Shadows of Hope

Chapter 13

Zade's POV

Not anticipating a social gathering in Betty's office, I stride halfway across the room before I realize Dannelle, her agent Kiki, and her assistant Makenna are huddled in one corner, talking in hushed tones. My steps falter and the dull ache in my temples becomes magnified. My gaze clashes with Betty's half-sympathetic, half-calculating one.

"Zade, thank you for coming in so early today." Betty's warm tone does nothing to appease the irritation grating on my nerves. She gestures for me to sit in one of the two chairs in front of her desk before waving Dannelle over to sit beside me. I'm barely able to control the urge to scoot my chair clear across the room. How in the heck does Betty not understand Dannelle drives me crazy and not in a fun, tantalizing kind of way?

Kason, who followed me in after completing his routine safety checks, scoffs at the sight of Dannelle who is currently adjusting her minuscule outfit in order to highlight her famous assets. The skintight cream dress falls about six inches above her knees while the plunging neckline makes me fear there will be a wardrobe malfunction she'll want me to fix. I make it a point to stare out the window instead of in the vicinity of Hollywood's Heartbreaker.

"Who the hell invited the diva parade to this meeting?" Kason's blunt words are the exact ones I wish I had the courage to voice. While I strive for diplomacy, Kason shoots straight through the bull-crap to the heart of the matter.

Dannelle flicks a manicured hand in Kason's direction and sniffs loudly as if there is a rotten smell permeating the room. "Zade, sweetie, you need to ditch this hired help and find someone with some class."

"Why you little-" Shooting Kason a quick look, I interrupt him before he says anything which would give Dannelle the upper hand. "The hired help, as you put it, happens to be my best friend." My frosty tone brooks no room for argument.

I have a vague notion as to why Dannelle showed up today but my gut tells me to let her make the first move. Keeping my eyes trained on her face, I feel disgust sweep through my chest as she lays a hand on my bicep in an intimate gesture. Her lips pull into a full pout as a fake tear dots the corner of her right eye. She reaches up and brushes the lone tear away, throwing in a sniffle for good measure. "I was just trying to help. If he's your best friend      then I'm sure he will be happy for us and treat me respectfully in the future."

Betty attempts to disguise a snort with a cough. My lips twitch briefly in amusement before my forehead creases and my lips pull into a tight line. Swiftly, I take my arm out of Dannelle's anaconda grip. Kason growls low in his throat but thankfully remains impassive otherwise. Makenna, who is seated on the small burgandy love seat near the door, shoots her own frown at the back of Dannelle's head. An extremely competent assistant, Makenna could have her pick of bosses. Why she sticks with this woman is beyond me.

Kiki taps the desk with her tablet stylus, garnering the attention of the room.  A friend of Betty's, Kiki trained under her until she got her big break sponsoring Val Dolman. Despite her short stature, she is as ferocious as a lion when it comes to landing deals. In a prim voice reminding me of my second-grade teacher, she suggests, "Why don't we get down to business Dannelle? I'm sure Zade has a full schedule today and you have that photo shoot at 1 pm we can't be late for."

Dannelle sits up straight, preening in the fashion of a peacock. "I'm shooting an ad for Gucci today," she exclaims while running her fingers through her platinum blond shag. "What do you think of my new hairstyle Zade? I'm going to make short hair the new sexy."

Personally I enjoy long hair so I can run my hands through the strands, enjoying the feeling of silk against my palms. Preferably one particular brunette's locks. With this latest hair style, Dannelle reminds me of a cross between Miley Cyrus and Ellen Degeneres; not appealing in the least.