A Touch of Passion (boxed set romance bundle)

by Uvi Poznansky

  He leaned forward and touched Judy’s arm. She responded by opening her eyes and smiling. “I tried to warn you that becoming Charity’s manager wasn’t going to be easy, but you handled the situation just right.”

  Judy shrugged and pushed a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. “But I didn’t do anything. I wanted to protect my daughter but couldn’t.” Her tone betrayed her frustration, and anger with herself and the reporters. With a quick sigh she straightened her wrinkled blouse before leaning back again, as if surrendering.

  He winked and said, “I could see you were thinking about jumping to protect Charity, but it’s better if she defends herself. If they see any weakness at all they’ll become a constant thorn in her side. Now they know she has plenty of backbone and won’t be browbeaten.”

  Mr. Bennett turned his attention to Charity. “You handled the crowd perfectly. They were testing the waters, trying to see if you had any backbone or not. You have to have a thick skin to work in this business. You proved that even though this is your first movie you’re not afraid and you have the confidence to get the job done.”

  Charity wiped her moist palms on the edge of her short skirt and said, “I was worried you might think I was coming across as too tough. It was a surprise to be face to face with such severe disapproval before I’ve even begun filming yet.” She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. While the entire experience had been unsettling, it had also been empowering. Now that it was over, she realized she had passed her first major test of being thrown out into the public eye.

  “I’ve been so worried about not having enough experience and letting you down. Hiring me had to be a big of a gamble for you, but it never occurred to me that there were other people thinking those same things. What if they’re right?”

  Mr. Bennett stretched his legs and crossed his ankles. He was very attractive for a man of his advanced years. His silver hair was groomed to perfection, and his choice in clothes set him apart from the average man. But it was his kind expression that had made Charity trust him from the moment they’d met. He was a man who smiled often and always with sincerity. “I’ve been in this business a long time. This isn’t my first time at the rodeo so just trust me. I know talent when I see it. You have it. It oozes from your very pores, so stop worrying.”

  He took a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and dabbed at his forehead. Once it was returned to its rightful place he focused on Charity again, “I've made arrangements with the Dallas Cowboys to use their football field. David and the extras are there working through the football scenes. I have a cheerleading coach there for you and the other ladies. You’re going to love Kim. She has a lot of energy.”

  Charity exchanged looks with her mom. They had both been hoping to settle in at the hotel and change into more comfortable clothes before heading out again. Her mother smiled during the short-lived exchange, but she couldn’t hide the fact that the day had already been a huge strain on her. Her mother’s once tidy hair was now a bit frazzled, and her neatly pressed clothes were wrinkled and damp with sweat. Charity was relieved that she seemed calmed by Mr. Bennett’s reassurances.

  "David arrived early this morning. He should be out on the field when we arrive.” Mr. Bennett said as he drummed his fingers on his knee. He was doing his best to make the ladies feel more at ease as they began this whirl wind adventure, but was ever focused on the business of it all.

  Charity caught Judy’s grin as she heard this last and gave her a knowing glance. Her mom was David Warren’s biggest fan. The man did have the most perfect set of dimples.

  "I can't help but be nervous about meeting him.” Charity said as she picked at the threads on her jacket.

  Mr. Bennett shook his head as he spoke. “A lot of people in this industry let their fame go to their head, but not David. He's a fine person. Very down to earth.”

  Charles noticed her plucking at the loose thread. "I’ve arranged for more appropriate clothes for you at the stadium. We have been trying to decide between three different designs for the cheerleading costumes and today seemed like a good day to finalize that. Three fourths of the movie, that’s what you’ll be wearing, so we want to see how they’re going to look on you before making the final decision.”

  At that very moment the huge stadium came into view through the tinted limo windows. Charity leaned over to see it better, she was astounded by its size. Johnny loved the Dallas Cowboys. He was going to be so jealous when he found out where she was going to be spending the rest of her day. She glanced back at her mother to ask, “Do you mind calling Johnny and letting him know we’ve arrived safely? Tell him I’ll call him later tonight.”

  The moment the limo pulled into the lot and parked, Mr. Bennett scooted over to the door and said to Charity, “I’ll find you a phone and you can call Johnny from the stadium. There’s no point in waiting to talk to him tonight. I want your mind completely on the cheerleading coordination’s this afternoon. You have a lot to learn in a very short time.”

  Stanley jumped out of the driver’s seat, came around to the passenger door, and opened it. Mr. Bennett smiled and offered his hand to Judy, "Come on ladies. I’ll show you around the stadium.”

  Leaving the comfort of the car and already tired from the trip, Charity and Judy struggled to keep up with his quick pace and take in all the new sites and sounds of the big stadium. Mr. Bennett’s idea of showing them around was a brief hand wave in the general direction of a few areas of interest on the way to the nearest office with a phone. There’d been little time to absorb the grandness and get past their awe of being in such a famous location for filming, before he gave instructions on how to find the dressing area and the clothes she would be changing into. Then he was leading Judy away before Charity even realized fully all that he had just said to her. For the first time that day, Charity was alone with her thoughts.

  Events were moving much too fast. She was just a little country girl from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. One moment, she had been starring in a play for a drama class at the university and out of the blue, Mr. Bennett had emerged from the audience and hired her to be his leading lady. She had never doubted her ability to carry the role, until the journalists pointed out how much money was riding on her ability and unproven talent.

  Charity shrugged those feelings off and focused on calling her husband. The phone only rang once before the garage’s office manager answered, “Field and Son Automobile Repair, Cindy speaking.”

  It was good to hear a familiar voice even if she didn’t particularly care for the garage’s office manager. Charity sat on the edge of the nearest chair. She leaned forward and pressed the phone closer to her ear as if that would be enough to bring Tennessee and Johnny into the room with her. She drew in a long breath before speaking into the handset. “Cindy. This is Charity. Is Johnny too busy to talk?”

  Cindy gave a hoot that could have punctured a car tire. “I’m so glad you called! That man of yours has been driving everybody crazy. He’s only asked me a hundred times if you’ve called yet. He’s out in the break room with a soda right now. I’ll go get him. Hold on.”

  Charity could picture Cindy in her poured-on jeans with the skimpiest top she could buy, wear, and not be arrested for wearing in public. When Johnny had first started working with his dad at the repair shop, she had been jealous of Cindy’s flirtatious style, but Johnny finally convinced her that was just Cindy’s way around everyone.

  Johnny was out of breath when he answered, "Charity? I didn't think you were ever going to call. You alright? The flight go okay? You all settled in?"

  Charity laughed, "How about only one question at a time? I'm alright. The flight was fine. No, I’m going to work before I get to settle in at the hotel.”

  "I’m not surprised. Mr. Bennett strikes me as the type of man who always gets his money’s worth out of everything and everyone."

  Charity nodded even though Johnny couldn’t see the gesture. With a sigh she said, "Mom and I both thought we would have
some time to get settled into our rooms and have time to rest up a bit, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

  She let Johnny’s slow southern drawl sooth all of her ruffled feathers. He always made her feel better, no matter what madness was going on. She listened to him ramble on about what had been happening since dropping her off at the airport. When there was finally a pause in the conversation, she jumped in, “You’ll never believe where I am this very minute. I bet you’ll never guess in a million years.”

  Johnny laughed at her excited tone. “Well tell me then.”

  Charity giggled first, then said, “The entire cast is at the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium! This place is huge. You would love it here, but of course there aren’t any of the real football players or cheerleaders here. If I see any, I’ll try and get an autograph for you.”

  Johnny’s laugh was deep and rich. It was one of his most endearing qualities. “You’re going to be okay, baby.”

  Charity sighed as she slouched backwards, then said, “I’m that obvious, huh?”

  There was silence over the phone line. After a long pause, Johnny finally said, “I could see how nervous you were this morning.” And then with excitement in the tone of his voice, “You can do this. You just have to keep believing in yourself. I believe in you.”

  “I really needed to hear that, and to hear your voice more than anything else. As soon as mom and I walked off the airplane we were surrounded by reporters. It was brutal. They hated me right off the bat. I realized just what a dog eat dog world the movie industry is.” She twirled the phone cord around her finger, the sick feeling in her stomach slowly dissipating the longer she sat there.

  Charity ran her free hand through her hair and crossed her legs. Her skirt inched up with the motion, but went unnoticed while her focus was on each and every little thing about Johnny’s voice and words.

  "I already miss you so much.” She hoped he heard the deep sincerity in her voice.

  Johnny blew a kiss into the receiver. "You call me anytime you need to talk. I don’t care what time of day or night it is. I’m not going to be able to sleep until I know how your day went.”

  Charity’s voice trembled with emotion, "It's going to be a long six months. Isn't it?"

  He didn’t answer immediately, but then said, "We knew it from the start. I love you. Everything will be okay. Just remember, don’t let other people bring you down. They’ll see how good you are, and then they’ll have to eat crow for ever doubting you.”

  Charity cupped both hands around the receiver and sat forward to say, "I’ll try, but it’s hard. I love you too. I'll call you later.”

  The moment she replaced the receiver in its cradle, she leaned back and rested her head on the chair. The sound of Johnny’s voice had been all it took to restore her confidence and to calm her jangled nerves. It was funny how she could still see him the way he had looked on his first day at her school. He had been tall for his age and it hadn’t taken long to discover he had a big, gentle heart.

  She had been standing three students behind him in the cafeteria line when the class bully threw a bowl of lime Jell-O. The slimy mess had hit Johnny square in the back and slid all the way down his brand new white shirt. Any other seventh grade boy would have gotten into a fight over the assault, but Johnny had simply pulled the leftover Jell-O out of his collar, placed it onto his food tray, and turned to introduced himself to the other boy. As soon as they had shaken hands, he’d looked up and caught her staring at him. The moment he smiled, her heart melted, and they had become inseparable from that day on. While he had always been her biggest fan, there was no doubt she was his, too.

  Chapter Two

  Charity wavered between opening the dressing room door and running back to put more clothes on before someone saw her. She tugged at the brief top and then at the tight shorts. She couldn’t see what was being covered in the back, but there was enough of a breeze from the air conditioning to know it wasn’t enough. Just as she was about to find something else to put on, a petite blond woman pushed the dressing room door open.

  The woman stopped just inside the doorway, nodding as her blue eyes scanned Charity from head to toe. “I see that you’re ready so let’s get out onto the field with the other ladies!” Each word was spoken in bouncy cheerleader style and in high volume, punctuated with pom poms pushed high and quick, creating their signature swishing sounds.

  When Charity didn’t move, but stood there with her mouth hanging open, the woman tossed the pom poms off to the side, closed the door, and walked over to her. She held out her hand and said, “I’m Kim. Charles said he told you all about me? I have all of the other ladies out on the field going over a few basic cheerleading moves and we were just waiting for you. We just want to see how everyone is going to work together as a team. Today’s more about seeing everyone’s basic skill level and who’s going to need more one on one time with me over the next week or so.”

  Instead of shaking the offered hand, she held onto it for dear life and only grasped bits of what Kim had just said before responding, “Please tell me that there’s been some type of mistake about this uniform. Surely it’s meant for a little girl instead of a grown woman.” She finally let go of Kim’s hand so she could tug at the brief shorts again.

  The perky smile slipped from Kim’s face. “Mistake?”

  Charity drew her hands inward to bring Kim’s attention to the miniscule silver and blue cheerleading outfit, her expression still frozen in disbelief. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep the whiny tone out of her voice as she said, “I can’t go out in public dressed like this.”

  She was tired and needed a shower. If that wasn’t bad enough, her shorts were now wedged firmly between each cheek and no matter which way she tugged, they refused to come out.

  “Why not?” Kim circled Charity. She might have not been the best person to ask because her outfit wasn’t covering much more than Charity’s. Kim was definitely better endowed in the chest area. Every time she bent over to look at Charity’s shorts, her top dipped so low her cleavage was exposed for the world to see.

  Charity made a wide circling motion over the area of her butt. “There’s not enough material to cover anything. I can feel a very strong breeze at the edge of each cheek. That’s the problem! I can’t go out in public looking like this! My mom’s out there. Mr. Bennett’s out there, and heaven knows who else! Tell me this is some kind of a really bad joke.”

  Kim finally stopped circling and snorted, “It looks cute on you. Not everyone has the figure to carry the uniform off, but your proportions are perfect. You have very tiny hips so there’s not a lot of cheek back there to hang out.”

  Charity threw both hands into the air and huffed, “It may look cute but if I’m forced to wear this for the entire filming, I’m never going to be able to have children.”

  Kim chortled at the outlandish statement. “I’m pretty certain that only applies to guys, but you’ll get used to it, and pretty soon, you won’t even notice. You have really pretty legs. While it’s true the top doesn’t cover much, you don’t have much to cover in the first place.”

  Kim companionably placed her arm around Charity’s shoulder as if they had known each other forever. “Besides the only people outside are the people that you will be working with every day. You might as well get used to appearing in public in it. Just think, when the movie is released millions of people will be seeing you in this outfit.”

  Charity hung her head but was smart enough to know when to admit defeat. “And this is supposed to make me feel better how?”

  Kim chuckled. “Sorry. I got carried away. Tomorrow you can pick out what you want to wear, but you might as well loosen up some, after all this is 1966. The sexual revolution has freed us from worrying so much over what everyone else thinks about what we wear or we don’t wear. Let’s not set women back thirty years because you’re afraid to appear in public in a cute outfit.”

  Charity sighed and gave one last tug at the shorts. “You th
ink I’m being silly.”

  Kim picked up her pom poms and grinned. “I certainly do. The guys will drool when they see you. Let’s go give them something nice to look at. I hate to sound catty but some of the other women out there are real dogs.” She looped her arm through Charity’s, preparing to lead her to the door. “Of course, you know those very women are all going to hate you the moment they see how good you look in your uniform. In my humble opinion, some of the others could stand to lose a few pounds.”

  There was a light knock on the door, and after a momentary pause, Mr. Bennett and Judy entered the dressing room. He beamed from ear to ear the moment he saw Charity. “It fits you perfectly. I don’t see any reason to try on the other two uniforms. You’re stunning in this one.” He didn’t notice Charity’s blush. “I’m leaving you in Kim’s capable hands and heading back to the airport now. Stanley returned a few moments ago from dropping your luggage off at the hotel. He’ll be back around eight tonight to take you and Judy to your new home away from home for the next six months.”

  He placed a hand on both of Judy and Charity’s shoulders, making certain to make eye contact with each of them before continuing, “I’ll be back tomorrow. I have a business meeting to attend, but before I head back, I’ll be picking up my wife, Sonia. She likes getting to know my cast members before each movie, so she wants to come here and meet everyone.”

  He made a point of looking Charity directly in the eyes. “I need you to be at the studio by six in the morning to go over your lines with David. The two of you will be driven back here, to the stadium, tomorrow afternoon, by Stanley.”