Spotlight

8

With a few days left before her appearance in Orlando, Sarah opts to catch a rather awkward ride back to Los Angeles with Dave and Lucy rather than staying hauled up in a hotel room in Tampa, in order to allow herself time to process everything and come up with a plan as to how approach Abby.

Making her way downstairs from the bed where she's spent most of the time since landing back home, her stomach rumbles and she opens up the rather empty looking fridge. Seeing only cartons from Chinese food that she doesn't quite remember ordering or eating, she opts to toss them into the garbage and instead heads back to her bedroom to get dressed and make herself presentable and hopefully, allow her to blend in as she makes her way to her favourite spot for some of their delicious chicken parm.

Arriving and parking her car down the street, she's thankful that it's an off time and it doesn't appear like there is any celebrities and or paparazzi's hanging around to snap a pic of her, in her current state. Entering the restaurant, she looks around and smiles when she sees that Jess is working. Making eye contact with her and indicating she'll seat herself at the back, Jess nods and she finds a spot in an empty booth.

Jess smiles as she makes her way over to the table and sets down a placement and napkin with the silverware inside. "Just you?"

Sarah nods.

"Do I need to get a menu for you, or, will it be your usual?"

"The usual please, Jess, thanks."

Jess smiles before walking away and putting the order in. She returns with a glass of water and a glass of Sarah's preferred wine, placing them on the table in front of her.

Noticing that Sarah is scowling at her phone as it continues to buzz and messages pop up, Jess can't help but feel like something is up with the young star and takes a seat across the booth from her.

"Anything you want or need to talk about?"

"Not particularly, but, if I don't soon; I'm going to lose my mind! I need to find and hire a new personal assistant, I had to fire mine."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Was she not doing her job properly?"

Sarah takes a sip of her wine and swallows, "She was doing her job as well as doing Dave. The two of them were carrying on a relationship behind my back and finally came clean after the show in Tampa. So, not only am I processing losing my boyfriend, but also being betrayed by someone I considered to be my best friend."

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry, Sarah." Jess hears an order being called out and stands, "I'll be right back, just need to get table 10 their food."

Jess returns a few minutes later with Sarah's order, a bottle of wine and another glass.

"I didn't order a bottle."

"I know. Benefit of being the owner is that I can clock out when I want and I though that you'd like some company while you eat. Is that okay with you or was I being presumptuous?"

Sarah smiles and nods, "Please, join me. I've been on my own, way too much recently, so I'd love some company."

Jess takes a seat and pours herself a glass as well as topping Sarah's up. She can't help but chuckle when Sarah takes a big mouthful of her supper and ends up wearing sauce on her chin.

"What?" Sarah looks at her.

Jess smiles, "You've got sauce on your chin."

"Oh." Sarah takes the napkin and wipes at it. "Gone?"

"Yep."

As Sarah eats and drinks, she begins to loosen up and appreciates the company and conversation with the middle-aged waitress.