help.
“Yeah, but it’s different this time.”
“Why?”
“Whaddaya mean, why? Because it is. Because
it’s the truth, and because she is making a laughingstock of me all
over boot camp.”
“I know,” Jack said with a grin. “It’s
hilarious. Cooper thinks we’ve finally got a chance with some of
the girls since you’ve been laughed out of commission.”
“Look, I don’t care about the rest of them,
but I have my reasons for wanting Leah to know the truth. I just
think she might believe me if she hears it from someone else.”
“Man, I don’t know,” Jack said with a
playful wince. “That’s really crossing over to the dark side of a
soap opera. I’d need a little something more than just you wanting
a favor.”
Michael sighed, pulled out his Blackberry.
“Okay, Jacko,” he said, and punched a couple of buttons. “Lindsey,
the production assistant, right?”
“Right,” Jack said with a grin.
Michael held up his Blackberry. “You tell
Leah that what I told her is the truth, and I hit send, and
Lindsey’s number will be in your e-mail box before you can take
your Blackberry out of your pocket.”
Jack glanced across the dirt lot where the
women were running an obstacle course. Leah was sitting in one of a
dozen captain’s chairs, talking with great animation. He glanced at
Michael from the corner of his eye. “Let me see the number
again.”
Michael held up the Blackberry where
Lindsey’s name and number were clearly displayed. Jack squinted at
it, rubbed his nape, and looked across at Leah and her friends
again. “Great. Send me to do your groveling. Dammit, Raney, why
can’t you just be a normal guy?” he complained.
But he’d started walking in that
direction.
Michael hit send and went back to the office
to do some work.
When he returned to the obstacle course a
little later, several of the production office guys had taken up
the captain’s chairs, and Nicole Redding was right in the middle of
them. Why, Michael could not fathom. There was no reason she should
be here at this stage of the game, and didn’t big major stars have
better things to do with their time than sit around and watch boot
camp for the minor actors?
But there she was, in the director’s chair,
naturally, beneath the large awning that had been erected to
protect the fair skin of those with huge egos. Nicole’s tiny legs
were crossed daintily, her red hair hanging in soft layers around
her face, as if a stylist had just arranged it. She was accompanied
by a couple of Starlets who had already glommed onto her. They were
all having a grand time laughing it up with the production
boys.
“Michael!” Nicole called out the moment she
saw him, waving him over.
Damn damn damn . . . Michael shoved his hands in his pockets and
said, “Hey, Nicki.”
“Well look who’s here,” she said, checking
him out with a smile of amusement. “The spy who shags me, and I
didn’t even know he was an international man of mystery.” Her
little Starlet crew squealed with laughter.
Smooth. She’d just given the impression that
they were still together. There was a reason she was considered one
of the world’s most successful actresses. “I wouldn’t be very
mysterious if you knew, would I?” he drawled.
“Oh Michael, you are so funny,” she said,
her smile brightening. “Why don’t you sit down?” she asked, looking
at the chair next to her that was inhabited by a Starlet, who
instantly popped up. “We haven’t had a chance to talk today.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said, wincing
sorrowfully. “But I’ve got some work that can’t wait. I’ll catch up
with you later, okay?” And before Queen Nicole on her throne could
say a word, he walked on.
In hindsight, he had to admit that dating
Nicole, however briefly, was not one of his better moves.
A couple of hours later, he found Jack on
the edge of the field, going over the obstacles with his group
again. When he sent the girls out to run the course, Jack
“Yeah, but it’s different this time.”
“Why?”
“Whaddaya mean, why? Because it is. Because
it’s the truth, and because she is making a laughingstock of me all
over boot camp.”
“I know,” Jack said with a grin. “It’s
hilarious. Cooper thinks we’ve finally got a chance with some of
the girls since you’ve been laughed out of commission.”
“Look, I don’t care about the rest of them,
but I have my reasons for wanting Leah to know the truth. I just
think she might believe me if she hears it from someone else.”
“Man, I don’t know,” Jack said with a
playful wince. “That’s really crossing over to the dark side of a
soap opera. I’d need a little something more than just you wanting
a favor.”
Michael sighed, pulled out his Blackberry.
“Okay, Jacko,” he said, and punched a couple of buttons. “Lindsey,
the production assistant, right?”
“Right,” Jack said with a grin.
Michael held up his Blackberry. “You tell
Leah that what I told her is the truth, and I hit send, and
Lindsey’s number will be in your e-mail box before you can take
your Blackberry out of your pocket.”
Jack glanced across the dirt lot where the
women were running an obstacle course. Leah was sitting in one of a
dozen captain’s chairs, talking with great animation. He glanced at
Michael from the corner of his eye. “Let me see the number
again.”
Michael held up the Blackberry where
Lindsey’s name and number were clearly displayed. Jack squinted at
it, rubbed his nape, and looked across at Leah and her friends
again. “Great. Send me to do your groveling. Dammit, Raney, why
can’t you just be a normal guy?” he complained.
But he’d started walking in that
direction.
Michael hit send and went back to the office
to do some work.
When he returned to the obstacle course a
little later, several of the production office guys had taken up
the captain’s chairs, and Nicole Redding was right in the middle of
them. Why, Michael could not fathom. There was no reason she should
be here at this stage of the game, and didn’t big major stars have
better things to do with their time than sit around and watch boot
camp for the minor actors?
But there she was, in the director’s chair,
naturally, beneath the large awning that had been erected to
protect the fair skin of those with huge egos. Nicole’s tiny legs
were crossed daintily, her red hair hanging in soft layers around
her face, as if a stylist had just arranged it. She was accompanied
by a couple of Starlets who had already glommed onto her. They were
all having a grand time laughing it up with the production
boys.
“Michael!” Nicole called out the moment she
saw him, waving him over.
Damn damn damn . . . Michael shoved his hands in his pockets and
said, “Hey, Nicki.”
“Well look who’s here,” she said, checking
him out with a smile of amusement. “The spy who shags me, and I
didn’t even know he was an international man of mystery.” Her
little Starlet crew squealed with laughter.
Smooth. She’d just given the impression that
they were still together. There was a reason she was considered one
of the world’s most successful actresses. “I wouldn’t be very
mysterious if you knew, would I?” he drawled.
“Oh Michael, you are so funny,” she said,
her smile brightening. “Why don’t you sit down?” she asked, looking
at the chair next to her that was inhabited by a Starlet, who
instantly popped up. “We haven’t had a chance to talk today.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said, wincing
sorrowfully. “But I’ve got some work that can’t wait. I’ll catch up
with you later, okay?” And before Queen Nicole on her throne could
say a word, he walked on.
In hindsight, he had to admit that dating
Nicole, however briefly, was not one of his better moves.
A couple of hours later, he found Jack on
the edge of the field, going over the obstacles with his group
again. When he sent the girls out to run the course, Jack
Similar Books
