Before I could speak, Cutter interrupted the interview by waving at us. He held a medium-sized shipping box in his hands. He signaled from me to Max and moved in.
I smiled through my teeth. “Not now, thanks, Cutter.”
Cutter ignored me and sat the box on the coffee table in front of us. Then he scooted back out of camera range.
Roberto snatched up the card. “Looks like we have a delivery. Is it a crumb cake?” He read aloud, “Art Department delivery. From Hannah to Max.”
Max looked at me.
I shook my head.
He arched his eyebrow and lifted the lid on the delivery.
I recognized the contents immediately.
Lorene tipped forward and gasped.
Chapter Eleven
Lorene reached into the box and lifted out the gold-fringed bra, holding the straps by her index fingers. “The Metallica 2000.” Awe sounded in her voice, and the look she sent me was envious. “Give your boyfriend something you want. I totally get it.”
The box was from the Art Department alright. But it wasn’t from me. It was from Justin to Lorene. Not that Justin had the guts to deliver it. So it had to be from Archie. Archie. Oh no.
I snatched the card from Roberto, who at this point was staring at my chest. I scanned the writing. Archie’s. I’d processed enough of his paperwork to recognize it. A delivery from Archie meant an imminent prank. I checked the inside of the box.
One thing remained—a brown paper bag, the kind specialty paint brushes came in.
I drummed my fingertips on my knee, having no idea how to play this. We did not want to find out what was in the bag while the camera was rolling. What was in the bag? Jewelry? A nighty? Panties?
A worse thought hit me. Justin had spent several lunches making a cartoon video of his and Lorene’s imaginary future baby. It had crawled around his screen like a pet until I’d told him how über creepy it was. Maybe Archie had thrown it on a thumb drive. Maybe he’d made one for Max and me. Heat burned my face. I could imagine Roberto popping the thumb drive into his laptop and showing the video on national television.
Lorene lifted the bag from the delivery box.
I grabbed the other end. “No.”
Her mouth tightened, and she gripped the bag harder, keeping the cameras and everyone’s focus on her.
I yanked. “It’s mine.”
Max sat back. “Technically, it’s mine.”
We both ignored him. Lorene pulled. I dug my nails in.
The bag ripped and a white oblong box fell out, plopping down on the table.
Oh.
Neither Lorene nor I touched it.
The camera guy leapt forward and focused on the box.
The label read, Pregnancy Kit – For When It’s Time To Know.
Ew. Archie! Grr. Frustration twisted through me. Dragging Max into his prank took Archie to a new low.
Roberto scooted back. His eyes moved from my chest to my waist, checking for a baby bump, making me wish for the first time that I had worn the cat suit. I had nothing to hide. Roberto’s gaze lifted, and he smirked. “Looks like Sara’s not the only one with a bun in the oven.”
Mom was going to kill me. I lunged.
Max wrapped his arms around my waist, and he pulled me onto his lap. “Babe.”
Really? Babe? I glared at him.
His hard arms tightened, restraining me. “Roberto, you may not know this, but Hannah’s also an artist and the Art Department is full of pranksters.”
My fury eased at his logical explanation. I relaxed, settling against him. “Exactly. The box is a prank. Though not the bra.” I eyed the expensive gold lingerie draped on Lorene’s lap. “That’s a gift from Justin to Lorene. He adores her.”
“My fans are the best.” Lorene smiled and blew a kiss to the camera. “Kisses.”
Roberto signaled to his cameraman. “That’s a wrap.” He rose and shook Lorene’s hand, then Max’s. He shook my hand last and didn’t let go. He used the maneuver to help me up. “So, Hannah, you’re not pregnant?”
“No. Thanks for that though.”
“Hey, I didn’t deliver the package. And
I smiled through my teeth. “Not now, thanks, Cutter.”
Cutter ignored me and sat the box on the coffee table in front of us. Then he scooted back out of camera range.
Roberto snatched up the card. “Looks like we have a delivery. Is it a crumb cake?” He read aloud, “Art Department delivery. From Hannah to Max.”
Max looked at me.
I shook my head.
He arched his eyebrow and lifted the lid on the delivery.
I recognized the contents immediately.
Lorene tipped forward and gasped.
Chapter Eleven
Lorene reached into the box and lifted out the gold-fringed bra, holding the straps by her index fingers. “The Metallica 2000.” Awe sounded in her voice, and the look she sent me was envious. “Give your boyfriend something you want. I totally get it.”
The box was from the Art Department alright. But it wasn’t from me. It was from Justin to Lorene. Not that Justin had the guts to deliver it. So it had to be from Archie. Archie. Oh no.
I snatched the card from Roberto, who at this point was staring at my chest. I scanned the writing. Archie’s. I’d processed enough of his paperwork to recognize it. A delivery from Archie meant an imminent prank. I checked the inside of the box.
One thing remained—a brown paper bag, the kind specialty paint brushes came in.
I drummed my fingertips on my knee, having no idea how to play this. We did not want to find out what was in the bag while the camera was rolling. What was in the bag? Jewelry? A nighty? Panties?
A worse thought hit me. Justin had spent several lunches making a cartoon video of his and Lorene’s imaginary future baby. It had crawled around his screen like a pet until I’d told him how über creepy it was. Maybe Archie had thrown it on a thumb drive. Maybe he’d made one for Max and me. Heat burned my face. I could imagine Roberto popping the thumb drive into his laptop and showing the video on national television.
Lorene lifted the bag from the delivery box.
I grabbed the other end. “No.”
Her mouth tightened, and she gripped the bag harder, keeping the cameras and everyone’s focus on her.
I yanked. “It’s mine.”
Max sat back. “Technically, it’s mine.”
We both ignored him. Lorene pulled. I dug my nails in.
The bag ripped and a white oblong box fell out, plopping down on the table.
Oh.
Neither Lorene nor I touched it.
The camera guy leapt forward and focused on the box.
The label read, Pregnancy Kit – For When It’s Time To Know.
Ew. Archie! Grr. Frustration twisted through me. Dragging Max into his prank took Archie to a new low.
Roberto scooted back. His eyes moved from my chest to my waist, checking for a baby bump, making me wish for the first time that I had worn the cat suit. I had nothing to hide. Roberto’s gaze lifted, and he smirked. “Looks like Sara’s not the only one with a bun in the oven.”
Mom was going to kill me. I lunged.
Max wrapped his arms around my waist, and he pulled me onto his lap. “Babe.”
Really? Babe? I glared at him.
His hard arms tightened, restraining me. “Roberto, you may not know this, but Hannah’s also an artist and the Art Department is full of pranksters.”
My fury eased at his logical explanation. I relaxed, settling against him. “Exactly. The box is a prank. Though not the bra.” I eyed the expensive gold lingerie draped on Lorene’s lap. “That’s a gift from Justin to Lorene. He adores her.”
“My fans are the best.” Lorene smiled and blew a kiss to the camera. “Kisses.”
Roberto signaled to his cameraman. “That’s a wrap.” He rose and shook Lorene’s hand, then Max’s. He shook my hand last and didn’t let go. He used the maneuver to help me up. “So, Hannah, you’re not pregnant?”
“No. Thanks for that though.”
“Hey, I didn’t deliver the package. And
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