Chapter Fourteen
After that evening, things between Rico and Ashleigh changed, and for the better. There was a sort of bond between them. Three dates, sex, and a chase through the streets away from the paparazzi had definitely brought them closer, and it was obvious that they enjoyed each other’s company.
Over the next couple of days, they could be seen spending more time together on set. In between takes, Rico would often come over and chat to her by the coffee and tea stall, helping himself to biscuits while they stood to one side slightly away from everyone else, and talked and laughed, shared a joke.
Ashleigh had gotten to the point where she didn’t mind people seeing them together now, because apparently Rico didn’t either, although apparently others did.
After three very fun days on set, during which she felt she and Rico were becoming very close friends, he invited her out for another meal.
She wasn’t sure where they were going with their relationship, friendship, whatever it was, but she enjoyed hanging out with him so much that, of course, she agreed. If more sex or fumbles down a dark alley way happened then so be it.
The whole time they were talking, she felt Francis’ eyes on them both, and a few minutes later, he took her to one side and explained he felt her skills would be better put to use in the office, where she started out in her first week.
“We have plenty of assistant directors to help out on the set,” he explained. “But we could really do with that extra pair of hands in the office, especially since we have a big run of script amendments coming up this next week.”
He made it sound like there was a perfectly reasonable and acceptable explanation behind him moving her, but Ashleigh couldn’t help being paranoid.
There’d been a handful of occasions where she’d caught him looking over at the two of them while she and Rico had been talking, and she could have sworn she saw a hint of jealousy in his eyes.
“That’s fine,” she smiled, and he escorted her to the office.
She could feel his eyes on him, looking her up and down as she walked.
“We still haven’t arranged to spend some time together,” he remarked as they arrived, leaning against the door frame and giving her a predatory glance.
“No, we haven’t,” Ashleigh replied vaguely, going over to her desk to see the note Sally had left for her with the work that needed doing.
“It’s important to maintain good relations with one’s boss,” he reminded her with a small smile, staring over at her. “Especially one who’s getting you some auditions.”
He wasn’t exactly being very subtle with this, but she supposed he was right. Although he was creepy, he was helping her out.
“So uh…what did you have in mind, exactly?” she asked tentatively.
“Dinner. On me. Tonight.”
Just dinner? she thought to herself. Well, that didn’t sound so bad. She could cope with dinner. It was just two professionals getting some food together and talking. It didn’t have to be anything more than that, right? It didn’t have to be a ‘date.’ The problem was, she’d literally just arranged with Rico that she’d be going out with him that night and she didn’t want to let him down, but then she had been on lots of dates with him now and this would be the second time she’d turned down Francis if she said no.
“That’d be fine,” she mumbled somewhat reluctantly after weighing up the options.
He seemed pleased, and gave her a squeeze on the shoulder. “Perfect. Wait for me after we wrap today, and I’ll take you out immediately.”
“Straight away? I…don’t you want to go home and get changed first?”
“No, I want you exactly as you are. And I’ve waited too long to wait any further.”
His impatience and eagerness was ever so slightly off-putting, but Ashleigh just smiled and agreed, then he left her to her work.
She got on with photocopying and stapling the amendments together on different colored sheets of paper, anxious to get to see Rico over lunch so she could break the bad news to him. He was sure he wouldn’t mind. There’d be plenty of other opportunities to go for dinner over the course of the shoot.
She didn’t see him in the line for the food, nor on the dining bus because of course, he ate in his trailer, but now she wasn’t so shy of people knowing the two of them were friends, once she’d finished eating, she made her way over to this trailer and knocked on the door.
He came to answer it with a mouthful of food, wiping his lips with a paper napkin. His eyebrows shot up in surprise when he saw it was her, probably expecting Sally, or maybe one of the costume and makeup people.
“Ashleigh, how’s it going?” He smiled once he’d swallowed down his food.
“You wanna come in?”
“No, I’m good, I should probably get back to work anyway, it’s just…well…” She chewed her lip anxiously, then blurted it out. “I can’t come out tonight.”
“Oh…” His smile dropped and his face fell. “How come? Are you alright?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, it’s just…Francis asked me out for dinner and last time I said no so…” She trailed off, noticing that Rico looked even more disappointed now he’d heard she was ditching him in favor of Francis. “He’s hooked me up with an audition for some new musical,” she added by way of explanation, so that he didn’t think it was a date.
“Oh right, I see,” he replied, his lips tight and his expression neutral. “Well, I hope you guys have fun.”
Did she detect a hint of jealousy in there? Bitterness.
“Ugh, I just want to get it over with,” she rolled her eyes a bit, trying to make it clear that she didn’t want to go out with Francis, it was purely a business thing.
Rico nodded. “It’s cool. Maybe we can go out tomorrow…” He looked at her hopeful, and she smiled.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure that’d be fine.”
“Great.”
And with that, she said her goodbyes and headed back to her office, her mind in a bit of a spin as she considered Rico’s initial reaction. He’d definitely seemed disappointed. Surely, he couldn’t be falling for her as much as she was falling for him?