A Movie Star for Christmas
A Sweet Holiday Romance
Jess Mastorakos
Copyright © 2019 by Jess Mastorakos
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Edited By: Amanda Horan, Let’s Get Booked
www.jessmastorakos.com
Publisher’s note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and situations are a product of the author’s imagination. Any similarities to real people, places, or things is purely coincidental.
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1
Holly
“I’m just saying,” Jack said as he opened the door for Holly, “you don’t need to decorate your house for Christmas if you aren’t even going to be in town.”
Holly waved a hand at her big brother as she stepped into her favorite café. “I’ll be home on Christmas Eve. I want my tree and garlands and throw pillows ready to greet me.”
“Throw pillows,” Jack snickered. “You mean the ones with the little red truck and the Christmas tree in the back? As if you live in a cute little town with a beater truck and a real tree?”
“Excuse you, Mr. Grinch. I love the idea of that truck and the real tree. Doesn’t mean a fake tree isn’t easier for me in my L.A. loft.”
Jack sighed. “It looks nice and everything, don’t get me wrong, but it just seems like a lot of work for that short amount of time. Don’t you think this Christmas town we’re going to will have enough decorations? Maybe there will even be someone with an old truck like that who got their tree at an actual Christmas tree ... place.”
Before she could reply, a young girl approached her with a napkin and a pen. Holly tucked a piece of her long blonde hair behind her ear, smiled at the girl, and took the items from her outstretched hand. “Hi. What’s your name?”
“Caitlin,” the pre-teen replied with a wide grin.
“Hi, Caitlin, it’s nice to meet you.” Holly signed the napkin, making sure to personalize it with the girl’s name, then handed it back. “What do you want to be when you grow up, Caitlin?”
Caitlin giggled nervously. “A chef.”
Holly beamed. Her first big break in Hollywood was when she’d starred in a TV show on a popular kids’ network called Jemma’s Culinary Adventures. She’d played the character of Jemma, a teenaged culinary genius who got to cook in some of the best restaurants in the world thanks to her talent and fame. It was a comedy, so there were plenty of mishaps in the kitchen, but always delicious dishes served at the end of each episode.
The show had run for five seasons, from when she was fifteen to twenty years old. At that point, she’d aged out of the character and it was time to let her go and move on to more mature roles. Anytime girls Caitlin’s age approached her in public for an autograph, she knew it was because they recognized her from re-runs of that show. Even though it had ended five years prior and Holly had since been cast in several more recent roles, it was still prominently aired on several stations.
“Love it,” Holly said to Caitlin with a wink. “Have you been cooking for a long time?”
“Since I was four and a half. I used to watch your show when I was younger and I still love it now, too.”
Holly made a shocked face at Jack, who nodded appreciatively.
“Thank you, I’m glad to hear it! What’s your favorite recipe from the show?”
Caitlin put a finger on her chin and pursed her lips, the freckles spattered across her cheeks making her look absolutely adorable. “My favorite was when Jemma went to Paris and made pate a choux pastries. But my little brother loves it when I make the game-day snacks from when Jemma went to the big football party in Texas.”
“Ah, yes,” Holly said, sighing wistfully as she remembered shooting those episodes. “I remember loving both of those. We got to eat all of that yummy food during filming.”
Caitlin bounced up and down slightly as if Holly had let her in on a little secret.
Checking his watch, Jack nudged Holly’s arm slightly to signal that it was time for them to go.
“I’m sorry,” Holly said to Caitlin, “I have to run, I have a meeting about a Christmas movie we’re about to make. It was so nice chatting with you, Caitlin.”
Caitlin hugged the autograph to her chest. “You, too.”
“Keep up the good work, future chef,” Holly said as she and Jack stepped up to the counter to order their coffee.
“Sorry,” Jack whispered. “I know you like chatting with the kids, but Harriet isn’t here to keep you on schedule, so it falls on me.”
Holly patted Jack’s shoulder. “You’re good at your job, Jack.”
“I mean, you don’t really need a bodyguard when kids ask for autographs, but at least I keep you from missing all your meetings.”
They ordered and paid for their coffee then stepped to the side to wait.
“Speaking of Harriet, where are we meeting her again?” Holly asked.
“At the studio,” Jack answered. “They want to go over the travel arrangements.”
“And what’s the name of the town again?”
“Snow Hill, Pennsylvania.”
Holly sighed. “It even sounds Christmas-y.”
“Adorable,” Jack deadpanned.
“Welcome to Snow Hill.” A cheery brunette opened Holly’s car door and earned herself a strange look from Jack, who’d been about to do the same. “I’m Robin, assistant to the mayor, and I’ll be your liaison while you’re in town.”
“Thank you.” Holly stepped out of the car and into the beautiful winter sunlight. The air in Pennsylvania was crisp and held a bite, much unlike the polluted air back home in L.A. She took a deep breath, soaking it all in. “I’m Holly, this is my indispensable superwoman of an assistant, Harriet. And this is my big brother slash bodyguard, Jack.”
Everyone shook hands, petite Robin having to crane her neck to look up at Jack with his height at nearly six and a half feet. “Nice to meet you all. How was your flight?”
“Great,” Holly answered as the group moved from the parking lot to the sidewalk. There was no snow on the ground, but the cool air went perfectly with the highly decorated town square where they stood. “The town is absolutely beautiful, Robin.”
“Thank you, we take a lot of pride in it, especially this time of year. Many film crews like to rearrange or remove what we’ve already had out since early November, but we just ask that if you do that, you take care of our decorations and put them back where they were when you’re finished.”
Harriet peeked inside her giant planner. “The person you’ll speak to about all of that should be arriving this afternoon.”
“Perfect,” Robin replied.
“So, I hear you guys are pretty used to all of the movie stuff?” Holly asked as they strolled along the sidewalk.
Robin beamed. “Yes, ma’am. It’s a big thing here in Snow Hill and we are proud to host the casts and crew for their movies. We’ve had over a dozen Christmas movies filmed in Snow Hill over the years. In the last three years or so, we’ve also had a lot of shows and movies come in to use our town square or neighborhoods for their movies year-round.”
“Wow,” Holly said, whistling. “That’s impressive.”
“It’s daytime, so we can’t get the full effect, but I know part of the reason they picked this town was the lights. Is it just regular Christmas lights?” Harriet asked.
“Christmas is a big deal here in Snow Hill,” Robin explained as they walked. “Over one hundred and
sixty families who live near our town square put up lights and decorate their homes. The town council strings up over five-hundred thousand lights in the town square and on the light poles throughout the participating neighborhoods, and we have over two hundred and sixty evergreen trees with lights on them.”
Jack chuckled. “Holly, this is your dream town.”
“I know,” she replied.
“My sister is unnaturally obsessed with Christmas,” Jack explained to Robin.
“Well, with a name like Holly, I guess that makes sense,” Robin said with a smile for Jack. “How about you, are you a fan of Christmas?”
Holly reached up to pat Jack’s shoulder. “Not quite. We like to call him Jack Frost. And not in a jolly way ... in an old-stories-about-a-scary-giant-Christmas-monster way.”
Jack’s lips flattened into a hard line. “That’s me.”
“I’m with Holly.” Robin tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Growing up in Snow Hill means embracing the holiday spirit.”
“This definitely seems like the kind of place you’d never leave,” Holly observed.
Robin sighed. “I actually did leave, once. Went to college in Philly and got a great job in Harrisburg at the governor’s office. I had big political dreams back then.”
“That sounds exciting. What made you move back to Snow Hill and start working for the mayor?” Holly asked.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.” Harriet waved a hand between the three of them to dismiss the conversation. “We’re on a tight schedule. Where is the inn where we’ll be staying? I want to make sure it’s suitable for Holly. If not, I’d like to see our other options.”
Seemingly unaffected by Harriet’s rudeness, Robin turned and pointed to a pale-yellow mansion just off the square. All of the accents on the cheery yellow building - the trim, columns, wraparound porch, and balcony – were painted white. You could see that it was going to be beautifully lit up at night by the strings of Christmas lights strategically placed from the ground up. Each window held an illuminated faux-candle and a festive wreath hung on the door.
On the porch, there was a swing and a small seating area with heaters in the corners. Holly imagined one could watch all kinds of festivities in the town square from that porch swing with a cup of hot cocoa in hand. She shivered, but not from the cold. It was like an invisible force was pulling her towards the inn. She couldn’t figure out why, but she felt like she belonged there.
“That’s the inn where you’ll be staying,” Robin explained. “It’s got plenty of rooms for the director, several producers, the main cast, and their teams. We have only one other hotel in town, and it’s fully booked up with the crew.”
Harriet harrumphed. “It looks nice.”
“It’s very nice, trust me,” Robin said. “The Patterson’s take a lot of pride in keeping the inn immaculate and comfortable for our guests. You’ll receive five-star service in an atmosphere that makes you feel like home.”
Holly sighed. “Let’s go. I want to see it.”
“Ugh. You’re already obsessed and we’re still across the street.”
Holly swatted her brother on the arm. “Of course, I am. This place is everything. I might never leave.”
“You have a full schedule in L.A. starting in January, missy. You’re leaving,” Harriet said, looking both ways before she stepped out ahead of them into the street. “We’ve got big things planned for you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Holly waved a hand as she stepped onto the sidewalk and gazed up at the inn. “While I’m here in Snow Hill, I’m going to soak up every bit of this atmosphere.”
The four of them climbed the stairs to the porch and Robin held the door for Holly and her team to enter. Holly was immediately struck by how beautifully decorated the inn was, and the smell of freshly baked cookies only added to the charm. There was a long hallway and staircase straight in front of them, a dining room to their left, and an old-fashioned parlor to their right. The parlor held the most magnificent Christmas tree and a lit fireplace with evergreen garland draped on the mantle. When she spotted the throw pillows on the couch with the classic little red truck on them, she nudged her brother.
Jack chuckled. “Home sweet home.”
“Excuse me,” Harriet called down the hall. “Do you work here?”
A man was about to exit through the French doors at the back of the inn. He turned at the sound of Harriet’s voice and gave them a quick smile. “I sure do.”
“Great. Can you show us around? I want to make sure everything is up to par for Holly,” Harriet said, her nose slightly upturned as she clutched her planner to her chest.
The corner of the man’s lips quirked slightly as he stepped towards them. He held a faded red shop rag in his hands and was using it to wipe some kind of grease from his palms. He wore dark jeans, work boots, and a red button-up flannel. The short waves in his caramel-colored hair looked buttery soft and perfect for running your fingers through. And as he grew closer, Holly couldn’t help but notice how bright his blue eyes were. The bluest she’d ever seen. And they held a hint of ... mocking, perhaps?
“Holly, huh?” The man said, nodding at Holly. “That must be you.”
“It is,” Harriet answered for her. “She’s in the movie that starts filming tomorrow.”
Jack looked down at Holly with an expression of what’s eating her? Holly could only shrug back. She had no idea why her assistant was suddenly acting like a pretentious L.A. type. She wasn’t normally so elitist. However, this was the first time they’d gone to a small town to shoot a movie. Normally they re-created locations on set in L.A. If they’d ever had to travel for a movie, it was brief, and there was minimal contact with the locals. Was Harriet trying to make sure these small-town people understood Holly’s importance in L.A.? If so, that did not sit well with her.
“Holly Rhodes,” Holly said, holding out her hand for the man to shake.
“Nick,” the man replied, but held his hands out to show her they were dirty, and he didn’t want to shake her hand. He nodded at the mayor’s assistant. “Robin, always good to see you.”
Robin smiled politely. “Hey, Nick.”
Jack stuck his hand out, apparently unafraid of a little grease. “Jack Rhodes.”
“Nice to meet you,” Nick said, quirking a brow as he shook his hand.
“And I’m Harriet, Holly’s assistant. Now that we’ve all gotten to know each other, I’d like to see the place. I assume you’re in charge of maintenance at the inn?”
Nick tilted his head slightly. “Yeah, you could say that.”
A door opened from inside the dining room to reveal a plump older woman with a massive smile on her face. Her white hair was piled into a loose mass of curls on top of her head and she wore a Christmas apron over her clothes. The smell of freshly baked cookies intensified with each step she took in their direction, and Holly was immediately filled with warm and fuzzies.
“What? Nicholas. Why do you have our guests standing in the foyer?” The woman scolded him. “Welcome to our humble abode, everyone! Please, take off your coats, here’s the coat rack. Let’s get you settled.”
The jolly woman bustled around her guests, helping them take off their jackets and hang them on the wooden rack by the door. She then ushered them into the parlor and told them to have a seat. Holly got a great sense of satisfaction out of lightly hitting her brother with one of the throw pillows that so closely matched the ones she’d had to have for her own Christmas decor collection. He laughed and settled into the couch.
“I’m Joan Patterson,” the older woman told them. “My late husband, Jim, and I bought this inn forty-five years ago this Christmas. Now that he’s gone, my son Nick and I share ownership. He’ll take it over when I’m gone. Or when I’m just too dang old to keep runnin’ it. Right, son?”
All eyes went to Nick, as he nodded and winked at his mom from his place leaning against the door. “That’s right.”
“So, not just in charge of maintenance,�
�� Holly said, looking pointedly at Harriet, who had been effectively silenced by Joan’s boisterous and kind personality.
“Oh,” Joan waved her hand. “He does maintenance. He does everything. I basically just cook now. He even outsourced the housekeeping for me so I can just focus on the kitchen. He’s the best.”
Nick smiled at his mom and stepped into the room. “Alright, Mama. Let’s give these folks a tour, not a history lesson.”
Joan laughed. “You’re right. Sometimes when I get to talking, I just don’t stop. Anyway, let’s take a tour. First, this is our parlor. You can feel free to relax here and enjoy the fire anytime.”
Everyone stood and followed Joan into the dining room, but Holly aimed to be the last person out of the room so she could get a second alone with Nick. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry about Harriet. She’s really not like this normally. I have no idea what’s gotten into her.”
Nick’s lip twitched. “It’s fine. I’m used to assistants like Harriet. Movie stars are a dime a dozen around here at Christmas and their snooty assistants are all the same.”
“Wow,” Holly said, her eyes widening. “Tell me how you really feel.”
This time, Nick had the decency to give a full chuckle, his eyes sparkling with humor. “Sorry.”
Unsure of what to say, Holly crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a sardonic look. This guy was a bit of a scrooge. Holly had a feeling he’d get along well with her brother.
“You probably hate Christmas, too, huh?” Holly asked.
“It’s not my favorite time of year.”
Holly narrowed her eyes. “Because of the movie stars and their snooty assistants or because of the holiday in general?”
“Both.”
“You’re nothing if not honest, I guess,” Holly said, gazing around the wonderfully appointed parlor. “I just don’t understand how you—and Jack—could hate all this. It’s magical.”
Nick followed my gaze around the room. “Ah, he must have other good qualities or you wouldn’t have married him, right?”
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