There’s every chance it could be time for a quick trip home to fill up the inspiration well. Time with my family and with my secret billionaire buddies always refreshes me. It’s hard to be a pompous movie star when your friends call out any shitty behaviour the moment they see it. Wanting to share time with a woman who has a little more substance is hardly shitty behaviour, though.
“You don’t like her?”
“Of course I like her. I insisted they cast her, didn’t I? I just don’t think she’s the one. I want to end up with a woman who has experienced life.”
Patty frowns. “I’m not offering you the one.” She makes air quotes and rolls her eyes, making out like I said something wildly inappropriate. “I’m offering a date who’ll get as much out of the Fourth of July party as you will. Equal representation seems fair to me.” She plops herself onto the couch and stares up at me. “What’s gotten into you? Is everything okay with the shoot?”
I nod and flap her concerns away with my hand. “Of course. I’m ready to go.” I check my hair in the mirror and unbutton my shirt, eyeing the costume hanging on a stand next to me. “Opportunities like this are as rare as invites to a royal wedding. I need to make a considered decision about my date.”
“Well, you’re out of time. Whoever you ask is probably already cutting it fine to organise an outfit that will dazzle the masses.”
I blurt out my first thought. “Just once I’d like to meet someone who dazzles without the help of clothes, you know?”
An hour later the same thought about being dazzled pops into my head as I watch my new co-star step in front of the camera. We’re filming early scenes that aren’t super important to the outcome of the film, but it seems no one told her that. Melody Aimes has arrived with every bit of poise and professionalism she could dredge up, and she has us all under her spell.
“Cut,” the director calls, and we all relax. “Melody, you’re doing great. Keep that up for the entire film and the whole world will know who you are.”
She beams at him and I can’t help the smile that settles on my lips. Her eyes sparkle, her blonde curls bobbing like whoever did her hair sprayed it with magic dust to infuse it with happiness. She clasps her hands together and for a second, she looks like she might cry with the sheer joy of hearing his praise. It only lasts a moment, though. After she allows herself those seconds of triumph, she takes a deep breath, pushes down the tears and straightens her back.
“Thank you, Greg. That means a lot to me. I’ve been so nervous about the first day.”
“You’re great. Just keep it up.” He turns away, head to head in discussion with one of the producers and she finds herself smiling at his back. She blinks and sighs, her smile still in place, then she turns to the side and makes her way toward the dressing rooms. The whole scene reminds me of the lifespan of a Hollywood career. One minute you’re basking in the euphoric glow of success. The next, people have turned away and moved onto the latest, greatest thing, while you try to make eye contact with people who aren’t there anymore.
It’d be sad to witness, except for one thing. She has years before she’ll experience the shadows. She’s young, and talented, and has a long way to go before they move onto someone else.
I snap myself out of my old-man reverie and follow her retreating form. “Hey, Melody. Wait up.”
She turns, a small frown creasing her forehead as she waits for me. I stop in front of her and turn my whole body to face her. She doesn’t need to know it’s to block out the sight of Patty nodding and pointing at her.
“Do you have plans tonight?”
“Just learning my lines. The makeup lady forbade me from having a late night. She said my skin will look washed out if I’m tired.” Her incredulous tone almost makes me laugh. At twenty three this could be the first time she’s ever been told that. “Why?”
“Want to have dinner with me? I wasn’t sure if you knew anyone on set and might want some company.”
“Where are you going?”
I turn on my movie star smile, like I always do when I want something. “How do you know I didn’t invite you on the spur of the moment and will take you anywhere you want to go?”
Melody narrows her eyes, ignoring my attempt to be charming. “Because I heard you talking to your assistant about dinner. Do you need a prop? Or a decoy? A stooge to stop the women hitting on you. A fake fiancé, maybe?”
I snort. Cole Grant doesn’t need a fake anything. “No more romantic comedies for you, young lady.” She laughs up at me and the twinkle I saw earlier is there again. “I’m having dinner with a friend from Australia and he has a guest. They’re dragging me to the buffet at Caesars and I thought you might want to come.”
“Cole Grant eats at buffets surrounded by hundreds of people?” The way she says my name has me hanging on her words. The same way everyone on this film set hopes the cinema-goers feel when they see her in this movie. “I’m shocked. You don’t strike me as the type.”
“The type to eat?”
“The type to do it outside of an exclusive establishment with a no-sneaky-photo rule.” Her curls bob, her hands making the motion of taking a photo.
“It’s not my first choice, but what can you do? I let them choose the place and I don’t want to cancel.”
Melody looks up at me, and I can see her turning over my offer in her mind. The cute little blonde with the tinkly laugh has a calculating side, and now she’s weighing up whether this is a good decision for her. She blinks and sighs, the sound a definite sign she’s thinking hard. She taps her fingers against her leg and then gives a decisive nod.
“Okay, I’m in. But don’t freak out if I don’t eat. I don’t want photos of me in a magazine with half a chicken shoved down my throat.”
“Oh, you’re learning early. I can’t imagine it will be a peaceful dinner for long once word gets out that we’re there, but at least you can have a break from your lines and then get back to it.”
Her happiness loses a piece of its shine.
Yes, Melody. I invited you to dinner, but that’s all this is.
Chapter Three - Melody
Cole Grant is positively gorgeous close up. The magazines and his Wikipedia page do not do him any justice. His giant face on a movie screen can’t prepare you for the presence he has in person. Even when you’ve seen his movies dozens of times in the dark on your own. Today on the set I had to keep reminding myself not to touch him. The script specifically calls for us not to touch, even though it’s a part of the movie where there’s already something between us.
The screenplay didn’t include the spark I felt today, though. He has star power in epic proportions and today I fell under his spell. No one could write that magic into being.
Now I’m perched at a table in a corner of the enormous buffet waiting for him to show up. I’ve kicked myself a dozen times that I didn’t get his phone number before we both went back to our hotels. He said seven, but I’m a good fifteen minutes early since I had to make the long trek up the Strip. It’s been a shocking discovery how far you have to walk to reach anything in Vegas. I’m sure everyone else is getting taxis or Ubers but I have to watch my pennies, so I walked. There’s nowhere to wait at the restaurant entrance without attracting attention, or looking awkward, so I let them seat me.
This movie is my third, but already people recognise me. Lingering near the entrance to a restaurant with fifty or more people lined up is a recipe for more attention than I’m looking for tonight. I tried to disguise myself by piling my hair under a sparkly pink cap, but too late I realised it draws attention, too. I should have draped myself in dramatic black and tried to blend in. The walls are sandstone, so even that wouldn’t have helped. Confirming an exact place to meet would have been sensible but, of course, we didn’t do that either. It’s not a date. He made that painfully clear.
So here I am.
A couple a few tables away giggle and nudge each other while they watch something on the guy’s phone. He’s hold
ing his hand over hers and she has her arm draped around his shoulder. Every so often they look away from the screen and stare at each other. Then they kiss. Then go back to the giggling and watching.
I envy them. Just a little bit. It’s not like I want to be her, or anything.
I’d just really like someone to share myself with. To call when I’m on set and tell about my day or have them surprise me by meeting me wherever we’re filming and staying for a week or two. I’m making friends in Los Angeles, but I wouldn’t mind a significant other. Preferably someone who isn’t into partying every night. Maybe someone a bit older. Plenty of guys seek me out but so far, I haven’t found anyone I really connect with. And connection is important for me. More important than I realised, when I cut ties with my family and moved away from home to start the hard slog of auditions and rejection.
When I landed my first role after four months of trying, I had no one to share my success with. No one special to cheer, and scream, and happy-cry with me. My agent took me out for dinner, and we toasted my future success, but that was it. I went back to my place, and the next day began the whole cycle again. My agent made sure to remind me that the next meal was on me.
Moving to a new state was always going to be a challenge. I was ready for it; I just didn’t realise how lonely it would be. How foreign. Every day I’m surprised how different it is here, compared to home. I feel like I missed some vital memo about the secret differences one country can hide. More travel, or even more reading might have prepared me. Now, I’m learning as I go. It’s an enjoyable adventure, apart from the loneliness, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I’ve passed the time since they seated me by going over my goal list. I scroll up and down my phone screen, committing my dreams to memory and thinking about how I’ll feel when I achieve them. Since I was little, I’ve always written down anything I wanted and as an adult I’m no different. If only Hollywood knew I had a ten step plan to take over their little corner of the world. A corner that can change my life, if I play it right.
If I’m good enough.
And if my audition luck holds.
Chapter Four - Cole
“I know, I know. I won’t be here long, Bill. Just catching up with a friend for dinner. Don’t worry—I’m not doing anything risky.”
I'm certain nothing too terrible can happen to me at the Caesar's Palace buffet, even if it is the last place I'd like to be seen tonight. I'll be eating my words if a bad batch of shrimp lands me in the bathroom tomorrow, but I’m pretty sure Bill is freaking out over nothing. I haven’t even told him that Melody will be with me, facing the twin terrors of food poisoning and tripping over in the casino.
Bill Green is a producer on the film and he's the guy who is passionate about insurance. Even down to nagging me to be careful when I cross the road. No joke, he actually grabbed my arm one time when we left a set for an extended lunch break. It’s worse than having your mother along.
Bill loves to tell stories of the film he worked on where the lead broke his arm and his leg in two separate accidents on the same night. It might have been twenty years ago, but he tells that story at least once on every shoot. We’re all sick of hearing about it. No matter how much I assure him nothing will happen to me, he's never quite convinced.
I have a quick look around for Melody, while Bill drones on in my ear. She’s not in the line and I can’t see her standing by the entrance. Why we didn’t swap numbers, I have no idea. Not that I could have called her with Bill sucking the life out of me.
“Table for one, Mr. Grant?” A manager appears at my elbow, just as I’m sizing up the queue. She gives me a wide grin, obviously pleased with herself for recognising me. She holds out her hand, making it clear she’ll allow me to move to the front of the line. Over her shoulder I notice three servers jostling to be the one to escort me to a table.
I stifle a sigh and shake my head. “I’m meeting someone. Two someones, actually. Oh, I see them.” I point toward a table on the other side of the room where Cross, and what must be Jessa, are seated. They have their heads together and they’re laughing, her arm draped across his shoulder.
“No problem, Sir. I believe that table already paid for an extra.”
“I have to go,” I say to Bill, disconnecting without waiting for a reply.
Across the room I see Cross pull away from Jessa and reach into his jacket pocket. He pulls a tiny gift-wrapped box out with a flourish and lays it on the table between them. I can hear her squeal all the way across the room and then she laughs and claps her hands. His grin is ear to ear, and he puts his arm around her shoulders and slides closer as she picks up the box.
“Bloody hell!” I charge past the nearest server, heading straight for the table and what looks like a way-too-serious situation for a couple who only met a month ago. Danny and Wyatt were right. Cross is acting really strange.
I skid to a halt beside the table and Cross looks up, his grin transferring to me. “Cole,” he says, laughing and standing up to shake my hand. “It’s so good to see you.” He hugs me and I swear my consciousness leaves my body. It’s not like Cross to be huggy, especially with us guys. Whatever voodoo Jessa is practicing, it’s working on him good.
“Err. Am I interrupting?” I stare at the box, a part of my brain shouting that I should hold out my hand to be introduced to Jessa. “Special occasion?” My voice ends in a squeak, just as I hear my name called off to my right.
“Cole!”
I blink and shake my head, turning to see who’s calling. So many things are happening at once that I find it hard to focus.
Melody waves at me from a few tables away. At least I think it’s Melody. She’s wearing a pink cap that hides her hair, and she looks just like the courier who delivered my invitation from Chase Magazine. Jumbled images of a tiny skirt, fancy thick paper, tiny wrapped boxes and the strange behaviour of my friend combine to send me swaying toward the table.
“Woah, sit down mate.” Cross points me toward a seat opposite him. “Are you right?”
I plonk down and frown over at Melody. “Come here,” I croak, and watch gratefully as she gathers her bag and slides in next to me. “This is my friend, Cross.” They shake hands and then Melody and I stare at Jessa, Melody’s gaze sliding down to land on the box.
Ha! I’m not the only one who saw what just happened over here. He didn’t get down on one knee, though, which seems a bit shit for Jessa. If I ever propose I’ll do it right. Definitely not in an all you can eat restaurant.
“Sorry, this is Jessa.” Cross takes her hand and smiles at me across the table. “Jessa, this is Cole. And his friend…” He lets the words die off and finally Melody puts her hand forward.
“I’m Melody. I’m working with Cole.” She shakes hands with them both then turns to me. “You okay, Cole? You look unwell.”
“What? Yes.” I shake my head. “I’m good. Sorry. I was just confused for a minute.”
“While me crazy famous friend gets himself under control how about you open that.” Cross gives Jessa his full attention, and now all our eyes are on the box. “I’m starting to get a complex.”
“Sorry to ruin your big moment,” I murmur, a frown lodged firmly on my forehead.
Cross and Jessa laugh together, and it’s an easy sound, like they’re so comfortable in each other’s company that nothing can upset them. For a second, I envy Cross. How has he managed to connect with someone so quickly?
“You didn’t gatecrash, don’t worry,” Cross says. “Although,” he frowns and looks at Jessa as she slides the ribbon off the gift, “from the look on Cole’s face this may give the impression of being something else.” He’s gone pale and if I didn’t know his face matched mine, I’d laugh. “You don’t think—”
“Relax, babe.” Jessa touches his face, her eyes meeting his before she goes back to unwrapping the little box. “I’m sure I’ll love whatever it is.” She pulls the wrapping away to reveal a small orange box and, as one, Melody
and I lean forward to see what’s inside. Jessa snaps the lid open and lets out a peal of laughter as I turned confused eyes to Cross.
“What is that?” I ask.
He plucks it out of the box and wiggles his fingers over the small item, before leaning forward to pin it to the lapel of Jessa’s jacket. “It’s a bulldog pin.” Jessa laughs again and I glance at Melody to see she’s just as confused as I am.
“Thank you Cross. It’s so hilarious that you found one.” Jessa snickers and motions to the passing waiter. “Could we get drinks?”
We order, then Melody takes the lead. “Come on, then. What’s the significance of a bulldog? Cole and I have no idea what’s going on. This being Vegas, I thought you two were about to get married.”
Chapter Five - Cole
“So that’s the bulldog story.” Jessa grins and leans against Cross a few minutes later. “Not a marriage proposal, so everyone can relax.”
I have the good grace to apologise for my slightly erratic behaviour. “Sorry. It was such a tiny box, and like Melody said, this is Vegas.”
“Want to swap seats?” Jessa asks Cross, pointing at Melody. “Us girls can talk while you two catch up.”
He nods and they switch, but before she can sit down, Melody says, “Want to get food? I’m starved.”
Cross and I stare after them as they give every impression they’ve known each other for years, then I grab my chance for a little one on one interrogation. Danny would be proud.
“So, what’s going on with you this trip?”
“You didn’t waste any time.” Cross drinks his beer and raises an eyebrow at me. “Nothing’s going on. I met a great woman. I’m taking a break. End of story.”
The Billionaire's Spark: Secret Billionaire’s Club Book Five Page 2