forearms easily on the table between them. “I had no right blowing
up this morning.” She made a face that suggested she was embarrassed by her actions. “Yes, I like salmon, but the scene I
made? Really?” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m sorry, Chase. I was out of line.”
Something in Rita’s tone kept Chase on his guard. She was volatile and difficult, just like they’d been warned. If this was
a true apology, it would likely be followed by some other request, something she still wanted and hadn’t gotten. He remained
unmoved except for a polite smile. “Apology accepted.”
“Really?” In the shadows near the fireplace she looked younger than her thirty-seven years, more like a school girl seeking
attention. “I felt bad all day.”
“Let it go.” It hit Chase that he was sitting across the table talking to one of the country’s favorite movie stars. Rita
was blonde and willowy with the ability to play a decade younger or older than her age—depending on the role. She’d won an
Academy Award for supporting actress in her teens, and she’d raised the bar in every movie she’d been in since. Chase still
wasn’t sure what she wanted. “Tomorrow’s a new day for all of us.”
Rita tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her eyes searching his as if she was trying to see past his position as producer.
“So who are you, Chase Ryan? You’re awfully young to be making movies.”
“I’m more the director on this one.” He felt his guard drop a little. Maybe she only wanted to make small talk to repair the
damage from earlier. “Keith and I are a team.” He gave a look that said he couldn’t be sure about anything. “We hope this
is the first of many movies to come. Our dreams are pretty big.”
She hesitated, and her eyes found the ring on his left hand. “You’re married, of course.” A grin eased the embarrassment that
had colored her expression since she sat down. “The best looking ones always are.”
It took Chase a few heartbeats to register what she’d said. Even then he figured she was still only looking to make a connection,
trying to erase the impression she’d made at breakfast. “Making points, huh?” He laughed and leaned his head back, trying
to read her intentions. On the handful of movies he and Keith had worked over the past few years, he’d been hit on here and
there. He couldn’t tell about Rita.
When he didn’t say anything else, she leaned a little closer across the table. “So tell me about Chase … what’s behind those
deep brown eyes?”
“You had it right.” He kept his tone easy, but he had no intention of letting her see past his professional exterior. “I’m
happily married to Kelly. We have two little girls—Molly and Macy, four and two. Other than missing my family? I love God
and my wife and the idea of making movies that pack a message.” He felt his smile cool some. “That’s about it.”
“You know why I took this movie?” She seemed anxious to move on. “I mean, I get a lot of offers.”
“I’m sure.” Chase was curious. They’d put the script out to twenty-some actresses, and all of them turned the part down because
of the budget or because Keith and he were untested. Then one day when they were running out of time, a call came into their
small office from Rita Reynolds’ agent. She wanted a shot at the lead role. At the time, the phone call and the interest from
Rita was one more miracle allowing them to move forward with a movie that would hopefully wind up on the big screen. But they
never really knew why Rita had sought them out. “Tell me why.”
“I research the unknown people in this business. Through IMDB’s website and on a handful of blogs and chat groups I check
up on.”
Chase remembered the first time he saw their work on the Internet Movie Database, and the thrill that came with feeling like
that made them legitimate producers. The warmth from the fire felt
up this morning.” She made a face that suggested she was embarrassed by her actions. “Yes, I like salmon, but the scene I
made? Really?” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m sorry, Chase. I was out of line.”
Something in Rita’s tone kept Chase on his guard. She was volatile and difficult, just like they’d been warned. If this was
a true apology, it would likely be followed by some other request, something she still wanted and hadn’t gotten. He remained
unmoved except for a polite smile. “Apology accepted.”
“Really?” In the shadows near the fireplace she looked younger than her thirty-seven years, more like a school girl seeking
attention. “I felt bad all day.”
“Let it go.” It hit Chase that he was sitting across the table talking to one of the country’s favorite movie stars. Rita
was blonde and willowy with the ability to play a decade younger or older than her age—depending on the role. She’d won an
Academy Award for supporting actress in her teens, and she’d raised the bar in every movie she’d been in since. Chase still
wasn’t sure what she wanted. “Tomorrow’s a new day for all of us.”
Rita tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her eyes searching his as if she was trying to see past his position as producer.
“So who are you, Chase Ryan? You’re awfully young to be making movies.”
“I’m more the director on this one.” He felt his guard drop a little. Maybe she only wanted to make small talk to repair the
damage from earlier. “Keith and I are a team.” He gave a look that said he couldn’t be sure about anything. “We hope this
is the first of many movies to come. Our dreams are pretty big.”
She hesitated, and her eyes found the ring on his left hand. “You’re married, of course.” A grin eased the embarrassment that
had colored her expression since she sat down. “The best looking ones always are.”
It took Chase a few heartbeats to register what she’d said. Even then he figured she was still only looking to make a connection,
trying to erase the impression she’d made at breakfast. “Making points, huh?” He laughed and leaned his head back, trying
to read her intentions. On the handful of movies he and Keith had worked over the past few years, he’d been hit on here and
there. He couldn’t tell about Rita.
When he didn’t say anything else, she leaned a little closer across the table. “So tell me about Chase … what’s behind those
deep brown eyes?”
“You had it right.” He kept his tone easy, but he had no intention of letting her see past his professional exterior. “I’m
happily married to Kelly. We have two little girls—Molly and Macy, four and two. Other than missing my family? I love God
and my wife and the idea of making movies that pack a message.” He felt his smile cool some. “That’s about it.”
“You know why I took this movie?” She seemed anxious to move on. “I mean, I get a lot of offers.”
“I’m sure.” Chase was curious. They’d put the script out to twenty-some actresses, and all of them turned the part down because
of the budget or because Keith and he were untested. Then one day when they were running out of time, a call came into their
small office from Rita Reynolds’ agent. She wanted a shot at the lead role. At the time, the phone call and the interest from
Rita was one more miracle allowing them to move forward with a movie that would hopefully wind up on the big screen. But they
never really knew why Rita had sought them out. “Tell me why.”
“I research the unknown people in this business. Through IMDB’s website and on a handful of blogs and chat groups I check
up on.”
Chase remembered the first time he saw their work on the Internet Movie Database, and the thrill that came with feeling like
that made them legitimate producers. The warmth from the fire felt
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