Sip of Assistance

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

 

We sat around the table, enjoying the delicious food James and his mother prepared. She had gone out of her way to make the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner: Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, yams, deviled eggs, rolls, salad, cranberry sauce, and for dessert there was pumpkin and apple pie, peach cobbler, ice cream and whipped cream to top it off. The spread looked amazing and everyone dug in, even Sammie.

Of course, once the immediate hunger wore off, we settled into our seats and enjoyed each other’s company.

James sat across from me and I tried my hardest to keep my eyes off of him, but to no avail. I could hear his mother praising him, “I’m so proud of you. All that hard work has really been paying off.” She looked at Tony, “Remember when he first started down this path, Anthony? Barely made ends meet and was still living with his father and I. Then he picked up and moved to Los Angeles and met you. Course, he was still broke for a while,” she looked at James and laughed. “I was so worried about you, but you never quit when you put your mind to things so I knew you would get there… and here you are.” She smiled at James with love and adoration.

“You know, from what I remember I only came to California because you kicked me out, mum.” I could tell he was teasing her from the look on his face, but his tone remained serious.

“Oh pish posh, someone had to give you a nudge,” she brushed off.

Tony laughed at this, a genuine laugh, which I’d never heard from him before. It was a pleasant sound. “You know he crashed with me for months too. The reason I became his agent and helped him get that first movie was so that I could get him off my couch,” he told Caroline. They continued their joking and laughing about James' early days as an actor.

I noticed Sammie wasn’t including herself in the conversation. Instead she was eating in as seductively a manner as I could imagine, staring across the table at Max, who kept glancing at Tony nervously.

I shook my head, not surprised and forced myself to join the discussions around me. I chatted with Brayden and Drew about the new season and what the director and producer were like before Trudy got my attention.

“Holly?”

I looked over at Trudy, happy to have a friend next to me. “I’m glad you came.”

“Me too. So how’s working for James? He seems like a really great boss.”

I laughed, “Well, he’s not really like a boss. We tend to work as a team… Actually it’s really great, he’s really great.”

“Mmmmmhhhmm,” she said again.

“And what does that mean?” I finally asked her.

“Oh come on! He’s gorgeous, don’t tell me you don’t see it,” she whisper yelled at me.

“Please, please do not start by saying he’s different with me and yada yada yada. We’ve been through this before and I don’t think you have the best judgment. I think you’re just too lost in your own lack of a love life so you’re trying to occupy yourself with mine.”

“So you admit you’ve got one?” she asked, one eyebrow rose.

“No and don’t deflect. What about you? I haven’t seen you date anyone since I met you. Maybe it’s time you get out there.”

She rolled her eyes. “As if I have time. Working for Jon is like slave labor. How did you do it for so long by yourself? He needs like everything done for him. There’s a reason I don’t have kids, you know?