by Holly Rayner
His hand hadn’t moved from her arm, and the skin his fingers touched tingled a little. Kaye kept her concentration up, ignoring the sensation.
“You’re right,” he agreed.
“Ahem? You’re taking her out to lunch? We have a deal to get signed here!”
“Honey over vinegar, Merle. I’m taking her out to give her the details. If she’s still on board by the end of it, we’ll be in good shape. If she isn’t, we’ll find better methods of casting after this.”
“That would be my recommendation,” Kaye said, enjoying the puce color staining Merle’s cheeks.
“Shall we?” Amir asked, holding out his arm for her to take.
Kaye glanced back at Merle.
“I’ll let you know my decision,” she said, placing her hand over Amir’s arm.
Beneath her fingertips, she could feel toned muscle. She thought about what that muscle might look like beneath the smooth fabric of his suit, and shook the thought from her mind.
They left Merle in the dust, Amir bringing her toward the back of the warehouse. When he opened a door, she saw a sleek yellow sports car waiting in a bay.
“Hid this one out back, did you?”
Amir gave her a sideways glance.
“One gets used to hiding when the paparazzi are around—which is always.”
Kaye felt a pang of sympathy for the man. He opened her door for her, and she slid in, the seat cushy and comfortable. As he slid in next to her, he turned the key in the ignition, meeting her gaze.
“Now, where to?”
Chapter Four
Kaye hesitated on her answer, unsure what to suggest.
The truth was, she basically hadn’t been out to dinner pretty since she’d arrived in L.A. Since that moment, she had been forced to save everything she had just to hold on to her apartment while she tried everything in her power to live her dream. Amir waited a beat, then filled the silence.
“Never mind, I know the perfect place,” he said, pulling out of the parking lot and heading back toward the city.
“Is Merle going to be mad at you?” Kaye asked, not really sure what else to say.
Amir chuckled.
“Merle is always mad. Or didn’t you notice?”
“Mad, deranged… I suppose it depends on the way you define the term.”
That got another laugh out of Amir, and Kaye found herself cracking a guilty smile.
“Yes, he certainly is something. We’ll get into that over lunch, though. Tell me more about yourself, Kaye.”
“What, more about how I don’t have any illegitimate children or a checkered past that might come up and bite you once I sign onto the show?”
“While that is useful information, I meant more about you. What do you like to do for fun?”
“What, when I’m not desperately searching for acting work?”
“Precisely.”
Kaye sat back in her seat, thinking about what she did for fun. How long had it been since she’d really enjoyed herself?
“I suppose I like going to the beach,” she hedged.
“The beach! Good answer. I love the ocean,” Amir replied, reaching up and pulling a pair of designer sunglasses from seemingly out of nowhere.
He looked even more handsome with them on. Kaye swallowed, thinking about beaches, trying not to think about a shirtless Amir on one of them.
“What about you? There were whisperings from the other actresses when you came out. Is any of it true?”
Amir’s face fell for a second before he settled it back into a good-natured smile.
“That depends. What were they reading?”
Kaye shrugged.
“The tabloids, I don’t know. I don’t read that garbage.”
“Good for you. It’s nice to know we have at least one ally in the world that doesn’t see us as soap opera characters to be filmed at every turn.”
“Happy to lend my support,” Kaye said.
“To answer your question, I imagine parts of what they know are true, but you’ll have to tell me the rumor before I can dispel it.”
“The rumor is that you’re a Hollywood playboy that has dated nearly every actress and model in town.”
Kaye was a Midwesterner, and she prided herself on her ability to tell things as they were. Amir laughed again, and she was glad for it, because the sound was music to her ears.
“Well, I don’t think I’ve dated everyone in the area, but I’ve had my fair share of relationships.”
“And none of them suited you?”
Amir inhaled, letting out a breath as he considered his answer.
“It’s not that we didn’t suit, per se. There is a certain attitude here, a certain…”
He paused, allowing himself time to get his thoughts in order. Finally, he shrugged.
“I don’t know. No one around here knows how to have a good laugh, you know? Everything is so serious but also so over-dramatic. ‘If I don’t stay a size zero, I’ll lose my career. I have to get this plastic surgery or everyone will think I’m hideous!’ No one talks about much outside of their careers, or their physical appearances, or the next runway or awards show. It can get very dull very fast.”
“What would you prefer to talk about?” Kaye asked, curious.
Amir’s eyes grew distant as he turned the car down a city street, winding his way back through town.
“Something. Anything. What about the meaning of life? Why are we here? Why don’t more people travel? And when they do, why do they isolate themselves instead of really immersing themselves in a culture?”
He glanced back at Kaye and his lip twitched upward.
“I’m sorry. You must think I’m a terrible rambler.”
Kaye smiled up into his eyes. There was so much behind them—so much she wanted to know.
“I think there is much more to you than meets the eye,” she replied.
He pulled up in front of a restaurant and parked the car in front of a valet. Before Amir had time to, a man came over and opened Kaye’s door for her, and she had to slide out.
“Thank you,” she said, and the valet nodded.
“Miss. Enjoy your lunch.”
“Chris! How are you, bud?”
The valet’s face lit up at the sight of Amir, and as he approached to take the keys, Amir stuck his hand out for him to shake, which he did, heartily.
“Always good to see you, Amir,” the valet said, and Amir beamed.
“Aha! I finally got you to use my first name.”
“Well, someday, we’re going to be colleagues, so it would be weird for me not to, right?”
“You bet,” Amir affirmed, releasing the young man’s hand.
Kaye noticed there was a very large bill in the valet’s hand as he slid into Amir’s car.
“You always come in the best cars,” the valet called out, and Amir laughed again.
He might have been the most jovial man Kaye had ever met. Then again, when one was extremely rich and handsome, she imagined happiness was fairly easy to come by.
“Just for you! We’ll see you in a bit, Chris.”
“I’ll take good care of her!”
“You better, or you’re paying for it with your first big paycheck!”
“I’ll just buy you a new one,” Chris joked before closing the door and driving toward a garage.
Kaye turned to the Sheikh with an amused expression.
“Are you friends with everyone in L.A., or just the valets?”
His grin was infectious as he held out his arm for her to take once again, and she happily wrapped her hand around his bicep, resisting the urge to squeeze.
“Possibly everyone. As you’ve heard, I’m quite the socialite.”
They entered the upmarket establishment; all around them were tables with crystal decorations and china tableware, only a few of them populated. The hostess glanced up, and when she saw Amir, she smiled.
It seemed the whole world smiled when Amir was there. It certainly wasn’t the s
ame world Kaye was living in.
“Amir, welcome back. Would you like your usual table?”
“I would. Thank you, Alice. How’s that commercial going? Have you filmed it yet?”
“We film it tomorrow. Hopefully they’ll keep me on as a regular extra!”
“Fingers crossed for you,” Amir said, crossing his fingers to show his support.
Alice led them to a table toward the back, which was private while still having a good view of the rest of the space. She handed them their menus, bid Amir a fond farewell, and was off to help another set of patrons that had just walked in.
“So, you come here often?” Kaye remarked.
Amir nodded.
“It’s one of my favorite places.”
“How do you know so much about everyone?”
“I ask. Don’t you?”
“No. Usually, I get where I’m going, do what I need to, and then go home.”
“Ah. See, that’s the problem with Americans. You all like your personal bubbles and isolating yourselves, but it’s not natural. Humans are social creatures. We need one another.”
“Does everyone working here aspire to be an actor?”
“Doesn’t everyone in this town?”
Kaye thought about her own circumstances, and smirked.
“I suppose they do.”
Amir took a sip of water, then his expression turned serious once again.
“Which brings us to the topic at hand. You would like to know what you’re about to get into.”
“That would be ideal, yes,” Kaye said, leaning in.
Amir nodded, sitting back and lacing his hands together. Before he could launch into his speech, however, a waitress appeared—a tiny woman with pitch-black hair and piercing green eyes.
“Amir, my old friend. We meet again.”
“It’s good to see you again, Misty.”
“And you. What can I get you?”
The two glanced at their menus and ordered a pair of steaks before Misty grabbed their menus and made to leave.
“Oh, and Misty? A bottle of champagne, if you could?”
Misty nodded and headed off to fill their order. Kaye lifted an eyebrow.
“Champagne? Is it even noon yet?”
Amir looked at a very expensive watch on his wrist. He held up a finger to keep her silent, and Kaye laughed.
“And…now, it’s noon. Besides, it’s five o’clock somewhere. Isn’t that how the saying goes?”
“It is, but it is still barely noon here.”
“Well, depending on your answer to this contract, we can either celebrate together, or I can drown my sorrows with a nice bottle of champagne. Either way, it’s a win.”
“Fair enough. Now, you were getting to the part where you tell me what I’ve gotten myself into.”
Amir nodded.
“Right, of course. I suppose I should give you a little backstory, hmm?”
“Sure, why not?”
“A few months ago, Merle showed up on my doorstep with an idea for a reality show. He pitched it as something like Beauty and the Sheikh, where the show would follow along as I make my way through cultural differences with my beautiful fiancée before we have a stunning, romantic wedding. It’s meant to be silly and funny, romantic and interesting, and hopefully we can keep viewers’ attention for a prolonged period of time.”
Kaye’s eyebrows pushed together as she took that in.
“I don’t understand your motivation for going along with something like this. You clearly have the world in the palm of your hand, and there is nothing shallower than reality TV. Why do this?”
Amir shrugged.
“Why not? I have a production company that not too many have heard of, in spite of its success. This kind of publicity could really bring in some new talent, not to mention increase visibility. It’s a silly thing, but it sounded like fun, even when Merle said it.”
“So, you’ll be inviting a camera crew into your house to pretend that you’ve got this American fiancée, and call it reality TV, when really it will all be staged?”
“You can’t be so naïve as to think reality TV is real?”
Kaye shook her head.
“Of course not, but I guess I’ve never seen this side of it before.”
“It’s all a show, of course. It’s all entertainment. You are a professional actress, and I believe you have the chops to pull this off.”
“But, of course, I would have to marry you in real life. There’s nothing scripted about that part.”
“Yes, but picture this,” Amir said, holding his hands out as though setting the scene.
“The Sheikh and his all-American bride get to know one another better after a whirlwind romance saw them engaged after mere weeks of dating! We will be married on-screen in a beautiful affair, and as soon as we’re done shooting—whether that’s after one season or several—we can get a quick, painless, no-contest divorce. Easy peasy!”
Kaye processed the proposal, thinking about the premise of the show, paired with the fact that she would have to marry the Sheikh for real.
“Why would we need to bother with making the marriage legal when the rest of the show is a farce—not to mention the fact that it won’t be broadcasted live, anyway?”
Amir was about to answer when the food arrived, providing a break in their conversation. As Kaye took a bite of succulent steak, she pondered just how far she was willing to go to get into the acting world.
Could she marry a complete stranger?
Chapter Five
It was the best food Kaye had eaten in years, and she did her best not to scarf it all down in three bites, instead taking delicate nibbles.
“To answer your question…” Amir continued, after taking a bite of his own steak, “I asked Merle the same thing. The production company has been through this kind of thing before. If the marriage isn’t officially registered, the show will instantly be revealed as a fake, and our success lies in the audience believing this is real life—even if it’s a heightened version of it.”
Kaye sat and considered that. She would be marrying a man for the sake of television authenticity, only to become a divorcee. What would her acting reputation be if she took on such a job? Then again, she would at least actually have an acting reputation. Couldn’t she run with that and make herself into anything she wanted to be?
“I understand your hesitation, and I want you to know that we have set up the contract to protect you in the best possible way.”
“What contract? All I was handed was a prenup.”
Amir winced.
“Yes, we really didn’t handle that very well, did we? I will send you a copy of the contract as soon as this lunch is over so you can have a good look at it. In there, you will see that nothing salacious will be expected of you—we do not have to be explicit in our on-screen affections, and there is no expectation of this being a true marriage.”
His meaning was clear. There would be no expectation of her to perform any kind of…marital duty. That was a relief, at least. Amir continued.
“There will be no real romance; to be clear—no sexual contact of any kind. It was a clause that I made sure they put in, to protect us both. Any affection displayed will be for the show and the show only, and we are not to engage in any activity outside of it other than friendly banter. I outlined it all quite clearly. If any breach of contract occurs, there will be no payment. It must be followed to the letter.”
Kaye blinked at that, absorbing his words. He wanted to protect the actress that took on that role, laying out explicit instructions to keep her safe from any advantages that could be taken. It was endearing, even as a part of her internally groaned at the thought that nothing could ever happen between her and Amir, if she wanted to get her money.
“But we’re getting married on the show. Surely we’ll have to show some affection.”
Amir nodded.
“Yes. We’ll want it to be believable, but Merle has ideas for my person
a that will make it easier for us to show affection without being overt about it.”
“You have a persona?”
Amir nodded.
“I do, and so will you, if you take on the role. We’ll want to make sure you’re a shining example of an American woman.”
“What does that mean?”
Amir shrugged.
“I have no idea. I’m sure Merle will be able to give you the proper direction. He’s produced several incredibly successful reality shows. He may be a bit of a jerk, but he’s a jerk that knows how to bring in viewers. You could easily become a household name, Kaye.”
Kaye thought about that. The world knowing who she was, walking into casting calls with a recognizable face. Maybe she wouldn’t even need to go to casting calls after this. Maybe her phone would finally ring with offer after offer, and she could be the one bringing guests to this restaurant.
“You said the first season would end with a wedding, right?” Kaye asked, and Amir nodded.
“Don’t weddings end with a kiss?”
Amir shrugged.
“They do. I can make it as chaste as possible, or I can kiss you on the cheek, if it will make you more comfortable.”
“But that part would count as part of the act, so it wouldn’t breach anything, right?”
“Correct. Still, you should know I won’t make any advances on you on camera without your full permission. This will be my first time in front of the cameras, as well. I want to make sure I do it right.”
“You’re doing a reality show. I’m not sure there’s a place for class there.”
“Of course there is. We’ll pave the way for classy reality TV,” he replied, grinning.
Kaye took another moment to consider it. The Sheikh had made an exceptional case for joining the show. The contract would protect her from any foul play, and she would get the chance to at least do one job. There was one important factor she hadn’t covered, though.
“What’s the pay?” she asked.
“How much do you want?”
She blinked.
“What, like I can make my own salary?”
He leaned in, his voice lowering.
“I like you, Kaye. I like your resume. I can tell already that you’re a great actress—your expressions and mannerisms are perfect. So, tell me how much you want, and I will see what I can do about it.”