“I think they were coming back Sunday night,” Kem said as she moved her naked body from under the covers and put her robe on the chair near her bed.
“While you’re talking to Charlotte, I’m going to take a shower,” Kem said.
“I’ll join you.”
Kem held her hand out. “Oh no. The last time we took a shower together, we ended up right there.”
Kem looked back at the tousled sheets on the bed.
Ten minutes later, Brent ignored Kem’s directive and entered the shower.
“Since I’m pressed for time, I thought I would join you,” Brent said.
“What did Charlotte want?”
“I didn’t check my messages so I didn’t know I was supposed to be on the morning shows this morning discussing my win last night.”
“It’s my fault. I got caught up and forgot to remind you,” Kem said.
“It’s not your fault. It’s still early. It’s only five in the morning.”
“I know, but you forget the networks are on East Coast time,” Kem reminded him.
Brent took Kem’s sponge from her hand.
“Let me. I’ll make sure you get there on time.” Kem took the sponge from him and added more soap to it.
She used the sponge and wiped his neck. She licked her lips as she wiped the soap across his wide chest. She discarded the sponge and began kissing him. The way the soapsuds and water slid down his muscular torso caused her to gasp. She couldn’t resist kissing his chest.
Brent moaned but paused and said, “Baby, I got to be at the TV station. We’re not going to have time to do anything.”
“You’re right. What was I thinking?” Just like that, Kem stopped. She positioned the showerhead so it could wash off all the soap on Brent’s body.
She turned the water off and opened the shower curtains.
She got out first and handed Brent a big fluffy white towel.
“Kem, what’s wrong? You act like you’re mad.”
“I’m not upset. Hurry up. We don’t want you to be late for your interview.”
Kem didn’t lie. She wasn’t upset. She was conflicted. She hadn’t planned on letting Brent into her personal space. Now that he was, she had to regroup and figure out a way to get him out of her head. He didn’t belong there. She didn’t see their relationship developing into more than a fling. She wanted more but was reluctant because she didn’t want to end up like her mom—alone and heartbroken.
Kem dried her body and then went to her walk-in closet. Her clothes were lined up in the closet by color. Her shoes were on specially made shelves. She opted to wear a blue pants suit with a white blouse.
Once she decided what she wanted to wear, it didn’t take her long to get dressed. When she returned to the bedroom, Brent was sitting on the edge of the bed with his tuxedo on.
“You look nice,” he commented.
“Thanks. Are you ready? I can drive you home so you can change.”
“I was wondering how I was going to get to the studio. I don’t have time to change.”
“You still look good. You can say you partied all night.”
Brent stood and walked over to Kem. “We did have our own special party, didn’t we?”
Kem straightened his bowtie. “Yes, but the party is over and it’s now time to get back to the real world.”
She patted him on the chest and walked away in search for her car keys. Once she located them, she said, “Let’s go. Which station do you need to be at first?”
“Our affiliate. Which will give me a chance to swing by my trailer and change clothes real quick.”
“Cool. Then let’s roll.”
Brent spent the next few hours being interviewed by different networks about his Emmy win. To his surprise, Kem went along with him and was even pulled into a few of the interviews. They were now in the car after the last interview.
“You’ve been driving me all day. Why don’t you let me drive and you can take the wheel after you drop me off at home?” Brent said.
“No need to. I’ve gotten you where you’ve needed to go thus far, so trust me to get you home,” Kem teased.
“I love it when a woman takes control.” Brent smiled.
They continued the playful exchange until Kem pulled up and parked in front of his house. “Well, Brent, don’t forget your statue.”
“I won’t. Thanks for hanging out with me this morning,” Brent said.
“You’re one of my stars. I had to make sure you represented the show well.”
“You know what I meant. I could have hired a car to drive me around. You didn’t have to be there.”
“You’re right. I wanted to be there. I do like you, Brent. I just don’t know if I have the time to invest in anything more than what we’ve shared so far.”
Brent picked up Kem’s hand. “You always want to be in control, but some things are uncontrollable. You can’t help who you fall in love with.”
“You’re a little full of yourself, aren’t you?”
“I can tell you’re fighting your feelings for me. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Brent, that’s a line I wrote for Max.”
“I know and I never thought I would have a need to use it but now I do.”
Brent and Kem held a staring match.
Kem tapped on the steering wheel. “Good-bye Brent. I will see you at the studio tomorrow.”
“I’m not leaving without this.” Before Kem could protest, Brent leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn’t a quick peck but the kind of kiss that had them both sighing. “See you tomorrow.”
Brent grabbed his statue from the backseat and got out of the car. He turned and waved at Kem when he reached his front door. She blew her horn and drove away.
There could be a blurred line between lust and love but Brent knew he was falling for her. Kem was in denial, but Brent would be patient. He’d give her a chance to realize she could love him too.
Chapter Thirteen
Kem slid her shades over her bangs and strolled into the busy southern Los Angeles cafe.
“May I help you?” one of the hostesses asked.
Kem scanned the room. “No. I’m here to meet my friends. I see them sitting over there.”
Kem headed to the table where Charlotte and Mona were already seated. The two women stood and greeted Kem with hugs.
“Look at you, Mrs. Maxwell. Looking all tanned and relaxed,” Kem said as she took her seat.
“I must say marriage does agree with me.” Charlotte held out her hand, revealing the huge diamond ring and wedding band.
“Yes, it does. You’re practically glowing,” Mona added.
Charlotte leaned on the table and looked at Kem. “A little birdie told me you’ve been getting a major tune-up.”
Kem rolled her eyes and looked at Mona. “Some people need to learn how to keep things to themselves.”
“There’s no secrets between us,” Mona said, right before taking a sip of her iced tea.
“Don’t try to act all innocent.” Kem looked at Charlotte. “There’s nothing to tell. We slept together and that’s it. End of story.”
“Come on, you’re a writer. You can be a little bit more detailed than that,” Charlotte said.
“Yes, girl. We want details,” Mona stated.
It was obvious to Kem that neither one of her friends was going to let her get through lunch without telling her business. Out of the three friends, Kem was more reserved when it came to sharing her feelings. She had no issue discussing their problems and offering advice but she liked keeping her issues to herself.
Before she could get started, a waitress walked to the table and took their food orders.
“Now that she’s gone, come on. Spill it,” Mona blurted.
“Charlotte, Brent was at my place Mon
day morning when you were trying to call him.”
“I knew he had to be with some woman. I had no idea it was you.” Charlotte placed her hand in a stop position. She looked at Mona and then back at Kem. “Do either of you notice a pattern here? Both of y’all are seeing one of my clients. Can I pick them or what?”
“Correction.” Kem pointed at Mona. “She’s seeing one of your clients. Brent and I are just exploring one another. We are not in a relationship.”
“Exploration. Oh I see. So that’s what they are calling it these days.” Charlotte shook her head up and down as if she understood Kem’s logic.
Kem said, “It’s sex. Brent is just as hot as the character he portrays on my show. There, I said it. End of story.”
“Are you blushing?” Mona teased her.
Kem looked around the room. None of the other patrons was paying them any attention. Kem then shared some of their conversations. “I feel something for him, but I don’t have time to fall in love. I have this show that takes up most of my time. I want to film a movie during our next break. When would I have time for a relationship?”
“All I’m hearing is one excuse after another,” Charlotte said.
“He works on your show, so obviously he’s aware of your work schedule,” Mona stated.
Charlotte wasn’t buying any of the excuses. “And although you work a lot, you do have down periods. What’s wrong with spending it with someone special? You deserve it after working long hours. Lord knows I do. Thank God he brought Sean into my life.”
“What if I let myself fall in love with him and he leaves me like my daddy left my mama?” Kem finally voiced her concerns out loud to her friends.
“Death and taxes are the only two things guaranteed in life, so don’t allow that to stop you from giving Brent a chance,” Mona said.
“Mona, ever since you’ve been with Terrance, you’ve become a hopeless romantic.”
“You know it. Love will do that to you. I want you to be just as happy as I am. As happy as Charlotte is with Sean.”
“What you both have found is great. But love may not be in the cards for me.” Kem frowned.
“A year ago, I would have agreed but now that love is staring you straight in the face, I disagree. Don’t be like me and let fear stop you from pursuing what could be the best relationship you’ve ever experienced in your life,” Charlotte said.
Her friends had given Kem something to think about. They spent the rest of their lunch listening to Charlotte discuss her honeymoon.
Charlotte said, “I’d never heard of Nevis until Sean surprised me by taking me there. It’s a secluded island in the Caribbean and the people are so nice. Sean rented a villa and we were pampered day and night. The beach was right there. We didn’t have to leave the property at all if we didn’t want to.”
“Sounds lovely,” Kem said.
“We hired a driver one day to take us around to visit some of the villages. Everyone made us feel like natives. The food. Delicious. I’m going to be honest. If I’d known about this place beforehand, we would have had our wedding there. It’s just miles and miles of beaches. You ladies would have loved it.”
Kem made a mental note to look up more information on Nevis Island. She glanced at the time. She had an afternoon shoot and she didn’t want to be late. “Char…Mona. I’ll see you all later. I need to be back on set.”
Kem said her good-byes and left to finish her workday.
Chapter Fourteen
Over the next few weeks, Kem’s life was busy with an aggressive filming schedule. In addition, Aunt Edna’s input on some of the scripts proved to be invaluable. It allowed Kem the opportunity to concentrate on other tasks.
This particular day, Kem experienced a grueling schedule of ten hours. The cast and crew were tired and ready for the day to end. No one saw the light fixture about to fall on Kem’s head, except for Brent who ran and pushed her out of the way. This move saved Kem, but part of the light fixture hit Brent on the back of his leg.
Everyone crowded around them. Kem was now on the floor with Brent on top of her. One of the crew members moved the light fixture off Brent’s leg.
“Are you all right?” Brent asked Kem.
Kem’s voice shook. “I’m a little shaken, but what about you? Some of it fell on your leg.”
They were helped up by a few crew members.
“Somebody call 9-1-1,” one of the crew members said.
“I’m fine. Just get the onsite medic here to wrap it up and I’ll be fine,” Brent insisted.
“You’re sure? Because it tore your pants and I see some blood,” the crew member noted.
Ellen ran to them holding a sheet of paper. “I’ll take care of the incident report. Everyone, the rest of the shoot is cancelled until we can get someone in here to check out these light fixtures.”
Meanwhile, the onsite medic checked on Brent’s legs. Brent insisted he was fine but Kem wanted to make sure. She cared about Brent, and the idea that he could be hurt concerned her.
“Brent, are you sure you’re okay? That thing looked heavy.” Kem frowned.
“I’m fine. No need to make a big deal out of it.”
Brent stood.
“Maybe you shouldn’t be walking on that leg,” Kem noted.
“I’m fine, see?” Brent took a few steps, frowned and clenched his teeth.
“I’m driving you home,” Kem insisted.
“I can drive. My leg’s fine,” Brent assured her again.
Kem felt guilty that Brent had gotten hurt trying to push her out of the way. “At least let me buy you dinner. That’s the least I can do for you saving me from getting hurt or worse.”
“If you insist. But you don’t have to.”
Kem wouldn’t take no for an answer. “I’ll wait on you to change clothes then I’ll meet you at my car in about an hour.”
Kem filled out the legal paperwork required by the studio. Ellen confirmed that all light fixtures would be checked. Filming for the following day had been cancelled to make sure they didn’t run into any more mishaps. The network wasn’t too happy about the show taking a full day off because it would eat into the show’s budget for the week, but the safety of her people was of the utmost importance.
Two hours later, Kem and Brent were seated in a quaint Italian bistro eating. Kem said, “Brent, I want to thank you again for pushing me out of the way.”
“I don’t know what made me look up. I looked toward the ceiling and, as if in slow motion, I saw one of the light fixtures moving. Then it appeared to break off and that’s when I looked down and saw you walking under it. Everything else was pure instinct. I knew I needed to get you out of harm’s way.”
“Thank God you did. Are you sure your leg’s all right?”
“It was throbbing but not anymore. I’m fine. The doctor gave me some antibiotics and if I’m in pain in the morning, I’ll go see my regular physician.”
“I feel guilty about you getting hurt on my account.”
“You shouldn’t. It was a freak accident.” Brent reached across the table and held her hand.
Kem looked into Brent’s eyes and for the first time allowed herself to see him. Really see him. There were no blinders. Nothing but love. They stared into each other’s eyes until the waiter returned with the bill.
Brent reached into his pocket to pay.
“I told you this one was on me,” Kem said. She removed her credit card and handed it to the waiter.
“Thank you. I got you the next time.”
“You’re confident there will be a next time?” Kem asked.
“Yes. But let’s hope it’s not because of an accident.” Brent chuckled.
Kem chuckled too. “Let’s hope not.”
Kem drove Brent home. She parked in front of his house and unbuckled her seatbelt.
“I’m a big boy. I can walk by myself.”
“I’m still concerned about your leg.”
“You’re such a worrywart.”
“Guilty. I’m like that about people I care about.”
Brent looked at Kem and smiled.
“What?” she asked.
Brent shook his head. “Nothing.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the passenger door.
“If you need anything, call me,” Kem stated.
“Will do,” Brent responded.
Kem waited for him to go inside and then pulled away.
Brent didn’t know it, but his act of chivalry changed Kem’s entire attitude toward him. Maybe she was wrong for keeping him at a distance. He’d gone out of his way to protect her. Kem decided on her drive home that if Brent pursued her, she would no longer resist.
“Aunt Edna, I’m fine. I hate you had to hear about what happened on the news,” Brent said as he positioned himself on the couch.
Aunt Edna propped his leg up on a pillow. “You can never be too sure about these things. You could have been killed.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“What were you thinking?” Aunt Edna asked.
“I would rather it hit me than Kem. If I hadn’t pushed Kem out of the way, it would have hit her on the head and I hate to think about what could have happened.”
“Oh dear. I didn’t know. Well, I’m glad you were able to spare her, at least.”
“This is a day I’m glad you weren’t on set,” Brent confessed.
“Do you need anything else before I retire for the night?” Aunt Edna asked.
“Yes, can you hand me my phone? I was supposed to call Kem but needed to calm you down first.”
“Boy, why didn’t you say so? I’m sure she’s worried about you.”
Aunt Edna got his cell phone off the nearby table and handed it to him. “Tell her I said hi. And tell her she can call me to talk, even if it’s not about the scripts.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Brent scrolled through the contacts on his phone and dialed Kem’s number.
The phone rang and went to voice mail . Before he could redial, Kem’s name flashed across the screen. He hit the answer button.
Secrets Uncovered Page 5