact she ditched him and then show up like everything
was copacetic? He had no words.
    “ Can I have a sip so I can
catch up?” With a smile, she reached for the bottle.
    He caught her hand. “I don’t know where
those lips have been all day.” So much for keeping his cool.
    “ Well, I don’t need to tell
you where these lips could have been if you didn’t just accuse me
of that.” With a laugh, she pulled her hand back and got out of the
booth. Before she turned around she bowed.
    Every muscle in his body tensed. “Where are
you going?”
    Her back facing him, she waved.
    He watched her go through the swinging door
into the kitchen and flinched when the door slammed, indicating
she’d left.
    That was it?
    Did his girlfriend just walk out before he
even told her she was his girlfriend?
    * * * *
    GISELLE MADE SURE TO STOMP her feet, hoping
her heels echoed over the tile floor in the kitchen as she made her
way out of Wilson’s. With dramatic flourish, she pulled the door
open and then almost tripped slamming it to make sure the slam
resonated through the whole building. Too bad only the guy whose
name was on the door was around to hear it.
    With the same conviction as her epic door
slam, she made her way out to her car, pulled back her foot and
squarely kicked the tire of her car. “Ah!” Sharp pain shot up her
shin, and she doubled over, grabbing her leg. Why didn’t she just
get in the car and go like any self-respecting girl?
    Instead, she stood there, actually slumped
there, holding her leg and waiting for what, she didn’t know.
    “ Are you all right?” Wilson
came out.
    “ Yes, I was just inspecting
the asphalt while practicing a yoga pose.” Her voice came out
convincingly strained.
    “ Then I must ask. What are
you doing? I would have thought you would’ve drove off by now.” He
bent down near him.
    Still holding her leg, she glanced at him.
“You know you ruined my day.”
    “ Oh really!” He broke out
into laughter. The laughter