Dreams do come true, and so do fucking nightmares.

‘Just tell him you won’t do it!’ Billie had said the same thing a hundred times, and her words fell on deaf ears once more as I paced the balcony of her condo, biting my thumbnail.

‘This is a test, a massive test,’ I mumbled to myself.

‘He probably has no idea what a nightmare this would be for you; just tell him.’

‘Oh, he knows alright – we spent an evening with them, remember? He knows I don’t like them and now I have to fucking serve them. Brilliant.’

‘Well, if he knows, why didn’t he tell you?’

I groaned, stepping back inside and face-planting in despair on the couch. ‘He tried to tell me, but I was all like, no, no, I don’t need to know, I can be professional, blah, blah, blerrggghhh. I could seriously poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick sometimes.’

‘It would be preferable to hanging out with the LA Family, that’s for sure.’

I closed my eyes, having visions of Leon ordering the most expensive bottle of wine and me having to pour it into Sienna’s glass. I wanted to die.

‘Abby, you do not have to do this.’

I rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. ‘Yes, I do,’ I said, before rolling onto my side and resting my head on my hand. ‘Hey, why didn’t you tell me Leon and the LA Family were having a VIP party at the Saloon?’

Billie thought for a moment. ‘I just assumed you’d be invited.’

That made sense, and then it had me thinking. I pulled myself up to sit on the side of the lounge, my bare feet resting on the rug. Delving into my pocket, I checked my phone – no messages from Sienna. The party was tomorrow night – why hadn’t she invited me? Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t heard from her since the gathering.

‘Interesting,’ I said, thinking how hypocritical it was that I didn’t want to hang out with Sienna and her clique, and yet I couldn’t help feeling a little offended that I wasn’t invited to their get-together in my territory.

‘Oh, fuck ’em – they are a bunch of bloody wannabes anyway.’

Billie was trying to help, bless her, but it still didn’t quite pull me out of my despair. Maybe lunch with Ziggy might offer me some perspective, I thought, dialling her number. ‘I can’t believe I am rescheduling my dinner with Zig for this.’

‘Please, don’t.’ Billie clasped her hands together in prayer but it was too late.

‘Hey, Ziggy – guess who got a job?’

At least Ziggy was happy I had heeded her advice and got a day job, and even more impressed that it was somewhere that might have me interacting with the who’s who – with the Leon Deneros of the world, ugh. Lunch was a fizzer so I invited her over to join the Sunday drinks session; it was going to be my only chance to do some prep before my audition on Monday, and potentially a counselling session should I survive my first Saturday shift slaving for the clique.

I was so disenchanted with the world that I didn’t even check if Jay cut laps of the pool that night, my balcony door firmly shut in defiance. I didn’t want to deal with him or anything else right now. Instead, I focused on my lines and tried to put myself into a more positive headspace, but something was niggling at me.

I picked up my phone, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. I thought long and hard before I started to text:

Hey Sienna, what are you doing tomorrow night? Want to catch up? Xoxo

Again, my thumb hovered over the send button until I thought, What the hell, bloody send.

This was a test: either she had forgotten to invite me to my supposed boyfriend’s bar for VIP hangs, or she was deliberately excluding me, knowing I would find out. So much hung on her response. Soon I saw those three teasing dots dance across the screen.

Hey hey, sorry babe, busy tomorrow night – going out of town for the weekend, but let’s catch up soon. Xx

‘That lying little …’

Something hit my window.

At first I thought I imagined it, but then I heard the same clink again. Maybe someone was trying to get in, but I didn’t think serial killers threw pebbles at your window. I peeled the blankets back and crept to the window, another rock hitting the glass. I unlocked the door and slid it open, tentatively stepping out.

Jay was standing below my balcony, poised to throw another pebble. He smiled as his eyes locked on mine.

‘What are you doing?’ I whispered loudly. My reputation for being a disturber of the peace was already confirmed; I really didn’t need the residents to hate me even more.

‘Come down,’ he whispered back.

I rolled my eyes; this was not a John Hughes movie – what could he possibly want?

‘Why?’ I said, wrapping my arms around me. All I wanted was to stew in my own misery – didn’t he know that?

He didn’t answer; he simply motioned me to come down with a head tilt.

‘For God’s sake,’ I gritted, turning around and reaching for my dressing gown. I really didn’t need him seeing me in my Charlie Brown PJs.

By the time I reached the pool, the only figure I saw was the one freestyling through the water. I merely stood by the edge, crossing my hands over my chest and watching on in complete boredom until finally he stopped, blinking up at me, breathless.

‘Is this what was so important for me to see?’

Because I had seen it many a time, but that was my dirty little secret.

Jay swam over to the ledge near me, lifting himself out effortlessly and sitting on the edge. It was one thing to see him half-naked and wet from a distance, but to be standing right next to him … well, I had to swallow very hard and try not to stare.

‘So?’ I prompted.

‘I know you didn’t want to know, but I think I should tell you about the VIPs tomorrow night.’

My head snapped to him.

‘Why?’

‘Because then you can decide whether you want to work that shift.’

‘You mean, I get a choice?’

‘Usually not, but I can shuffle a few things around. It’s no big deal.’

The ghost of a smile traced my lips.

Jay was a good guy; I was so glad that I came down. He wasn’t testing me – he was trying to protect me. He knew more than anyone how difficult it would be for me to serve the likes of Sienna and her crew.

I shook my head. ‘Don’t change a thing. I’ll be there.’

Jay stood, droplets of water rolling down his smooth, chiselled skin; he was ever so distracting. It was proving difficult to remain calm, to pretend as if he wasn’t towering over me with no top on, looking down at me with a sexy little smile. ‘Are you sure? I really think you’ll want to sit this one out.’

The more he tried to push me away, the more adamant I was about proving I could be professional. ‘I am sure.’

‘What if I told you that –’

I placed my hand on his mouth, stopping him from saying another word.

I laughed. ‘Don’t tell me.’

Jay’s lips spread into a grin. I felt them move underneath my fingers; the feel of his soft lips against my skin made me shiver. As I slowly moved my hand, the tips of my fingers lingered to gently touch the curve of his lips. I stepped closer to him, my heart racing, caring little that we were standing in the courtyard, or that drops of water were pooling at his feet.

My hand ran along his strong jawline, touching the light dusting of stubble before my fingers danced down his neck and over his Adam’s apple, which bobbed and strained under my touch. Maybe it was my skin on his, or the summer night air against his damp body, but his skin was prickled with goosebumps, making me smile as I traced his collarbone, looking up at him through heavy lids. Our eyes met, and there were no more sexy smiles, just questions: where to now? Whose move next?

Jay made it first, stilling my hand, which was moving down along his abs, exploring the dips and rises of his smooth skin. He squeezed my hand so tight that it bordered on pain. I looked up at him, confusion lining my face, increasing when he slowly shook his head. His meaning was crystal-clear.

No.

I felt my cheeks blanch as I pulled away, tucking my hair behind my ears. ‘Wow, people warned me there would be rejection in this town, I just never realised how rough it would be,’ I said with half a laugh, trying to look anywhere but at him, ready to run back to my condo. Pre-empting my flight, I felt Jay’s warm grip on my arm as he motioned for me to look at him, placing his fingers under my chin and lifting my face up to look at him.

‘It’s not, believe me,’ he breathed out heavily, like it physically pained him to do so. ‘The things I want to do to you …’

I blinked, utterly confused. ‘Then why?’

‘As long as you are under my employment, last night, this,’ he pointed between us, ‘can’t happen again.’

What?!

‘Umm, okay. I guess I should have read the fine print. No sleeping with the boss, got it.’

‘It just can’t happen. It’s something I feel really strongly about.’

I breathed out a laugh. ‘I was so eager to sign on the dotted line, too.’

‘If it makes you feel any better, I’ve never wanted to fire someone so much in my life.’

A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. ‘Then why don’t you?’

I could see Jay’s jaw clench as he looked down at me, seriously considering it.

I shrugged. ‘You can rehire me in the morning.’

Jay laughed, shaking his head. ‘It doesn’t work like that.’

I couldn’t help but feel something inside me sink; apparently he really was a good guy, perhaps too good. But I wouldn’t beg; after all, I did have some pride. Besides, I would use it as an even bigger driving force to land the role of my dreams on Monday and have great pleasure in handing in my resignation to the Saloon Bar.

‘Well, boss, I’ll see you tomorrow at seven.’

‘Abby.’

I knew what was coming, the old ‘come on, don’t be like that’ line, but instead I smiled, warm and genuine. Because I really wasn’t being ‘like that’. I wasn’t mad. I wasn’t upset. Horny? Yes! But I wanted to be clear that I could deal with this awkwardness, no worries.

‘Night, Jay.’ And as I turned away from him, heading across to the stairs, I knew I really was okay, because I had a plan. Instead of dreading the challenges of tomorrow or the next day, I was bloody well looking forward to them.