They spoke for another ten minutes about Judith’s part and by the time Emily hung up, Judith sounded more like her normal self.
“Sorry,” Emily said, putting aside her phone and turning back to Dan. “Judith just found out she has a new role. Acting, not silent. This is the first time she’s been pulled from background. It’s really quite cool. And she needed to tell someone.”
Emily picked up her wine glass, but as usual Dan’s unwavering attention kept her talking. “Jenna was keen to hear about the movie at first but didn’t say much when she realized my role was only background. She still thinks I’m going to be a big star.” Emily gave a little laugh, to prove it didn’t hurt. Not one bit.
Dan said nothing, but his warm blue eyes filled with understanding.
“I’ve always wanted to make her proud,” Emily said after a moment. “To do something important. She was…is the best sister. But now that she’s married to Burke, she has everything.
“I planned to take her to the Stillwater Fair and Steeplechase. When we were little, we always dreamed of staying overnight. It seemed like the perfect gift. Who would have dreamed Burke would think of horse racing too? But he did.” Emily shrugged but despite her best efforts, her voice turned wistful. “So now she’s off to the races in England, one box down from the Queen. How can I ever compete with that?”
“It’s not a competition,” Dan said. “Just be there for her. Money, success—none of that is as important as being there.”
Emily grimaced and reached for the wine bottle. ‘Being there’ might be important to Dan, but Jenna and Burke didn’t want her around. They’d added a guesthouse so she wouldn’t be underfoot.
“I just mean,” she said, “that it would be nice to do something for a change. To prove I’m not a complete failure. Anything I’ve accomplished is because Jenna helped me.”
“I doubt that very much,” Dan said.
Emily shrugged. “Well, it feels that way.”
Dan dragged a hand over his jaw and for the first time that evening seemed to be thinking of something else. He picked up his phone, tapped a message then turned his attention back to her.
“What about you?” Emily asked, trying to change the subject. “You’ve already accomplished so much. What do you want?”
“Dependable horses…dependable people. My dad was devastated every time my mother left.” He paused. “Guess I was too.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “We went through a similar thing in our house. I know how much it hurts. Mom should have left him. But Jenna said the song Stand By Your Man was written for our mother.”
Dan chuckled, then picked up her hands and gently kissed her reddened palms. “There’s a new cream in the bathroom,” he said. “It worked well on one of the horses. Thought you might give it a try.”
She nodded. Clearly he didn’t want to talk anymore about family foibles but this was good progress. He actually looked relaxed when he mentioned his mother. His face hadn’t turned to granite like it did before.
“That makes six creams and ointments you’ve brought. I’m sure—” Her phone rang. The screen flashed an unfamiliar number. The name was clear though: ‘Reckless Productions.’
“Excuse me for a sec,” she said, grabbing the phone.
She listened while the casting director spoke. But joy leaked out the sides of her mouth and she couldn’t stop grinning at Dan. An offer! Five lines, enough to join the union. She wasn’t background anymore. She’d have a screen credit.
She kept her composure long enough to politely thank the man. Then she leaped from the chair, shooting her fist into the air. “I have lines! The scene is being shot Thursday morning, only two days away.”
She twirled around the kitchen, unable to stand still. Seconds later, she plunked herself back into the chair. “I’m an awful person,” she groaned. “It’s wrong to be this happy on the day Billy died.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re probably the only person who gave that man the time of day.” Dan’s voice flattened. “Besides, you should be celebrating. Those lines will get you in the union. Acting jobs will come much easier now.”
“But I already told you, I don’t want to be an actress. I only want this one movie part.”
“Right.” He rose and scooped his beer off the table. “But you don’t have to decide that tonight. Let’s go to bed.”
Clearly he didn’t believe her, but it didn’t matter. There’d be plenty of time to prove she was happy to work behind the scenes. Not in them. Time to prove she was dependable. And it didn’t matter where the next film location was, as long as she was with Dan. In fact, the idea of moving around the country—seeing different places and people—was rather exhilarating.
Maybe after more experience, she could even move from a wrangler’s job and help with the training. Barney was an apt pupil. By next week she hoped to demonstrate he was worth keeping. That is, if Dan had any room on his ranch.
“How big is your place in Montana?” she asked, picking up her glass and following him down the hall.
“Ten sections.”
“You mean ten paddocks?”
He took her left hand and led her into the bedroom. “A section is six hundred and forty acres.”
“That means—” She stopped, unable to fathom that much land. She’d thought Hamilton Stud was huge. And she’d assumed Dan’s family had been financially challenged, like hers. Not land barons. “So you have room for a lot of horses,” she said weakly. “I mean, there’s no reason not to keep an extra one, if you suddenly decided.”
“Yes. But I never take the extras home. Only horses like Bruno and Splash.” He tugged her shirt from the waistband of her jeans, and his hand slid along her bare back. “Shipping is expensive,” he added. “It’s best not to get attached unless you’re certain they’re worth keeping. Everything ends with the movie.”
She suspected he was talking about more than horses, but now he’d unclasped her bra. His knowing hand drifted along the underside of her breast, making her shiver in delight. “Is that why you don’t bother with names?” she managed. “You just call Barney the Reckless lookalike?”
He cupped her breast, his thumb stroking her nipple, and clearly he had other things on his mind. “Maybe,” he said, rescuing the tilting glass of wine from her hand and setting it on the dresser. “Never thought much about it. Seems if I’m not going to keep them, descriptions are best.”
Despite his expert ministrations, a coldness settled in her chest and she couldn’t let it go. “But what about people? Do you even know my last name?”
“That’s different,” he said, but there was a trace of defensiveness in his voice.
“You really don’t know it, do you? Is that because you’re not certain I’m worth keeping?” She tried to keep her voice light, but he must have sensed her hurt.
He cupped her face, his voice thickening. “You’re worth keeping. Nothing I want more. But people want different things. Often they collide. The very worst thing is to see someone you love walking around unhappy.”
She had no idea what he was talking about—she was always happy around Dan. But his eyes had darkened so they looked almost black. His finger stroked her cheek, her mouth, her jaw, as though absorbing every curve of her face. And he stared down at her with such a hungry expression, it made her tremble.
Then he pressed his mouth against her hair, so tightly she could feel the rasp of his stubble. “Don’t ever doubt how I feel, sweetheart,” he whispered.
Seconds later, his hands moved over her with raw urgency, stripping her clothes and carrying her to the bed.
His lovemaking was expert and thorough and as usual left them both convulsing with pleasure. But her final thought before the orgasm rocked her was that he still didn’t care enough to ask her last name.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
“Can we read through the lines one more time?” Emily asked, adjusting her sunglasses and scanning the script. “I need to try
it with a more serious expression.”
Dan obligingly checked his sheet. Her unbridled enthusiasm was contagious. She’d been bouncing around the set all morning, ever since the script had been delivered. Any regret he had about texting Anthony last night had vanished.
He couldn’t resist using his influence, not after she’d confided about her sister. She’d shrugged off the steeplechase fiasco with her typical casualness, but her disappointment had ripped at him. He understood now why she’d been so desperate for a paying job. Maybe acting really wasn’t that important and this truly was about doing something for Jenna.
He could only hope.
But better she walked away now, rather than later. And the script was a simple one: a replacement groom looking for Tracey and questioning the actor playing Billy. Dan didn’t like that Anthony was exploiting the girls for media purposes, but it was selfish to deprive Emily of this opportunity.
He’d been a little irritated when he discovered she’d be bathing a horse. But naturally Anthony would want Emily displayed in a wet T-shirt. At least he’d be present to make sure she wasn’t shivering too long.
He’d order in some extra heat lamps. A quiet horse would help too. Splash would be the best. The gelding loved water and would stand for hours. It would be easier for her to concentrate on the lines if she didn’t worry about a horse bruising her toes.
“Do you think I should act scared here?” Emily tapped a spot on the page, pulling back his attention. “When Billy enters the barn? Or maybe it’s better to act irritated that Tracey didn’t show for work? Or maybe a smile’s best?”
“Don’t worry.” Dan chuckled and steered her out of the way of a sound technician. “Anthony will tell you tomorrow. I expect he’ll want a little fear but maybe he’s looking for something else. Remember, just say ‘no’ if you’re uncomfortable with it. They’re still working out the scene, based on Billy’s…perceived interaction with Tracey.”
She grimaced at his choice of words and he used the bustling production crew as an excuse to pull her closer. Damn, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. Soon he had to drive to Churchill Downs and already he dreaded the limo’s arrival.
“Do you think he killed her?” Emily asked, her eyes troubled.
Dan hesitated. Part of him suspected Billy was involved in Tracey’s disappearance, but if it had been a sexual crime, it didn’t make sense that the man had stayed away from women for the next twenty years. And Tracey had been tight with Hamilton who claimed she’d barely known Billy. “I’m not sure,” he said slowly. “Apparently Billy worked normally that day. Hamilton said he fixed some plumbing in the stud barn. In fact, they’re planning to use that wash stall for your scene.”
Emily tilted her head. “Billy may have lied about his work that day. Because the stall still doesn’t drain properly. I showered there and almost flooded the aisle.”
Dan’s mouth tightened. The realization that she’d showered in an isolated barn, slept in an apartment where a groom had gone missing—even sat down alone in Billy’s cottage—now bothered him. Clearly she was single minded and brave. Her buoyant energy and resourcefulness were as much a part of her appeal as her bold heart. But those kind of people were hard to love.
She studied him with thoughtful eyes. “You’re being very helpful for a man who doesn’t like actresses. Are you trying to get rid of me?”
Every once in a while, she sucker punched him with surprisingly intuitive questions. Of course, he didn’t want to get rid of her. But if she intended to chase an acting career, it was much better to find out now. He wasn’t testing her. Not really.
He preferred to believe that if acting was her passion, he’d be chivalrous and help her succeed. However, he certainly wasn’t going to invest any time or heartache in a relationship that was doomed from the start.
“I just want you to be happy,” he said, a trite phrase he’d used on more than one woman.
“Excellent.” She flashed a mischievous smile. “That’s all I want too.” But her big eyes softened with the same understanding she’d shown last night. “This will be my one and only time in the movies. I’m not going to get the acting bug and take off. I’m not a fan of long-distance relationships either.”
Her gaze drifted past him, and she quit talking.
“Hey, Dan,” Anthony called, pushing past a cameraman, his arms swinging with purpose. Hamilton trotted pompously by his side. “We’re leaving for Churchill in ten minutes. Ride in my car so we can discuss the paddock scene.”
Anthony gave Emily a distracted nod then looked back at her with a marked increase of enthusiasm. “Good morning,” he said. “Would you be able to do a couple interviews later? Maybe talk about your conversations with Billy and what you saw in the cottage? Movie fans would love the inside scoop. I know you saw Tracey’s bag,” he added. “And that Billy said some things—”
“You saw Tracey’s bag?” Hamilton asked, his eyes bulging. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Dan eased in front of Emily. “This is still under investigation. So any interviews should probably wait.”
“Fine,” Anthony said. “But I want her available to shoot footage at some point. The movie is trending on Twitter.” He rubbed his hands in glee. “We’ll keep everything quiet for a bit, then stagger enough tidbits to keep it in the news.”
“How did you know it was Tracey’s bag?” Hamilton asked.
“Her name was on it,” Emily said. She glanced back down at her script, and it was quite clear, at least to Dan, that she preferred to concentrate on her acting role tomorrow.
Hamilton edged closer, his complexion pasty white. “But did you look inside? What was in it? What did Billy say?”
Dan’s jaw tightened. Anthony shot him a warning look then placed his hand on Hamilton’s arm.
“This will all come out later,” Anthony said. “It’s a difficult time, but we do have a movie to shoot. And scripts to study. So no more questions at this time.”
Dan’s jaw slowly relaxed. But he didn’t want to drive to Churchill Downs and leave Emily alone. At least, police investigators made appointments. Hamilton, however, owned the property. He was also a movie backer. When the man spoke, people had to listen.
And despite Anthony’s directive, Hamilton still stood too close, hoping to bully Emily into talking. It was a tough situation for an aspiring actress who had to please all three men. Dan wanted to whisk her from the set. But he certainly couldn’t tell her to stay in his trailer all day. That would be like confining an energetic filly to a gloomy stall.
“Excuse me, Dan.”
He turned toward the accented voice. He’d never been so happy to see Lizzie.
“Do you want six horses in the paddock at Churchill?” Lizzie went on. “Or the ten we discussed?”
“Ten,” Dan said. “And, Lizzie, take Emily back to the wranglers’ barn so we can check out a horse for tomorrow’s bath scene. I’m thinking Splash but she’s already worked with Bruno.”
Anthony gave a knowing smile. But Hamilton’s nostrils flared, and it was obvious he’d planned to grill Emily with more questions once Dan and Anthony left.
“See you tonight.” Dan leaned down and kissed Emily’s cheek.
She seemed startled but covered it well, perhaps understanding he was trying to extend some much-needed protection. Dan shot a look at Lizzie who gave a little nod.
“Okay, then,” Anthony said mildly. “Let’s go, Dan. It’s obvious everything here is under control.”
*
Emily dragged a sweat scraper over Splash’s slick neck then gave the horse an appreciative pat. He’d jumped into a swimming pool before so it was obvious he was trusting and tractable. Now she’d learned he was bomb proof.
Lizzie had rang an ear-piercing bell and also hung a bucket over his hind leg to demonstrate Splash’s calm nature. It would be a cinch to bathe him tomorrow, even when surrounded by cameras and a demanding director.
More remarkable was Lizzie’s he
lpfulness. Although her mouth had remained in a flat line, she’d brought Emily to the wranglers’ barn and served as a private assistant, even filling the bucket and mixing the frothing herbal soap.
“We won’t completely wash Splash now,” Lizzie said, handing Emily a dripping sponge. “But you could put water in his ears and he won’t shake his head. So no matter what the director wants, you can concentrate on your lines. He’s smaller than Bruno but the cameras can adjust the angles,” Lizzie added. “He’s really the best horse for any water scenes. I think you should choose him.”
“I get to choose?” Emily’s eyes widened. Most actors were just handed a horse.
“Yes,” Lizzie said grudgingly. “It’s rare but those were Dan’s instructions. You’re definitely being primed for success.”
“What do you mean?”
Lizzie shrugged. “Getting you lines in that scene. I’ve never known him to ask a director for a favor.”
“He asked Anthony? I didn’t know that.” Emily’s hand fisted around the wet sponge, so tightly water dripped on her boot. Dan had sent a text last night. And almost immediately afterwards the casting director had called. “But that doesn’t make sense.” She shook her head in confusion. “He doesn’t even like actresses.”
“That’s right,” Lizzie said. “He doesn’t.”
A chill swept Emily despite the water warming her hand. She understood now why Dan had interfered. It was a test.
She gulped and tucked a strand of hair back in her ponytail. It hurt that he didn’t trust her, but she understood his motives. He wanted someone dependable, someone who’d stick around. And she’d show him. Usually she flunked tests, but this one she intended to ace.
She tossed the sponge into the bucket and wiped her hands. “Thanks for showing me the movie horses. I’d love to use Splash. He’ll be perfect for tomorrow.”
“Okay. Now would you like a cup of coffee or something?” Lizzie asked.
“No, thanks. I’ll put Splash back in his stall and then help you with whatever chores are left.”
STUDS AND STILETTOS (Romantic Mystery) Page 26