Page 111 of Sit, Stay, Love
‘I’ll get plates,’ Toby muttered, turning towards the kitchen cupboards.
Sera sat on the couch beside Ethan, and Toby sat on the floor, his shoulder touching Sera’s leg, Buffy lying across his lap.
‘What’ll we watch?’ Toby asked. ‘Aliens, Die Hard, Jurassic Park?’
‘Why don’t we watch something a little newer?’ Ethan asked.
Toby shrugged and tossed him the remote. ‘Sure thing. You choose.’ He took a swallow of beer. ‘Sera tells me you’ve asked her to go to LA with you?’
Ethan glanced at her, his expression dark.
Her stomach lurched. ‘Toby was with me at my parents’ last night.’
A dry chuckle escaped Ethan’s lips. ‘She didn’t mention you were there.’
‘She didn’t? Huh.’ Toby picked up a slice of pizza and took an excessively large bite.
Sera nudged him hard with her knee and he swayed to the side.
‘Anyway. Yeah,’ Ethan said. ‘Sera’s helped me a lot with the dog thing. It would be great to have her with me, to stop me from going backwards and… because it would be great to have her with me.’
Toby nodded. ‘She’s told me you’ve been doing pretty well. I’m sure that took a lot of determination.’
‘I’ve had a great teacher.’
‘Yep. She’s amazing.’ Toby took another long pull on his beer. ‘So, would she be going to LA as your employee or your girlfriend? Or both?’
Sera felt Ethan tense beside her. ‘For a start, I won’t be paying her, the production will. I’ve sorted that out.’ He flicked her a look. ‘And the rest is up to Sera. I’ll be happy with whatever choice she makes.’
She raised a hand in the air. ‘Guys, I’m sitting right here. Stop talking about me like I’m invisible.’
‘Sorry, Ser,’ Toby said.
Ethan gently shoulder-bumped her. ‘Sorry.’
‘Let’s just watch a movie.’ She snatched the remote from Ethan’s hand, desperate to shut the men up, and flicked through the Netflix screen. ‘This one’s supposed to be good. Keanu Reeves is in it.’ By the time she realisedAlways Be My Maybewas about two best friends falling in love, complete with one of them dating a movie star, it was all too late.
Toby stretched his arms above his head, letting one drop across Sera’s knees. ‘I suppose I’d better go. Got someone coming for a drop off at seven-thirty in the morning.’
‘I’ll walk you out,’ Sera said, shoving his arm away as she stood.
He reached his hand up towards her.
She slapped it. ‘You’re quite capable of getting up yourself,’ she said, complete with a look that would make most people wither.
It made him grin, and he pushed off the floor and looked back at Ethan. ‘See you at Sera’s fundraiser, James.’
‘Sure will, doc.’
Sera put her hands on the small of Toby’s back and pushed him forcibly out the door.
‘Great movie,’ Toby said, laughing as they stepped onto the verandah. ‘Brilliant choice.’ He gave her two thumbs-up.
‘Shut up.’
‘No, seriously. The part where the famous actor got dumped for the best friend?’ He motioned with a chef’s kiss.
She whacked his arm. ‘Shut. Up.’
