A little after noon, I head to the office cafeteria for lunch with Dan and Todd. We reached a detente last week. And then on Monday, I brought in some homemade banana muffins for us to share. While we broke bread, we found that we were all dying for the next season of Game of Thrones to start. They decided I couldn’t be a total idiot if I could see how everything that went wrong for the Starks started with Kaitlyn Stark’s myopia when it came to Jon Snow. We’ve gotten along well ever since. We still have disagreements about the screenplay, but they listen to me and I’m learning a lot from them, too.

We’re about to sit down when I see Coco by himself at one of the tables that overlooks the water. I meant to speak to him earlier, so I excuse myself and walk over to him.

Despite what Sol said, he’s been nice every time I’ve seen him.

“Hey, is this seat taken?” When he sees it’s me, he smiles warmly. “It’s all yours, Lu.” His use of a nickname surprises me, but we’ve become pretty friendly in the last few weeks, so I ignore the slight discomfort I feel at hearing it.

“Thanks, Coco. You’ve got the best view in the room. I could look out at that all day.”

“Yeah, me too. It’s one of the reasons I never mind me being on assignment out here. That, and the fact that I get to drive you around.”

“I’m sure the view beats driving me any time.” I laugh, but when he doesn’t join me, I look at him. He’s watching me closely and my laughter dies.

“I’m starving!” I tell him as I try to hide my discomfort.

“You settling in okay? Hope they’re not working you too hard.” he says as I dig into my huge salad.

I finish chewing my mouthful of chicken and tabbouleh before I respond. “No, it’s fine. Just lots to do. It’s just the normal stuff that comes with finding a rhythm and getting the story direction together, but I think we’re off to a good start.”

“Well, let me know if you need anything. I know how intimidating Reece can be.” He smiles knowingly at me.

I want to say that Reece isn’t intimidating at all. That he’s been nice and has my back. But I don’t say any of that. I don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression.

“Thank you.” I smile warmly at him. “Uh, I actually stopped by to tell you that I need to go into town to do some grocery shopping and get a few things. I have tomorrow off. Do you think you could take me in the morning?”

His smile dims, but his voice is friendly when he says, “Sure thing. I’m around and you’re my priority when it comes to driving. So just tell me when you need me and I’ll be there.” He winks and stands up.

“Thanks, Coco. I’ll just text you when I’m ready.”

“It’s a date, Lu.” And with a short wave, he walks away. Was he flirting with me? He’s been so nice to me that I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. But recalling Sol’s warning, I resolve to be a little more professional in our future interactions.

I catch a glimpse of Reece. He’s in one of the conference rooms. He’s on the phone, his face a mask of concentration. He’s cleanly shaven, wearing shirtsleeves and no tie, but much more formal than this morning. As if he senses me looking at him, he looks up as I walk by. His eyes light up and he flashes me a quick smile, and waves for me to come into the room.

“Sure, Zev. I agree,” He’s saying when I walk in.

“I still think it would be good to have those numbers ready before we’re done.” He holds up a finger, as if saying he’ll only be another minute.

“If she’s being difficult, cut her loose. I’m sure we can find someone to replace her who’d be happy for screen time.” He leans back in his chair, tension creating brackets on either side of his mouth as he purses his lips.

He rolls his eyes and holds the phone away from his ear. I can hear Zev talking and Reece mouths a silent “sorry” before he puts the phone back to his ear with a resigned shake of his head. I smile sympathetically and then wave before I duck out of the room. And just like that, my unease about Coco is forgotten. I walk back to my desk with a huge smile on my face.

It’s Friday morning and I’ve put off my shopping trip as long as I can. I hate shopping. So, I try to be really efficient about it. I already know which two stores I want to pop into. I need a bathing suit and groceries. I send Coco a text to tell him I’m ready and then sit down to wait.

It’s weird being driven by someone other than an Uber driver, a bus driver or Jess. It’s strange having doors held open and a car waiting for me when I exit a store. I’m not sure that it’s something I want to get comfortable with.

For anyone who’s ever been in a position of service, it’s hard to forget what it feels like to smile at someone who barely acknowledges your existence. The experience is exhausting, but it builds character at the same time.

The first time I went out to eat with Sol and his family, he told me to stop thanking the waiter every time he refilled my water glass. I can’t imagine not thanking him. He’s someone’s child, father, brother or uncle. How can I act like he’s invisible just because he’s serving me?

That’s how the family my mother works for treats her. She lives in the same house they do, yet, they only seem to remember she’s there when something is broken or goes missing.

She’s like a ghost who cleans up after them. She keeps their house running so they don’t have to think about it. When she started working there, they made it very clear I was to be not seen or heard. I stayed in my room and only left it when I was going to school. I ate there, played there and never made any noise. And despite all of that, their children found ways to make me miserable. They sought me out to pick on me.

That’s how it was until the day she sent me to live with my aunt and uncle.

That was the night our relationship changed for good. She distanced herself from me. Sometimes, I can tell she’s thinking about what happened because she can’t bring herself to look me in the eye. She still works for that family, but I don’t blame her. I know she was scared. And she knew I’d be okay. But her losing her job would have meant both of us were out on the street.

I start to pick up my phone to invite her here for dinner when my doorbell rings. I grab my purse and keys and rush out to the door. Coco is standing on the porch and when he sees me, he smiles his friendly smile. “Your chariot awaits, my lady,” he says with a dramatic bow.

“Hey, Coco. Thanks.” I smile at him and get in the car. My phone buzzes and when I look down, I see it’s a notification from the Google Alert I created.

I’ve been anxious for news about what the new President is going to do with the DACA program that allows me the right to work. My application is pending, but I’ve never had trouble getting it renewed before. I’m deep in thought and don’t realize we’ve arrived at our destination until my door opens and Coco’s standing there smiling at me.

“Sorry, I spaced out. I won’t be long,” I say to him as I start toward the boutique where I plan to buy a swimsuit. It’s the first one I’ve ever owned.

“Take your time, princess,” he calls after me. I know he’s just being friendly, but that nickname . . . it isn’t right coming out of his mouth.

I manage an awkward wave as I set off for Nati’s boutique. This shopping center is typical of Malibu; rustic, eco-friendly and expensive as hell. I grab the first white one-piece I find, check the size and then head to try it on. This is the part of shopping I hate, trying clothes on. But, they have a huge No Returns sign over the bathing suit section, so I can’t take any chances with it.

As I approach the dressing rooms I see a tall, gorgeous blonde smiling widely at me. “Hi, I’m Lila. Let’s get you into a room,” she says as I approach. She touches my arm and steers me to one of the dressing rooms. It’s bigger than my closet in Los Feliz and very brightly lit. The mirrored walls create a three hundred and sixty-degree reflection, that lets you see your whole body at once. I keep my panties on, but otherwise strip.

I pull the bathing suit on and immediately see why it won’t work. It’s white, without a lining in the top and I can see my cinnamon colored nipples clearly. I can only imagine how much more transparent it would be if it was wet. But I like the cut, the fit and decide to ask for it in black.

“Hello, Lila?” I call out.

When no response comes, I call out one more time. “Of course. Get me in here and abandon me,” I grumble to myself as I step out to see if I can see her.

I shriek when I see Coco sitting on one of the benches outside of the dressing room. He’s staring at my door and smiles in a way that sends chills up my spine. My hands come up to cover my breasts when his eyes fixate on them and he doesn’t look away.

“Coco, what are you doing here?” I sputter.

“You were taking longer than I expected so I came in to look for you. I asked the girl at the front and she said you were in the dressing room. So, I just came here to wait.”

“Why didn’t you say anything when I called out for her?” I ask as I hop back inside the dressing room and close the door behind me.

“My name isn’t Lila,” he says with a chuckle.

Even with the door closed, I feel uncomfortable stripping with him there.

“That bathing suit looked just right, in my opinion. Step back out, and I’ll take another look,” he drawls when I don’t say anything.

My heart begins to race and I try to hide the panic I’m feeling when I say, “Can you go see if you can find Lila for me, please?”

“If you need something, Lu, you can just ask me and I’ll get it for you,” he says in a tone that is full of so much innuendo and suggestion that I feel like he can see through the wood of the door that separates us.

“That’s okay. Can you just get her, please?”

He doesn’t respond right away and I’m afraid he’s going to refuse when he says silkily, “No problem. Be right back”

As soon as I hear his footsteps receding. I rip the swim suit off my body and throw my shorts and T-shirt back on. I leave the dressing room and go back to the rack where I got the swimsuit, grab a black one and then beat a path to the register.

When I get there, the girl at the register gives me a friendly smile and says, “Did anyone help you with your purchase?”

“Lila abandoned her station, but I got what I wanted,” I say as I hand her the bathing suit and my debit card. I know I’m being rude, but I just want to get out of there.

Her smile falls as she takes my card. “But if it doesn’t work, you can’t return it.” All of her earlier friendliness is gone. I’m glad. It makes the transaction go a lot faster when she isn’t making small talk. I’m heading for the door when Coco steps into my path. I stop short of running straight into him.

“Where’d you go?” he asks, his friendly, affable demeanor back in place.

I’m not fooled. The way his eyes raked over my body earlier made his real intentions clear. I don’t return his smile. I don’t want him to think that his attention is welcomed.

“I got what I needed. I just need to run to the grocery store really quickly. I’ll meet you in front in fifteen?” I say as I dash past him.

“I can take your purchase to the car for you,” he says with his hand held out for my shopping bag. A vision of him sniffing my bathing suit’s crotch flashes into my mind and I clutch the bag closely to my chest.

“No, thanks! I got it. See you out front.” I turn and practically run out of the store before he can respond.

When I step into the cool interior of the grocery store, I realize how overheated I am.

The way Coco looks at me has me freaked out. I’m not what anyone would call beautiful, at least not in this town. I’ve got a little too much meat on my bones to be considered ideal. I’ll never wear a size zero, nor do I want to. I know there is something about my body that men like. I’ve heard the catcalls. I’ve fended off the gropes at stores and in restaurants where I’ve worked. The thought of having to deal with this from Coco every time I need to go somewhere creates a ball of dread in the pit of my stomach.

Shit. I need to find another driver.

I speed through the aisles. Grabbing the items on my list without checking to see what’s on sale. And in less than ten minutes I’m out of the store. I think about calling an Uber but decide that would be too dramatic. I’ll just pretend to be on the phone the entire time I’m in the car.

He’s waiting for me at the curb when I step outside. I pull my phone out and pretend to answer it. He opens the door while I fake a conversation with Jessica and avoid eye contact. Our ten-minute ride home is a special kind of hell. I pretend to talk to Jessica about a trailer I just saw for the new Marvel movie. Every time I glance up, I see Coco watching me through the rear view mirror.

When we pull up outside my house, I’m ready and have the door open before Coco can come to a complete stop.

“I have to use the bathroom. See you later!” I call over my shoulder. I sprint up the stairs, open the sliding door and step inside before he can even respond.

I rush to my bedroom and only then do I let myself indulge in the panic that’s been running riot inside of me. What the fuck was that? Thank goodness I don’t need to leave the estate again for at least a few more days. I’ll send Liza an email in the morning about getting a new driver assigned. I rush into the shower and wash off the feeling left behind from the way Coco looked at me.