She'll Take It by Mary Carter Read Free Book Online

enthusiasm.
    Jane nods in agreement. “They love her to death over there,” she says. “I think they’re going to offer her full time.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œNot that she’ll take it. I swear her modeling career is going to take off any day now. I mean, she’s perfect looking. An absolute doll.”
    â€œI absolutely agree,” I say (if by doll you too are thinking of Chuckie from the psycho slasher movies). I raise my eyes heavenward and beg the Saint of Evil Women for mercy. Trina Wilcox is friends with Kim. Trina Wilcox is Ray’s ex-girlfriend. Trina Wilcox hates my guts.

Chapter 4
    O nce outside I pour the entire box of Chicklets in my mouth and chew. It makes my jaw ache, but I welcome the pain. Trina Wilcox. The Wicked Witch of the West Side. I should turn around and go home. I should march back in there and tell Jane Greer that I absolutely refuse to work with Trina Wil(suck)cox. I should have taken my roses back when I had the chance.
    I walk to the subway venting my complaints out loud like an escaped mental patient. It’s okay—the only people in New York who will look you in the eye are talking to themselves too, so no need to worry about looking like a nutter. (Another Britishism I’ve picked up. My friends wish I had never read Bridget Jones’s Diary . The only one I can’t seem to work into a conversation around here is gobsmacked. But give me time, I will.) I should never have agreed to be a file clerk in the first place. What was I thinking? I’m a twenty-nine-year-old file clerk. This isn’t how my life is supposed to be going. I’m supposed to be a famous actress with a loft in SoHo and if not a gorgeous husband and baby on the way, then at a least a semiattractive straight boyfriend who has his green card.
    You have Ray, a little voice reminds me. Thank God for that. But it’s a little too early to call him my boyfriend, isn’t it? My stomach tingles at the thought of it. Maybe he is my boyfriend—but I’m not going to screw it up with labels. We’re both adults, enjoying a consensual, sexual relationship. We may be a little off on our expectations concerning consistency of contact, but surely that will work itself out. It’s not like I can force the man to call me. I’ve already left him two voice mails and an e-mail, so obviously the ball is in his court.
    Unless he didn’t get my messages. Technology is an unpredictable beast. Here I am thinking he’s ignoring me when I should be blaming some satellite tower in the middle of god knows where (New Jersey—blame New Jersey!) screwing up my love messages to Ray! Focus, Melanie, I’m sure he received your messages. What are the odds that three out of three were zapped in yesteryear? Maybe I can’t control my love life, but I can certainly control my career. Jane had baited me into a game of chicken, and I had veered off the road before the first feather was even swiped. How could I be so stupid?
    Maybe I’m worrying for nothing. Maybe Trina doesn’t hate me. This will be a chance for us to start fresh and really get to know each other. If she was hard on the other four temps, they must have deserved it. I mean maybe they filed the Z under the As. I would have fired them too. Besides I’m only going to be there for two weeks. Two weeks of perfect behavior and I’ll be back in Jane’s good graces. I have to think positive. That’s it. It’s decided. From now on, I’m going to have a positive outlook on life. I’m going to stop stealing, start auditioning, and stop labeling my love life. That’s it. That’s really all it’s going to take to make me happy. I’ve just been way too obsessed. Relax, Melanie. From now on you’re going to have no expectations . It’s the only way to enjoy life.
    I glance at the assignment card. The law office is on 28th between Park and Madison. I could hop