Playing at Forever by Michelle Brewer Read Free Book Online Page A

disturb’ sign on the door.  He glanced at the clock.  No, it was too late for maid service. 
    Maybe it was Penny?  He hadn’t told her when to expect him, so maybe she had come to seek him out instead?
    The knock sounded once more and Tommy looked toward it.  “Tom, I know you’re in there.  Open up.” 
    He could only hear his heart pounding in his ears as his temper began to flare.  “I’ll stand out here all day if I have to.”  Tommy swore quietly under his breath as he jumped to his feet and crossed the room in two quick steps, throwing the door open .
    “What the hell are you doing here?”  Graham removed his sunglasses, peering around Tommy and into the room. 
    “You alone in there?”  
    “What are you doing here?”  he repeated, pulling the door closed behind him.
    “I was worried about you, Tom.  You kind of just…took off.”
    “And I took off for a reason.  You didn’t seem all that worried back in L.A.”  Tommy glared at the man.  “How did you even find me?”
    “You used your credit card, Tom.  It really wasn’t that hard.”  Graham looked around.  “Can we take this inside?” 
    “No,”   Tommy shook his head.  “I don’t want you here, Graham.  I want you to leave.” 
    “After I came all this way?”
    “Yes.  Go back home.”
    “Exactly how long were you planning on taking this little hiatus?  You do remember you have auditions.  Scripts waiting to be read.”
    “They’ll wait.”  Tommy spoke through clenched teeth.  “I mean it.  Get out of here.”
    “This isn’t going to do good things for your image, Tom.  Think about it.  It won’t impress studios.”
    For just a moment, Tommy hesitated.  This was his livelihood that they were talking about.  Was he really willing to sacrifice it all?
    And then he thought better of it.  No, he would be better off in the end.  He could return to work with his head on straight.  Wouldn’t the studios prefer that? 
    Of course they would. 
    “Goodbye, Graham.”  And with that, Tommy closed the door in his manager’s face.
     
    “We need to talk, Pen.”  She heard Kevin’s voice before she saw him and she groaned.  He and Gina had seemed to have some sort of tiff earlier and she’d stormed out of the restaurant in a huff.  She had been dreading this all day, certain that the argument had something to do with her. 
    “Then talk.” 
    “Let’s go in the office.”  This was not going to be good.  She sighed, setting down the plates she had been carrying to set a table.  On the way to the office, she made sure to ask one of her waitresses to finish her task.
    She was certain that whatever conversation that was going to take place was going to do wonders to improve her day.  After her earlier argument with Kevin, two of the waitresses had called in with the flu along with one of her busboys.  Things would have been okay, if only Gina hadn’t walked out as well.  The lunch rush had been hell to get through.
    “What’s going on?” 
    “I don’t know how to say this, Pen.”  She dreaded whatever words he was about to say next. 
    “Just say it.”  There wasn’t much he could say that could hurt her any worse than she’d already been hurt. 
    “Gina wants out.”  Penny was actually filled with relief, a smile forming on her lips.
    “Great, I don’t think the three of us should be working under the same roof anyway, considering our situation.”
    “No— you’re not understanding , Penny.  She wants out .  As in the both of us.   She wants you to buy us out.  Either that, or we sell the place.”
    And for just a moment, the room swayed in front of her. 
    Sell The Seaside?
    She couldn’t even consider the possibility. 
    But the alternative?   She didn’t have the funds.  She didn’t have the credit.
    “Are you hearing me?”
    “Yes, Kevin.  I heard you.”  She was positively livid.  As if Gina hadn’t already taken enough from her—now she was even