he reveled in the pain and the joy of it all, grateful to be alive.
Chapter Sixteen
Jessica Turnbull sat on a couch in her dressing room, flipping through a tabloid article all about her love life. It didn’t bother her a bit that almost none of it was true. Publicity was publicity, in whatever form it came. Some girls might have been upset by it, but as long as Jessica’s picture was on the cover, she was happy.
In front of her, Roger Craddock paced back and forth with a look of anguish on his face. “You’ve been avoiding me lately,” he said.
“Don’t be silly,” Jessica answered without looking up.
“You don’t even return my calls,” he whined.
“Baby, you sound like a wounded schoolboy,” she replied.
“What were you doing last night that was so damned important?!”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she said slyly.
“Yes, I would,” he said.
“Such a big, important man, and yet so insecure,” she responded.
“Why do you do this to me?” he cried. “Why do you torment me?”
“I’m a star, dear. It’s what stars do. Besides, I love it when you’re jealous.”
Craddock sat down on the couch beside her. Desperation showed in the worried look on his face. Jessica leaned over and gently kissed him on the forehead. “Don’t believe the Hollywood rumor mill. You know how it is, dear. Atrocious.” Just then they heard a knock at the door.
“You’re wanted on the set, Jessica!” came a voice from outside.
“Duty calls, dear,” said she to Craddock. Jessica stood up and took a last look in the mirror, adjusting her hair slightly before she walked out, leaving her agonized producer behind.
Chapter Seventeen
Warren walked into a café in his baggy suit and gazed around at the empty wooden tables. Along one side, Jessica sat at a counter in a waitress’ uniform, idly drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.
“Afternoon,” said Warren.
“Yes it would be,” said Jessica.
“What are you drinking?”
“What does it look like? Why, you a cop?”
“Just a man looking for something more refreshing than tea, if you know what I mean,” said Warren.
“You’re talking to the wrong girl, then. I wouldn’t know a thing about that,” said Jessica, shaking her head and looking back to her paper.
“Oh, yeah? I heard you were McGhee’s girl.”
“That so? You believe everything you hear?” she said, haughtily.
“I believe he’s a lucky man, if it’s true.”
“Well, if it is true, you might just watch yourself. A man could get in a bad way around here.” She looked at him with steely eyes.
“Sorry to bother you, ma’am,” said Warren. He started to walk off, but Jessica called after him.
“Oh, hell, you look safe enough. Downstairs, knock three times. Password’s ‘The Cat’s Meow.’”
Warren smiled, his eyes glittering. “Thanks,” he said.
“Cut!” yelled the director. “Brilliant! I love it! Moving on!”
Suddenly the set was full of life as the crew scurried around, repositioning their gear. “Not bad, rookie. Not bad at all,” Jessica said to Warren.
“Thank you,” Warren replied uneasily. When they were acting together it was easy to lose himself in the role, but off camera he was still under the impression that he wasn’t meant to speak with her. He looked at Jessica’s perfect skin, that little nose and the depth of those beautiful round eyes. He breathed in deeply and inhaled her aroma. Intoxicating.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Yes, fine!” Warren stammered.
“I didn’t have much hope for you, to be honest. Even after your audition, but you keep surprising me.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Some men are not easy to act against, believe me, but with you it’s not so bad. I think we might even have some chemistry. Let’s hope anyway. That’s the key to the whole thing, after all, isn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t
Chapter Sixteen
Jessica Turnbull sat on a couch in her dressing room, flipping through a tabloid article all about her love life. It didn’t bother her a bit that almost none of it was true. Publicity was publicity, in whatever form it came. Some girls might have been upset by it, but as long as Jessica’s picture was on the cover, she was happy.
In front of her, Roger Craddock paced back and forth with a look of anguish on his face. “You’ve been avoiding me lately,” he said.
“Don’t be silly,” Jessica answered without looking up.
“You don’t even return my calls,” he whined.
“Baby, you sound like a wounded schoolboy,” she replied.
“What were you doing last night that was so damned important?!”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she said slyly.
“Yes, I would,” he said.
“Such a big, important man, and yet so insecure,” she responded.
“Why do you do this to me?” he cried. “Why do you torment me?”
“I’m a star, dear. It’s what stars do. Besides, I love it when you’re jealous.”
Craddock sat down on the couch beside her. Desperation showed in the worried look on his face. Jessica leaned over and gently kissed him on the forehead. “Don’t believe the Hollywood rumor mill. You know how it is, dear. Atrocious.” Just then they heard a knock at the door.
“You’re wanted on the set, Jessica!” came a voice from outside.
“Duty calls, dear,” said she to Craddock. Jessica stood up and took a last look in the mirror, adjusting her hair slightly before she walked out, leaving her agonized producer behind.
Chapter Seventeen
Warren walked into a café in his baggy suit and gazed around at the empty wooden tables. Along one side, Jessica sat at a counter in a waitress’ uniform, idly drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.
“Afternoon,” said Warren.
“Yes it would be,” said Jessica.
“What are you drinking?”
“What does it look like? Why, you a cop?”
“Just a man looking for something more refreshing than tea, if you know what I mean,” said Warren.
“You’re talking to the wrong girl, then. I wouldn’t know a thing about that,” said Jessica, shaking her head and looking back to her paper.
“Oh, yeah? I heard you were McGhee’s girl.”
“That so? You believe everything you hear?” she said, haughtily.
“I believe he’s a lucky man, if it’s true.”
“Well, if it is true, you might just watch yourself. A man could get in a bad way around here.” She looked at him with steely eyes.
“Sorry to bother you, ma’am,” said Warren. He started to walk off, but Jessica called after him.
“Oh, hell, you look safe enough. Downstairs, knock three times. Password’s ‘The Cat’s Meow.’”
Warren smiled, his eyes glittering. “Thanks,” he said.
“Cut!” yelled the director. “Brilliant! I love it! Moving on!”
Suddenly the set was full of life as the crew scurried around, repositioning their gear. “Not bad, rookie. Not bad at all,” Jessica said to Warren.
“Thank you,” Warren replied uneasily. When they were acting together it was easy to lose himself in the role, but off camera he was still under the impression that he wasn’t meant to speak with her. He looked at Jessica’s perfect skin, that little nose and the depth of those beautiful round eyes. He breathed in deeply and inhaled her aroma. Intoxicating.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Yes, fine!” Warren stammered.
“I didn’t have much hope for you, to be honest. Even after your audition, but you keep surprising me.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Some men are not easy to act against, believe me, but with you it’s not so bad. I think we might even have some chemistry. Let’s hope anyway. That’s the key to the whole thing, after all, isn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t
Similar Books
