Emma shook her head. “Watch out, Mrs. Ransler.” She turned sparkling eyes up to Josh. “I think he’s an even bigger flirt than Chewie.”
“Who’s Chewie?” Ben and Maisie asked at the same time. Josh felt a momentary bubble of cold panic in his throat. He’d hoped to keep the topic of conversation away from personal things. That way they were less likely to veer into dangerous territory.
“The puppy,” he said to Ben, hoping his voice didn’t sound as strangled as he felt. “Emma named him.” That actually sounded pretty couple-like. And she’d brought it up. Even better. “That overgrown rat adores her.”
Ben snickered. “Let me get this straight. Emma named the dog ‘Chewie’? Not you?” This is why he hadn’t wanted to have this conversation. Emma had no idea Star Wars was his favorite movie. If she said as much, Ransler would definitely be suspicious. The man was just looking for a reason to doubt Josh right now.
“Josh is not the only person who’s seen the Star Wars movies, Benjamin.” Emma pursed her lips in that disapproving librarian way. Josh fought the urge to kiss her. “There are a lot of girls who like them too.”
“Do you two like a lot of the same movies?” William Ransler fired the question at Josh. It seemed casual, but Josh saw the calculation in those piercing blue eyes. Josh’s heart turned inside out in his chest. He didn’t know what kind of movies Emma liked, apart from Star Wars.
Then he remembered she watched Doctor Who too. When she’d been planning the ball he’d make a TARDIS joke and she’d been the only one in the room to get it. He might be able to pull this off.
“You can’t tell by looking at her, but Emma is a bit of a sci-fi nerd. It’s one of her best qualities.”
Emma’s smile faltered a bit at the corners. He’d surprised her. From the corner of his eye he saw Ben’s eyes narrow. He hadn’t explained his plan to his best friend, but Ben was clearly picking up on the ruse. Josh wasn’t worried about Ben figuring it out. Ben had his back. Emma or Ransler, on the other hand, would be a disaster. Cold sweat trickled down Josh’s spine. But Emma didn’t let him down. She rolled her eyes at Maisie.
“I could hardly wear Leia buns to a press luncheon. Besides, he’s one to talk about not looking the part. He’s seen Step Up twenty-three times.”
William Ransler blinked in surprise. Maisie and Ben broke into laughter. “Twenty-three times?” Maisie giggled.
Ben nodded, still chuckling. “He watches it before the Oscars any year one of his films is nominated for something.”
“Once for each nomination. For good luck.” Josh smoothed his suit coat, trying to marshal his face. He wasn’t actually embarrassed about the revelation. Several people knew about his Oscar ritual. It was a joke among his friends, though it had worked more often than not. Josh’s films had won 17 of those 23 nominations. But how did Emma know about it?
“There’s one movie we absolutely agree is amazing, though. Apart from Star Wars, of course,” Emma added. William Ransler was studying her like a scientist with a slide. Josh wanted to bristle, tell the guy to back off, but he couldn’t without blowing his secret.
Ransler slowly raised one brow. “Oh? What’s that?”
“ Concerning All of Us .” Emma’s smile was small and beautiful, and very pointed. Josh could have laughed. Maisie Ransler did.
“Ooh, watch out, Willie. You’re in for it now.” She poked her husband in the side.
William Ransler inclined his head in acknowledgement. “I agree the script is very good. Whether the film will be remains to be seen, however.”
“I’m sorry to argue with you, Mr. Ransler, but that’s just not true. Even without you on board, that movie is going to be great and you know it. The only question remaining is whether or not you’re going to let someone else take the role
“Who’s Chewie?” Ben and Maisie asked at the same time. Josh felt a momentary bubble of cold panic in his throat. He’d hoped to keep the topic of conversation away from personal things. That way they were less likely to veer into dangerous territory.
“The puppy,” he said to Ben, hoping his voice didn’t sound as strangled as he felt. “Emma named him.” That actually sounded pretty couple-like. And she’d brought it up. Even better. “That overgrown rat adores her.”
Ben snickered. “Let me get this straight. Emma named the dog ‘Chewie’? Not you?” This is why he hadn’t wanted to have this conversation. Emma had no idea Star Wars was his favorite movie. If she said as much, Ransler would definitely be suspicious. The man was just looking for a reason to doubt Josh right now.
“Josh is not the only person who’s seen the Star Wars movies, Benjamin.” Emma pursed her lips in that disapproving librarian way. Josh fought the urge to kiss her. “There are a lot of girls who like them too.”
“Do you two like a lot of the same movies?” William Ransler fired the question at Josh. It seemed casual, but Josh saw the calculation in those piercing blue eyes. Josh’s heart turned inside out in his chest. He didn’t know what kind of movies Emma liked, apart from Star Wars.
Then he remembered she watched Doctor Who too. When she’d been planning the ball he’d make a TARDIS joke and she’d been the only one in the room to get it. He might be able to pull this off.
“You can’t tell by looking at her, but Emma is a bit of a sci-fi nerd. It’s one of her best qualities.”
Emma’s smile faltered a bit at the corners. He’d surprised her. From the corner of his eye he saw Ben’s eyes narrow. He hadn’t explained his plan to his best friend, but Ben was clearly picking up on the ruse. Josh wasn’t worried about Ben figuring it out. Ben had his back. Emma or Ransler, on the other hand, would be a disaster. Cold sweat trickled down Josh’s spine. But Emma didn’t let him down. She rolled her eyes at Maisie.
“I could hardly wear Leia buns to a press luncheon. Besides, he’s one to talk about not looking the part. He’s seen Step Up twenty-three times.”
William Ransler blinked in surprise. Maisie and Ben broke into laughter. “Twenty-three times?” Maisie giggled.
Ben nodded, still chuckling. “He watches it before the Oscars any year one of his films is nominated for something.”
“Once for each nomination. For good luck.” Josh smoothed his suit coat, trying to marshal his face. He wasn’t actually embarrassed about the revelation. Several people knew about his Oscar ritual. It was a joke among his friends, though it had worked more often than not. Josh’s films had won 17 of those 23 nominations. But how did Emma know about it?
“There’s one movie we absolutely agree is amazing, though. Apart from Star Wars, of course,” Emma added. William Ransler was studying her like a scientist with a slide. Josh wanted to bristle, tell the guy to back off, but he couldn’t without blowing his secret.
Ransler slowly raised one brow. “Oh? What’s that?”
“ Concerning All of Us .” Emma’s smile was small and beautiful, and very pointed. Josh could have laughed. Maisie Ransler did.
“Ooh, watch out, Willie. You’re in for it now.” She poked her husband in the side.
William Ransler inclined his head in acknowledgement. “I agree the script is very good. Whether the film will be remains to be seen, however.”
“I’m sorry to argue with you, Mr. Ransler, but that’s just not true. Even without you on board, that movie is going to be great and you know it. The only question remaining is whether or not you’re going to let someone else take the role
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