—
After lunch, Jo leanedagainst her doorjamb and looked at Emma. Emma tried to stay focused on her email. She considered asking what Jo was doing, but she wanted to see where this was going to go.
Finally, Jo said, “You have your inhaler, right?”
Emma opened her desk drawer, picked up her inhaler, and waved it at Jo.
“Good,” Jo said. “Good.”
She went back into her office.
There was a part of Emma that wanted to make this easy on her, wanted to forgive and forget and make Jo smile again. But as Emma kept reminding herself, she deserved better. She appreciated the apology, but it didn’t matter if Jo was sorry that she hadn’t considered Emma’s feelings unless she wasn’t going to do it again. Sorry meant nothing without changed behavior. That was what Emma had told herself, months ago, her mouth accidentally landing on Jo’s at the wrap party. She hadn’t had to apologize out loud then, because her apology was changed behavior, never lettinganything like that happen again. Jo needed to do the same. Emma had forgiven too many people in her life too easily. She was finally learning to stand up for herself.
—
Tuesday morning, Emma handedoff Jo’s coffee.
“Is your asthma worse in this heat wave?”
“It’s fine, Ms. Jones,” Emma said.
“Okay,” Jo said. “Good.”
Emma managed not to roll her eyes. She was sure Jo wasn’t really that hung up on her asthma—it wasn’t what she intended to keep talking about. But if she couldn’t come up with the words of a better apology, couldn’t figure out how to promise Emma she’d be better, Emma wasn’t going to help her.
Especially not on the day of Barry Davis’s visit. It was basically a simple set visit for now. He might end up directing an episode, but he might not. He might like Emma enough to help her get a job, which was something Emma tried not to think about too hard or her throat would close up with anxiety.
Barry was to arrive around ten, and Jo would be greeting him, rather than Emma, who would usually. He was important enough that they were pulling out all the stops.
Emma sat at her desk with nothing pressing to do while Jo went to greet Barry. She tried not to fidget too much. When she heard Jo returning, talking to someone who must have been Barry freakin’ Davis, Emma made sure to look like she was hard at work.
She was typing a fake email when Jo and Barry rounded the corner. She looked up at them and smiled. Barry Davis, in the flesh. His shrewd eyes behind his distinctive rectangular glasses. He had a five-o’clock shadow even though it was morning.
“Barry, this is my assistant, Emma Kaplan,” Jo said.
Emma stood and hoped her face wasn’t too flushed. She offered her hand.
Barry shook it with a grin. “It’s nice to meet you, Emma.”
“You, too, Mr. Davis.”
He laughed. “Please, call me Barry.”
Emma nodded and could tell she was blushing. Jo gave her an inscrutable look.
“I just need to grab my water from my office,” Jo said. “And we’ll be on our way.”
As soon as Jo disappeared into her office, Barry stepped closer to Emma. His cologne smelled like... lumber? Was that a thing expensive cologne smelled like? Emma smiled at him and tried to remind herself that he was just a person like anyone else.
“I’m excited to take a look at set. See what Jo Jones can do,” he said.
“She’s incredibly talented,” Emma said. It was true, even if she was still mad at Jo.
“And you know those talents well, don’t you?” Barry said.
Jo returned with her tumbler then, and Barry slid easily into step with her, somehow making it look like he hadn’t been in Emma’s personal space, like he hadn’t made an inappropriate comment. Emma’s feet stayed rooted to the ground.
Maybe he didn’t mean it that way, she told herself. She was just being sensitive.