“I guarantee you almost everyone I work with has done it at least once.”Brandon’s retort carried a hint ofduh.
“My point exactly,” I said.
“Do you have work today?”Brandon asked.
I shook my head.
“So, you’re going to go home and spend the weekend cycling over this problem, not knowing how bad it is, not able to do anything, until Monday morning.”Danny summed the situation up nicely.
I shrugged in acceptance.
“You owe me a game, it’s a good way to be distracted, problem solved.”
It was tempting to argue with Brandon’s logic, if for no other reason than I didn’t like him assuming I’d sayyes, but I really didn’t like the idea of being stuck alone with my own thoughts for the next two days.
Besides, I’d heard alotabout this game, and it was time to see how much of the worship from its creators was true.And if my staying here led to another night like last night, even better.“Let me go grab my laptop, and change, and I’m in.”
I wasn’t doing a walk of shame wearing this dress home—stupid phrase.There was no shame in what we’d done and it was a gorgeous dress.Who knew when I’d have the excuse to wear it again?Fuck it, I’d make a reason for this dress.I hung it on a hook on the wall, so I could see it from anywhere in my apartment, prepared for a day and a night of fun—whatever that may entail—and headed back to the hotel.
As I was pulling into the parking lot, my phone chimed with a new text, and then another.By the time I parked, my phone had stopped chirping.
I scrolled through the string of messages from Dustin.
It’s down.
I assume it was yours.
I think it was hotel staff.
I’ll talk to them.
The decision to sing was mine, and anyone who recorded it didn’t know doing so might cause me issues.I sent him back a quick,Don’t get anyone in trouble.And thank you.
Maybe it would be okay.There was a free legal service I’d talked to about this contract in the past, and if Todd really did try to sue me, they could help me figure it out.Or this would be the moment he realized managing me wasn’t doing anyone any favors.
Hell, even if he saw the popularity of the video and it started getting me better gigs, I’d take that.
It'd be fine.I’d be fine.
Please let this be fine.
I caught up to Danny in the lobby, near the elevators.He had two laptop bags slung over his shoulder.
“You lost thego fetch stuffcoin toss?”I teased.
“Brandon wanted to get something down.You know how inspiration goes.”
There was something off about Danny’s reply.Not unhappiness but a tone I couldn’t place.I studied his face in the reflection of the door as we rode the elevator up, but all I saw was a warped version of his natural smile bouncing back at me.
When we reached the room, we set up our laptops so we could play.Danny had a portable hotspot we logged into, insisting Luna would have someone’s hide if we used hotel wi-fi.Not that we’d be able to play with that kind of connection.
Brandon was surprised I already had the game installed.
“Adrienne hooked me up.”I owed her a game later.“But you get to be my first time.”
Danny smirked and Brandon raised an eyebrow.But the instant I was on the character creation screen, Brandon was there pointing things out and walking me through steps.
I picked a character race that was tall and slender, with pale skin and pointy ears, and I loved that she was wearing basically a black version of the strappy outfit fromThe Fifth Element.She had two swords, and did a nifty spin-kick-slash animation every time I moused over her.