He Wants Her Back: The Billionaire’s Leading Lady Novel by Jasmine

Mango cakes

“Sarah, drop the British accent for fuck sake.” The director yelled at her for the umpteenth time while the rest of people on set groaned. “Your character is in present day New York, not having tea with the queen, we’ve gone over this a hundred times already. How many times do you want this scene repeated?”

“We’re going to be here a while.” Jace muttered before he bit into a bagel.

Sarah pouted “I was improvising. The character needs a little pizzazz. I was making it better.”

“Yeah, how about you leave that for Robin Williams huh. Everyone, back to your places. Let’s just start from the line she got wrong, we’ll cut it in later.” He swore as he marched to one of the videographers to chat.

“Lancaster would’ve suggested that after her first two attempts. Glad to see he’s catching on.” I remarked. “Where’d he go anyway?”

“Bigger project. Although I have to say I like Johnson better.” Adams added.

“Speaking of bigger projects. There goes the woman of my dreams.” Jace pushed himself off the floor where we sat, facing the main set. “See you later losers” he followed the retreating figure of Emily dumper. The last name wasn’t actually hers, it was a nickname we coined for her because she had the most massive butt in the building.

When Jace had disappeared, Adams winked at me and scooched closer to me on the ground. What was a simple cute reaction, turned ominous when I recalled Pierce’s possessiveness.

“I’m feeling a bit hungry, and I need a refill.” I said quickly. “I’ll just grab something from the snack table

“I’ll come with-”

“You should stay, Sarah’s about to wrap it up. Johnny will need you in a bit.”

He glanced at the chittering crew and back at me. “Alright. Don’t take too long.”

Relieved, I got up, and did as I had told him. I cared for Adams, really. But I only saw him as a friend, rejecting Pierce didn’t go so well for me, I didn’t want to deal with that from another male if he posed the question.

For the dozenth time that day my thoughts strayed to Pierce. A particular thought remained foremost. I did not know if I should be surprised or just saddened by it. I smiled as I walked past an actress in a shark

onesie.

An entire day.

Pierce pulled me across half the ballroom during Murphy’s birthday and not one single press photo was released about it. The only thing in the news that concerned him was the company and his lovely not–so–mysterious–anymore date.

Pierce had been working hard. I thought, bitterly. Photos with Tami were alright but God forbid our relationship looked like more than a rumor to the press

Of course, his appearances with Tami was definitely killing those rumors.

I grabbed two large sandwiches, one for me and another for Adams, I knew how much he liked them. The cookies were looking extra tasty so I snagged one

+15 BONUS

Mango cakes

“Ooh tiger, save some for the rest of us. I heard someone say behind me. A voice I had become good at recognizing. Steeling myself I turned to find Tami smirking at me. I was once again hit by the similarity in our features.

“What are you doing here?” I asked without thinking.

“Just checking out the studio, seeing as it is a huge part of my father and Pierce’s company. The news is going to run articles on me. I’m no longer a mystery woman.” She shrugged. “Now there’s class to back up the face.”

“Hey Tami…” Sarah’s whiny voice scratched my ears. She rushed past me to Tami and exchanged air kisses with her. Her smile withered when she finally noticed me.

“What are you doing here?” she spat out, shooting me a withering look

“It’s a snack bar, Sarah, what do people usually do around these? I’ll give you time to think.”

She rolled her eyes at me and turned to gush over Tami who smiled sweetly at her.

“Do you two know each other?” I asked, unsure..

“What does it look like? Can you stop interrupting our conversation?” She thrust a cupcake tray at my stomach, which I caught.

“Chew on that, why don’t you?” I wasn’t in the mood for this. I dropped the tray back down and began walking away from both of them but crashed into the small frame of our on–set caterer.

“Linda! I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there.”

A wide cheerful smile spread across her freckled face. “Oh it’s nothing, love always happens.” It took a lot to get on this woman’s nerves. I felt like someone could sit on her head and she would find a way to sympathize with them. She straightened a box in her hand. “When I saw you I remembered these.”

A wave of nausea washed over me when she opened the box to reveal cupcakes. God, my sense of smell had gotten stronger. I could smell the mangoes from a mile away. Linda grinned, proud of her work.

you

“I kept them off the desk so it wouldn’t finish before you got to try them, I know how much like mangoes.”

I stifled my gag and nodded “thank you so much Linda. I absolutely love these.”

She looked at me expectantly and then her smile faltered when I didn’t reach for one. I wasn’t about to make the world’s most cheerful person sad!

Steeling myself I retrieved a single cupcake from the box. I know she expected me to hoard the entire box like I usually did, but she said nothing. To show my commitment I held my breath and took a bite of the cupcake, presuming I could fake chew till I was fat from her and near a bin. That was a grave miscalculation on my part.

The second the crumbs touched my tongue I gagged. Hard. I shoved the cupcake in my hand at Linda and struggled to wipe my mouth clean. She looked at me concerned but helped me fetch a napkin.

“Sorry, I feel sick lately and…” I offered a weak explanation, but Linda, forever the angel accepted it with

ease

“Get some rest dear.”

I nodded feebly and rushed to the nearest bathroom. Managing to hold the vomit in till my head was buried in a sink.