Breaking Character

by Lee Winter

  Summer slid her hand to the back of Elizabeth’s head and pulled her in for a longer kiss, just to show Grace she didn’t mind one damn bit. That she wasn’t embarrassed, uncomfortable, or… Oh hell. Suddenly, they were kissing for real. Elizabeth’s soft lips pressed to hers, yielding and delicious.

  Arousal flooded Summer, shortly followed by her heart pounding like stampeding horses. She pulled away, giving the others a sheepish grin.

  Brian whistled. “There we go, the champion is rewarded.”

  “Not just the champion.” Zara winked at Elizabeth.

  “Yes, you’re all hilarious.” Elizabeth sounded completely unmoved. She rose.

  By contrast, Summer wasn’t sure her breathing would ever be normal again. Don’t meet your idol, Chloe had told her. Oh, no, she’d just kissed her senseless instead.

  “Summer, could I have a hand in the kitchen?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I’ll help.” Grace stood as well.

  That earned incredulous stares.

  “What?” Grace asked them. “I do know the fine art of washing dishes. Or stacking them. Or…whatever.” Her hand swished about.

  “Sure you do.” Alex’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “From when you last had to do them yourself. In the eighties.”

  Summer busied herself in cleaning-up tasks and tried not to be too aware of the woman she’d just kissed. Whatever Elizabeth had intended to say to her had been thwarted by Grace joining them. From the moment they’d entered the kitchen, Grace had held forth with a series of entertaining anecdotes, many of which made Elizabeth smile, and did exactly what they were no doubt intended to do: Make Summer feel like a third wheel. Remind Summer of her place—that she was not Elizabeth’s close friend like Grace was.

  She’d met Graces before. Stars who hated not being the center of attention and didn’t like sharing even when they had the spotlight.

  Summer neatly stacked a pile of dishes, tuning into the raucous bursts of conversation from the living room. The boys appeared to have started an argument about soccer. Which team had the most stylish uniform.

  “And then you remember,” Grace was saying, claiming Elizabeth’s wrist with her milky-white hand, “we managed to escape before the theater manager’s brother caught up with us.”

  “I remember.” Elizabeth smiled, glanced at Summer, set her dish cloth on the counter, and said, “If you’ll both excuse me one moment.” She headed down the hallway to where Summer presumed the bathroom was.

  Grace turned and studied Summer. “So, Summer Hayes. Choosing Hope’s newest cast member. I’ve heard all about you. Exploding blood packs. Green fingers.”

  Great. “Not my best weeks.”

  “I suspect not. Quite the mess you and Bess have gotten yourselves into now, too. I’m not sure I’d be so amenable to going through such a farce for a role.”

  Maybe that’s why you’re always unemployed. “It’s only for six weeks.”

  That seemed to perk the other woman up. “Is that all? Oh, well, that’s good.”

  Summer shifted the dishes to one side. Clearly Grace was counting down the minutes until she would disappear back out of Elizabeth’s life.

  “I’ve known her for almost twenty years,” Grace said out of the blue. “There’s nothing about Bess I don’t know.”

  “Good,” Summer said, conversationally. “That’s why I’m here. To learn from her friends.”

  “I’m more than just a friend. Did she explain? I mentored her for years. Taught her everything she knows.”

  Not this again. Summer highly doubted Grace was Elizabeth’s sole imparter of acting knowledge.

  “I know it’s hard getting a handle on her,” Grace said. “She doesn’t share often with outsiders. You’re actually the first…acquaintance…of hers we’ve met from LA.”

  And they were back to this. Yes, yes, old-friend Grace was in the inner circle and Summer was a no one; not even a friend. Why didn’t Grace just cut to the chase? Don’t you understand I’m better than you?

  It suddenly struck Summer that Grace was trying too hard. If she believed what she was saying about the depth of her friendship with Elizabeth, it didn’t need to be said. Actually, why was Grace even bothering with Summer at all?

  “I do have one question.” Summer leaned back against the counter. “Since you know your friend so well.”

  “Of course.”

  “What’s her favorite tea? I hear she loves tea.”

  “It changes,” Grace said after a pause. “Often.”

  Like hell it does. Still, Summer decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. “Does Elizabeth have any allergies?” she asked innocently. “You know, in case craft services ask me?”

  “Why would they ask you?”

  “I’m supposed to be her girlfriend, remember. So does she?”

  Grace hesitated before drawing in a breath. “If that happens, get craft services to ask her.”

  Oh wow. She had no clue at all, did she? How could someone go out to dinner with a friend for two decades and not know why they didn’t drink wine? Bess is such a good friend. We’re oh-so close. What a faker.

  Was Grace really that oblivious? Was she too self-absorbed, perhaps? If something didn’t affect her, then it wasn’t worth remembering? Was that her deal?

  “Did Bess tell you how I got her her start in Hollywood?” Grace asked.

  “Yes,” Summer kept her tone bland. “It’s good you did that for her.”

  Grace frowned at her underwhelmed reaction. “I held some of the biggest names in Hollywood over a barrel. All those puffed-up power brokers, flinging offers at me. They would have done anything to sign me. So I signed with a female agent just to annoy them. That was priceless.”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “But I only chose Rachel Cho because she agreed to sign Bess. And, fortunately, now Bess’s career has taken off.”

  Because of me, was the implication. Well, Grace might convince Bess of her bullshit, but Summer didn’t have to buy into it. “Actually I think she’s famous because of her talent,” she said politely. “If she was awful, she’d never have been re-signed on Hope after the first season. But she was so interesting to watch that they extended her contract, increased her part, and that’s what made her a national name. Ultimately, she made herself great.”

  “She’s not great,” Grace said with a dismissive wave. “Greatness is a word thrown around far too often by young people with no understanding of what it is. Greatness should be reserved for legends. Elizabeth has a long way to go to get to those heights.”

  Your heights, you mean. Summer said nothing.

  “Now I worry that your sad little TV show is ruining all her training. So many bad habits she’s picking up. And my God, the drivel they have her saying. I’m embarrassed for her. She’s better than that. Better than any artistic eccentricities Jean-Claude Badour flings at her as well. If only I could retrain her, turn her back into something worthy of…”

  The air shifted, and they turned to find Elizabeth standing in the doorway.

  Surprise and guilt crossed Grace’s features. “Oh.” She hesitated. “Bess. I…”

  “No, it’s fine,” Elizabeth said. “I suppose, for someone like you, my job is embarrassing.”

  “Wait, no,” Summer cut in. “You’re the best part of the show. You always make more of what they give you. And, of course, it used to be so much better.”

  “Used to be?” Grace laughed. “Sure it was. Bess, tell her about the plot you got killed off in season four.”

  “No.” Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest, leaning against the door frame.

  “No? Well, I will. They wanted Hunt, the head of the hospital, to get drunk at work and fuck an intern in the supply closet. The boy didn’t even have cheek fuzz he was so young. Hunt was old enough to be his mother. Given how lowbro
w the writing is, maybe that’s exactly the kink they were going for.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “I had it stopped. Yes, it was a disturbing abuse of power for Hunt. I wouldn’t have done it.”

  “Jesus,” Summer said. “That’s terrible. No wonder you fought it.”

  A muscle in Elizabeth’s jaw twitched. “What’s done is done. And Grace, I appreciate all your career advice, but we don’t always have a say in how our career unfolds, do we? We make the best of it.”

  Grace inclined her head. “Never forget your roots is all I’m saying. Don’t let what you were fade away. I’m here to help. Always.”

  “Thank you. Now, I thought I heard Amrit asking for you.”

  With a nod, Grace headed back to the others.

  “Amrit wasn’t asking for her,” Summer murmured.

  “I know.” Sighing, Elizabeth said, “Sometimes she gets a bit intense about my career. She means well, but it’s hard to hear when I’ve disappointed her.”

  “You shouldn’t feel bad about your choices. You’re so great at what you do.”

  “Not like her.”

  “Is she always so… ‘Listen up, children, here’s the lesson for today’?”

  “She has earned the right to give us advice. Although most of the time she’s a lot less overt. Get a few drinks into her and she gets a bit…”

  “Mean?”

  “I was going to say direct.”

  “No, she’s mean.”

  “Don’t judge her, Summer. You don’t know her. And she’s brilliant at what she does. I owe her a lot.”

  The warning was clear. “Yes, you’re right. Sorry. I’m sure she’s lovely.”

  “She is. And if she was a little too…”

  Belittling? Condescending?

  “Edgy…with you, maybe her ego is smarting. It’s not every day she loses at Shakespeare.” Elizabeth’s eyes brightened. “Now that was impressive. You certainly didn’t disappoint.”

  “I did enjoy that,” Summer grinned, thrilled at the praise. “And the…” She stuttered to a halt, realizing she was about to say “prize”. There was no way she was admitting to enjoying that. “…rest of it.”

  Elizabeth’s expression was inscrutable. “You have hidden talents.”

  Okay, did she mean the kiss or the trivia? No, Summer was fairly sure she wasn’t talking about the kiss. This was Elizabeth Thornton. She glanced at the oven’s clock. “I better go. I have an early start tomorrow.”

  “Oh?”

  “Basketball practice.”

  “You?” Elizabeth eyed her in amazement. “Summer, I may not know you well, and I hope you’re not offended by this, but I have never met someone clumsier.”

  “Ah, yeah.” Summer laughed. “I don’t mean I play. I keep the stats for Chloe’s team, keep everyone hydrated, and hang out with them later. They’re a great bunch. I’d introduce you except you’d get mobbed. They’re huge Dr. Hunt fans.”

  “Good God, why?”

  Summer shrugged. “Some people just love a good villain.”

  “Ah. So there are a few misguided souls who don’t want my scalp. Anyway, thanks for coming over. Did you learn enough about me?”

  Yes. Your beautiful fake boyfriend is a huge flirt, which drives Grace crazy because she’s madly in love with him. Plus, I don’t think Grace is a real friend, but you’re too blind to see it. Oh, and PS, your kiss made my ovaries explode. They’re still on life support. Thanks for that.

  “Bits and pieces. It’s a start,” Summer said. “So I’ll see you Sunday? Any time after eleven. I’ll text you my parents’ address.”

  “Thanks. I’m curious to meet Skye.” Her eyes crinkled.

  “Oh, I’ll bet.” Summer leaned over to…what? Kiss her cheek? Hug her? She ended up doing a bit of each. Awkward.

  Elizabeth sighed. “We really have to get a lot better at this.”

  “Yeah,” Summer said, glumly. “We do. And hopefully by Sunday.”

  “I love her,” Brian announced when Elizabeth returned from seeing Summer out, reaching for a handful of peanuts. “She’s so sweet I just want to take her home in my pocket.”

  “Again?” Rowan countered. “Isn’t your pocket full of that other ingénue you fell in platonic bliss with last week?”

  “You make me sound so fickle. But Summer’s adorable. Seriously. I didn’t know Hollywood made anyone like her. The sweet ones on screen are usually bitches off it. She’s the real deal.”

  “That figures,” Alex said. “Her mum’s mad as hell but really sweet. I’d be shocked if she’d raised a stuck-up kid. I liked Summer too. And she certainly seems fond of our Bess,” she added with a teasing tone.

  All eyes swung to Elizabeth.

  And this is why you shouldn’t kiss someone for a silly dare. Not to mention kissing for her friends’ amusement was just juvenile—right up Brian’s alley of course, which was why he’d chosen it as a prize. Usually no one indulged him, and Elizabeth would have refused this time as well. But then Grace just had to intervene and put her and Summer in an awkward position.

  Elizabeth refused to bite on Alex’s innuendo. Besides, if they’d seen Summer last weekend, hungover and furious, they might not categorize the woman’s feelings as particularly fond at all.

  “She seems to kiss well,” Zara observed dryly. “That’s important if you’re going to be doing a fair bit of it, wouldn’t you say?”

  Heat crept into Elizabeth’s cheeks as memories of the kiss flooded back. She shot her friend a dark look. “I suppose.”

  Now Elizabeth knew exactly what kissing Summer Hayes felt like. Gone had been the eternally awkward creature who smiled at everything and acted like it’d be impolite to even cast a shadow. When she’d pulled Elizabeth down for a real kiss, Summer had been confident and assured. Elizabeth had been drawn deeper in spite of herself, and a pleasurable little buzz had fizzed along her nerve endings like an approving mmmm. The woman certainly knew how to kiss.

  Should she revise her assumption that Summer had never kissed a woman before? It was hard to tell. The kiss hadn’t seemed to faze her at all. Maybe there was hope for Elspeth and Lucille’s sex life after all.

  “Blushing, Bess?” Grace intoned. “Over a wandering-lipped LA girl? My, my, what did she do to you?”

  And just like that, Elizabeth felt humiliated and ridiculous. Folding her arms, she wished, not for the first time this evening, that Grace’s idea of amusing herself didn’t involve humiliating her quite so often.

  “Hey now,” Amrit said with a gentle smile, “I have no doubt Summer’s beautiful lips could make anyone blush.”

  Ugh, no. He’d only make things worse.

  Sure enough, Grace’s face turned into a sneer—an elegant one of course, because Grace’s features would allow nothing less. “Amrit, you can’t seriously hope to slum it with some American starlet?” Grace twirled a ring around her finger. “And what sort of name is Summer Hayes? Summer Haze? It has to be her dotty mother’s idea of a joke. Really, darling, I thought you had taste?”

  He chuckled. “Beauty is beauty. And Brian’s right: She’s adorable. Not to mention smart. I’ve never seen you outfoxed on Shakespeare before. And, um, hello, that girl can act!”

  Everyone nodded vigorously at the reminder of Summer’s impromptu performances. Well, almost everyone. Grace’s expression was fixed like a statue.

  Throughout the evening, Summer had joined in acting out scenes with Brian, Zara, and Rowan. Astonishingly, she knew by heart every line from the passages they’d randomly picked. It was sublime watching Alex and Grace’s expressions most of all. They were snobs when it came to English plays, claiming that Americans attempting the classics grated.

  Summer made them forget their biases. Her friends looked enthralled as Summer dipped into Viola’s ring soliloquy from Twelfth Night. She’d slipped in gen
tle humor next to fierceness, and it was captivating. Grace even gave her the smallest nod at the end, doubtlessly unaware she’d even done it. Alex’s mouth was hanging open for most of the scene.

  And then, to everyone’s surprise, Grace rose from her armchair and offered a “different take” on the scene. Summer returned to her seat. Grace waited a few beats, closed her eyes briefly, and then became Viola. She did the same scene for full dramatic pathos.

  Shivers skittered down Elizabeth’s spine as the words spun their web around her. Grace was seductive with that silky tone, caressing every ounce of emotion from the scene.

  Summer wore an expression of astonishment. Relatable. Elizabeth still remembered the first time she’d seen Grace in full-on legendary actress mode. She could barely breathe.

  When it was over, Elizabeth’s mouth was dry as desert sand; her heart flying. She wanted to pound her hands bloody with applause but didn’t dare give so much away.

  Grace resumed her seat with a tiny smile. As though it had been nothing.

  She always did that. Tore everyone’s equilibrium to shreds, shattered everything actors thought they knew about the craft, and then flicked the lint off her pants.

  “Well,” Grace said now, giving a cynical, but still elegant, snort as she stood and snatched up her bag. “It’s been an educational evening, but I must away. Bess, dear, I’ll leave you to your entertaining and somewhat delusional friends.” With an imperious look, she added, “Well?” when Elizabeth didn’t move.

  “Oh, right. Sorry.” Elizabeth rose to see her out, tracing the same path she had with Summer not twenty minutes earlier. A flash of memory of them standing at the door, Summer’s head tilted a little as she said goodbye, reminded her again of those soft lips.

  How could someone who looked like that, so innocent, kiss so beautifully? So wickedly? So downright deliciously?

  “Your focus is shot to hell,” Grace said sharply, as she reached the front door and spun around to face Elizabeth. “It has been ever since that perky cheerleader started on your show. Have you not noticed?”