by G S Binkley
“Lacy, over here.” Ryan called to his star then looked around the set running his hand through his gray hair. Instead of making him look older than his forty years, the full head of gray gave way to a dapper distinguished look that he wore well. Not spotting his other star of the movie, he did see his assistant. “Griff?” Ryan waved her to him.
Lacy and Kathy Griffen arrived at the same time. “What’s up, boss?” Griff asked then noticed Lacy curiously staring at her which Ryan took note of also.
“Lacy, you remember Kathy Griffen, Ron’s daughter.” Ryan said off-handedly still searching for his wayward star.
“Call me Griff. Everybody does.” Griff offered.
“I knew you looked familiar. It must be the hair.” Lacy said. “What’s it been three years since I last saw you?”
Running a hand threw her short red hair Griff confirmed the observation. “Yeah, I like it better this way. Free and easy.” The slightly shorter woman not only spoke about her hair it also reflected her attitude. “Though it was more like four years ago. After that I took off and worked on a couple of my dad’s movies that took me around the world.”
“You sure have grown up.” Lacy stated.
“I’m twenty-eight now.” Griff admitted.
“You’re kidding. I thought you’d went to college when you left.”
“Nope. Wanted to find myself and I did.” Griff’s green eyes sparkled as her youthful demeanor spilled over.
Patiently waiting for the two women to reacquaint themselves, Ryan finally interrupted. “Griff, where’s Koda?” Then with a dismissive wave. “Just go find him. Okay? We need to get the ball rolling here.”
“You mean the cameras, don’t you?” Teasing the director. “Didn’t go to film school for nothing.” Looking at Lacy. “Nice to see again.”
Lacy watched the younger woman leave. “I like her. I remember her around the set the first year of the show. She was always interested in how everything worked. I’m glad to see she’s doing well.”
“Yeah, she’s a good kid. A bit obnoxious at times. She doesn’t throw being the big boss’ daughter around much, but….” Ryan spied the errant actor. “There you are.”
Turning, Lacy recognized Koda Kannon, international film star named the sexist man alive at least twice. “Ahhh. If it isn’t the divine Levine.” These words floated off his silver-lined tongue. Ignoring the director completely, Koda grasped Lacy’s hand in his, bowed at the waist placing a velvety soft kiss upon the back of her hand. Standing erect now, he refused to let go of the soft hand he held captive. “May I be so bold as to tell you that my life only started the moment I gazed into your beautiful blue eyes.” Offering her a smile that dazzled so brightly it washed out the high intensity set lights.
Retrieving her hand, Lacy countered. “So you mean I could be the life……and death of you?” Koda was about to return her volley when Lacy said. “Excuse me. Ryan, I need to speak with my agent a moment.”
“That’s okay. It’s only the first day… not much to do.” Ryan exhaled a mock sigh at the delays. Feeling a tapping on his shoulder, Ryan whizzed back around to his prima donna male star. Ryan noted the wolfish once over Koda lavished on Lacy while watching her walk away. He could read the thought propelling around the actors head just as if he’d said it out loud.
I’ve got to get me some of that. Koda smiled in self-assurance of winning the bet he’d just made with himself. “This should be a lot of fun.”
Slapping the star on the shoulder, the director burst Koda’s lascivious bubble. “She’s outta your league. You won’t even get on the ball field.”
Koda’s only reply, a smirk that clearly read we’ll see.
************************
Arthur Graham stood silently listening to Lacy expound on her concerns about the contract renegotiation David had made without her knowledge. Irate that her agent would allow the renegotiation confused the star that had remained loyal to her one and only agent. After the rise of her success with the cop series many more prominent agencies cajoled, begged and pleaded to sign Lacy. This was one point she adamantly refused to consider going against David’s stern recommendations.
“Calm down, Lacy.” Arthur stilled the heated star’s fury. “Here.” He handed her the contract, flipped a few pages then pointed at one particular item.
Lacy read the small print carefully letting this new information dissolve her anger into a mellow ease. “Thank you, Art. I should never have questioned you about this.”
“Lacy, first rule of business….never…. ever… let the other person you’re in bed with, metaphorically speaking, know the closet door has a secret escape passage.” Arthur winked at his favorite and most important client. “I knew David was up to no good. When I saw that I could handle it without taking you away from your much-needed vacation, I did. So, the ball’s in your court.”
Once again, her agent came through in flying colors. Arthur never let her down and signing with him was the best business decision she’d ever made. In effect, Arthur gave her a wild card to play trumping the rest of the players if needed. “Thank you. I think you deserve a raise for this.” She kissed him on the cheek.
“And, I thought you were talking about money.” He shot her a teasing wink.
“You would.” Lacy confirmed.
“Are we interrupting?” Gage asked with both kids in tow.
Spinning around at the sound of her favorite voice in the world to hear, Lacy beamed. “Never.” Then eyeing her children. “Hello, you two.”
“Mom, Gage took me by my new school. It’s pretty cool. They have a swimming pool inside. Did you know that?” Dani loved water. A fact Lacy carefully calculated when selecting that school for her daughter.
“Yes.”
“Momma?” Derek stretched, arms wide.
“Hello, honey.” She collected her son in her arms. “What did you do this morning?”
“Pway horsie with Jage.” Derek galloped in her arms.
“And, watched his favorite cartoon.” Gage added.
Bringing Arthur Graham closer, Lacy introduced him to her partner. “Art, this is Gage.”
Instead of formally announcing to the world their relationship, the couple elected to let people come to their own conclusions, but they were not going to hide it either. Their main concern was how it would affect the children. With Lacy’s divorce still pending though they agreed to temporarily quell displays of affection in public.
“Art. Hi.” Gage greeted the man who was the same age as herself.
Lacy’s agent knew the score between the couple in front of him after receiving the anonymous tip that turned out to be from David… Like I should have realized that… regarding the supposed affair his client was involved in while at her cabin on the lake. “Nice to meet you. Lacy, I’m off then.” Seeing the questioning look on her face, Art ended by saying. “Don’t particularly want to talk with Casanova over there heading this way as we speak.”
As Art left, Koda arrived with a wink and charming snake-like smile. “Lacy, Ryan wants us to ‘get some’…..” The way he said the last two words did not marry up with the next ones. “..rehearsing done.”
Dismissing the vaguely veiled subtext, Lacy introduced her family. “Koda, I want you to meet Gage. She’s a writer. And, these two are Dani and Derek, my children.”
Glancing superficially toward the trio, his heavenly hazel eyes landed back on the woman he was going to add another notch to his bedpost with. “Hi. Shall we?” He asked, staring deeply into cool blue eyes.
“Yes, we shall.” Gage grabbed Dani’s hand and scooted Lacy, who was holding Derek, along. “We’d like to watch.”
Knocked for a loop at the unexpected proposition, Koda temporarily retreated finding refuge behind the new arrival. “Griff? How’s your old man?”
Griff quickly looked over the visitors to the movie set before answering him. “Fine. As a matter of fact, he just arrived. Talking with Ryan, I think.”
�
�Well, then……” Koda straightened his shirt, stretched his neck and combed his unruly light colored hair with his fingers before heading off in search of their main benefactor. “Later.”
“Gage, this is Griff.” Lacy made the introductions.
“Hey, it’s good to meet you.” Griff grabbed the proffered hand. “Why haven’t I seen you before?”
“First time on a movie set.”
Lacy added proudly. “She’s a…. an exceptionally great writer.”
“Wow. Listen, why don’t I show you around?” Looking at Lacy before whisking the blonde off.
Lacy shrugged turning to her partner knowing full well Gage would enjoy a tour of the place. “Go ahead.”
“What about the kids?”
“I’ve got them with me. Go on.”
“Are you sure you won’t be needed for…. rehearsing?” Gage emphasized the last word having zeroed in on Koda’s true meaning.
“No, no rehearsing for me. Well, except….” Lacy intentionally let the words she knew Gage would pick up on die on her lips.
“In that case, I won’t be long.” Turning to her new escort. “Lead on.”
***********************
When Gage returned with Griff, they found Lacy, Koda and Ryan meeting with a large man who stood a couple inches over six foot. His presence spoke power, commanding and reassuring at the same time. Gage easily deduced the man’s identity when Griff rushed to him losing herself in the gigantic hug he offered.
After a long embrace, Ron Griffen eased his daughter back. “Thought you were going to stop by last night?” Locking a sharp knowing brown eye on his only child, Ron silently summarized the reason. Since returning to Hollywood, the pretty woman before him worked by day and partied by night. A little too much, he thought. The movie mogul clearly remembered his daughter’s shy innocent ways until she’d left to see the world. When his feisty daughter shrugged an apology, Ron declared. “You will tonight.” Turning to the group, Ron emphatically extended the no refusal invitation. “I’m having a little ‘get to know you’ party this evening. I expect to see you all.” He glanced around the room coming full circle back to the redhead. “Kathy, that means you, too.”
Koda perked up at the invitation knowing full well that a bevy of beauties would be present while Ryan sighed knowing it would be formal. Lacy sent a questioning glance to Gage searching for any hint of uneasiness since she was well aware of her partner’s reluctance to do ‘fancy’. Gage smiled reassuringly to the dark haired woman thinking the invitation didn’t include her until.
“Gage?” Griff called across the room to where the blonde had meandered finding sanctuary with the kids playing in the background. “You’re coming right?”
“Huh?” The writer’s head popped up. “Ahhh….” Seeing Lacy tilt her head in acceptance. “…sure.”
“Great.” Grabbing her father’s arm, Griff directed him to the door then said covertly. “Father? I’ve got something I need you to do ASAP.”
************************
Before mid-afternoon, Ron Griffen had supplied his daughter’s request. “Didn’t take much really. Asked an old friend.” Ron handed Griff the file. “Anything I should know about?”
Reading it, Griff smiled. “No, no. Not yet. Guess I need to head to the bookstore.” She started to leave.
“Aren’t you required back on the set?” The business minded man asked.
She kissed her father on the cheek. “They’re only going over the script and blocking….Ryan can handle it.”
“Sweetie, you’re just the assistant…. not the director.” Ron advised his daughter. He loved her and would do anything for her, but, after all, he had money invested in this film. His only child came first; however, money was a real close second.
“I was teasing you, father.”
As he watched her literally skip out of his luxurious office, Ron sat there perplexed. “I never know what’s on that girl’s mind.”
**********************
Ryan and the cast muddled through a script reading of the movie, which frustrated him to no end. Griff never returned to the set after leaving with her father. Koda was making overtures to Lacy with every word he spoke. The rest of the cast members especially the women played tag trying to get Koda’s attention that was firmly riveted on the dark haired beauty.
Lacy was the only bona fide professional, besides himself, present for which he was eternally grateful. Several times she redirected the group steering them back on track. Noticing her friend’s aggravation, Lacy suggested. “Why don’t we call it quits for the day? With the party and everything.”
His savor’s words were welcomed having lost control over this motley group. “Good idea.” Oh well, tomorrow’s another day to get this well-oiled machine up and working.
The room couldn’t have cleared out faster than if someone had called in a bomb scare. Lacy smiled at her frustrated friend. “Off day?”
“For the life of me, Lacy, I should have taken the day off.” Ryan had a history of bad first days on a new project. Deep down, he took it in stride as he likened it to the old saying ‘bad rehearsal, good show’. The worse the first day of filming was the better the film turned out to be. “Can I give you a ride home?”
“No, thank you. Gage and the kids should be waiting in my trailer.” Lacy hugged her old friend.
“See you tonight then.” Ryan waved.
“Tonight.” She called off after him.
********************
“Tonight!” Gage flipped through her clothes. “Why tonight? Does he know it’s not even the weekend?”
Lacy let her partner rant and rave. “You’re the one who said we’d attend.”
Dragging a pile of clothes from the closet with her, Gage recounted the incident. “Me? I looked at you. You cocked your head like….like….”
“Like what?”
“Like… this.” Gage tilted her head exactly as her partner had done earlier when Griff asked if she was attending the party.
“I did not. I did this.” Lacy cocked her head to the other side.
“Exactly. That’s the same thing I did.” Gage countered.
“No, it isn’t. You did this.” Lacy moved her head the other way. “I did this.”
To Gage, the second maneuver mirrored the first. But, she no longer cared. It was something in the graceful way Lacy’s long dark hair flung around as her partner attempted to discriminate between the two actions that diverted her attention. Gage closed the distance. “Do that again.”
Lacy complied.
“I know exactly what that little move means.”
“Really?”
“Mmmmmm.” Gage tenderly took possession of the sensual lips before her begging to be kissed. So, she did again and again. Falling to the bed on the pile of clothes, Gage began undressing her partner.
“We’re going to be late.” Lacy said between smothering kisses she welcomed.
“I’m only helping you get undressed.” Gage assured the pinned woman.
“Mmmm Hmmmm. I really believe that one.” Dragging the tip of her tongue over her partner’s mouth.
“Then believe this….. I love you.” Allowing one final all-consuming kiss to play out before withdrawing. Definitely overheated from the exchange, Gage desperately returned to inspecting her clothes before the fire grew too hot to handle leaving only one thing that would douse it.
Feeling like she was left in dry dock after being primed for sailing, Lacy panted heavily. “I’m going to get you for that one, sweetheart.”
“Tonight?”
“If you’re lucky?” Lacy pushed herself off the bed then slipped into the five hundred dollar dress she’d bought. “What do you think?”
The appreciative smile on Gage’s face shouted to the world her approval. “You make it look like it’s worth a million bucks.”
Giving her partner a thank you kiss, Lacy cocked her head again. “Now, what about you?”
Gage selected her
chosen outfit. “I only have one philosophy about fashion….” Looking at Lacy directly. “You, who wrote the book on style….”
“I did not. But, I do enjoy dressing up.” Lacy admitted.
“Comfortable.” An arched eyebrow shot her way in question. “If I’m comfortable…… I’m styling.”
A squinted eye and pursed lips surveyed the chosen outfit Gage had in her hand. “Then, sweetheart, you’ll be the master of style tonight.” Lacy walked out the door without another word.
Confused, Gage was left standing alone. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Chapter Nine
Lacy and Gage arrived with Mark Calico for the movie executive’s ‘get to know you’ party. Gage surveyed the huge room filled with glamorous people dressed to the nines. At least they look the part. “Are all of these things so…. formal?”
“Unfortunately with Griffen they are.” Her friend Mark replied. “Ron’s big on fancy.”
Fancy? You got that right. Gage swallowed hard feeling very out of place at that moment. Having being caught in accepting Griff’s personal invitation, Gage figured she’d give it a go for her partner’s sake. Now she was wishing she’d found a way out of it. Sucking in a deep breath, the ill at ease writer summoned her resolve to make the best of it. “Then let’s get this thing over with.” She knew when her words slipped past her lips it was a mistake. Her insensitive comment reflected on Lacy’s face. Moving as close as she could to her partner, Gage asked forgiveness. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
Lacy produced a small smile. “That’s all right. You told me how you felt about these types of gatherings. Maybe we can go before……”
Too late. “Mark Calico…. you old son of a gun.” Ron Griffen gave his old college roommate a bear hug.
“Ron.” Turning to his companions, Mark introduced them. “You know Lacy, of course, and this is my good friend and business partner, Gage Ballant.”
The movie mogul scrutinized the blonde curiously as he greeted her. “Gage, nice to meet you. And…..” Hugging Lacy. “How’s my favorite money maker?”