“It doesn’t matter.” She waved a hand. “He’ll be happy to cancel for me.” She leaned forward and tapped the driver on the shoulder. “Take us straight to the ranch. We’ll head him off at the pass.” She sat back, looking satisfied with herself. “I’m telling you, Courtney, Travis is a genius.”
Courtney rolled her tense shoulders. Thinking of Mr. Bloom brought to mind her conversation with Adam, the memory of which she’d been dodging all morning. Then warm, if conflicted, thoughts followed. Talk about confused. She had made such a fool of herself when she’d almost fallen asleep and started babbling. At least he had said yes to teaching Angela, thank goodness. He’d been so sweet.
The tension worked its way down to her shoulder blades. Had he said “yes” to be nice to Courtney, or because he wanted to spend more time with Angela? After all, the horseback riding would be a perfect excuse for him to be alone with her.
“Did I tell you he wants me?” Angela tapped Courtney’s arm.
Courtney’s thoughts snapped back to the present. “What?”
“He wants me for the next project he’s considering.”
Courtney let out her breath. Angela was still talking about Mr. Bloom.
“It’s a story about a woman who smuggles Bibles into China or India or someplace.” Holding up her arm, she toyed with the diamond-encrusted bracelet dangling from her wrist. “It sounds perfect for me.”
“China,” Courtney said absentmindedly.
“What?”
“She smuggles Bibles into China.”
Angela stared at her just long enough to make Courtney worry she’d have to explain how she knew this.
Giving a long blink, Angela lifted a shoulder. “Whatever. Anyway. Travis saw my last picture and he thinks I’ve grown as an actress. He compared me to Meryl Streep, can you believe it? Meryl Streep! She was my inspiration growing up.”
Courtney half listened as she watched the scenery pass. Maybe Adam was right. Maybe she had lost her faith. Living her life for the Lord had been so important to her in high school, but now she had career aspirations. How could she possibly have both? Wouldn’t that make her a hypocrite or something?
“Of course, it isn’t surprising that people would make that comparison.” Angela examined her nails. “I mean I’m told all the time that I inspire young people.”
Courtney gave a halfhearted nod. The thought of someone having success in the movie business while walking a straight line with God intrigued her. Would that be possible for someone like her?
“Artistically speaking,” Angela continued, “we only have so much in us and we have to be very careful what work we accept. I feel, and Travis agrees, that the message we send to the public is critical, especially in this day and age. We don’t just want to entertain with our art, we want to inform and instruct.”
Courtney allowed another thought about Adam. The Greene family seemed so...grounded. There was something so reassuring about being around them. They reminded her of her own family.
“I’m considering doing Broadway to enhance my credibility. What do you think?” Angela looked in Courtney’s direction for a nanosecond. “Of course, with Broadway you don’t reach as many people as with movies, so I don’t know if it would be worth my time. I can’t spread myself too thin, you know.”
Tears started to choke Courtney. Her parents had asked her so many times if she was still reading her Bible and attending church. She had lied more than once, an edict broken so habitually in Hollywood it was practically expected.
“I always try to play women who can be good role models, especially to young people. Strong female characters need to be encouraged in modern cinema.”
Courtney bobbed her head blandly. What if she did want God back at the center of her life? Was it too late? Sure, it was easy for someone like Adam to follow the Ten Commandments, but how could she? Most people in this industry broke at least three out of the ten before seeing the bottom of their first cup of morning coffee. It went with the territory.
“Of course, if I’m going to play strong characters, it’s important that I actually be strong in my own life. That’s why I make sure I refresh myself.”
Courtney gave a desultory nod. That shouldn’t stop her from at least praying once in a while. Maybe she could start reading her Bible again. She’d always gotten so much out of that. She knew there was no such thing as being a part-time Christian, but maybe she could find some sort of compromise.
“I wouldn’t want to wear myself out. I’ve seen too many actresses make the mistake of working themselves to the point of exhaustion. You need some release...shopping...jetting off to Europe spontaneously. That sort of thing.”
Biting her upper lip, Courtney smiled in superficial acknowledgment. Maybe it would be a good compromise to pray for other people. That would at least help her to not feel so selfish.
“You’re never going to be any good for anybody else if you don’t put yourself first all the time. I’ve learned that the hard way, believe me.”
Courtney did her best to hear Angela while following through on her own thoughts. Adam had said that the town was in financial trouble, and that he had a big problem with the ranch. Maybe she should pray about that.
Closing her eyes, she tried to concentrate. God, please put a big financial blessing on the people of this town. She paused, collecting her thoughts. As for Adam, he’s struggling right now to do the right thing. If it’s Your will for him to keep the ranch and raise his own family there—she tried to ignore the tingle in her tummy—please show him the way. And, Lord, if You have anything in mind for the two of us besides friendship—
Her eyes shot open. Where had that come from?
“Wait a minute.” The accusation in Angela’s voice tugged Courtney to attention. “You look strange. What were you just thinking about?” Angela focused on her with a searing intensity. “You know something, don’t you?”
Panic welled in Courtney’s chest. She’d have to deny any attraction to Adam. “I don’t—”
“Yes. you do.” Angela twisted in her seat to face her. “Why would Travis waste his time having lunch with that woman when he’s clearly here to pursue me for his movie?”
Courtney nearly choked on her intended denial. So this wasn’t about Adam. What was she supposed to do now? “He’s discussing plans.”
“Plans?” Suspicion arched in her brow. “What kind of plans?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “Something about buying the ranch.”
Angela tittered. “Oh, is that all? Well, that makes sense then. He would have to wine and dine that woman if he wants to get a fair deal. Real estate is a game just like show business. It’s all about negotiating and protecting one’s own interests.”
Courtney nodded. “I suppose.”
“I’ll just have lunch with the cowboy instead.”
Courtney gasped. “Oh...uh...”
Angela slowly looked at her. “Is there a problem with that?”
A problem? She could give her a whole list. “It’s just that...Adam might need to be in on the negotiations.”
Angela made a big show of rolling her eyes. “That’s ridiculous. It’s not like it’s any of his business if Travis buys a ranch.”
Something about the dismissive, disrespectful tone in Angela’s voice rubbed Courtney wrong. “It is his business, because it’s his ranch.”
Angela stared vacantly. “His ranch? But you just said that woman owns it.” She gasped. “You’re not saying that Adam’s married?”
“Oh, no. Mrs. Greene is his mother.”
“Oh.” Angela looked ahead, her brow furrowing. “But it’s a perfectly good ranch. Why on earth would they want to sell it?”
Courtney shrugged. She’d said way too much already. “It’s expensive to run, I suppose.”
“Yes....” The wheels in Angela’s brain appeared to be grinding. “Not everyone has money....”
Courtney watched her, wishing she could read her mind.
Suddenly, Angela’s expression reverted back to her usual self-absorbed calm. “I’m working too hard. I need to have some fun. Forget about arranging lunch. I can speak to Travis about that myself.” She lifted her chin. “I want you to work a real date with Adam into my schedule. Take care of that soon.”
A knot developed in Courtney’s throat. She forced a smile and nodded, wondering exactly what it was that, in Angela’s book, would make a date real. Was that God’s answer to her prayer? Some great start to her Christian compromise.
She closed her eyes again. Lord, Adam seems to really like Angela, and if it’s in Your will for them to be together, please give me peace with that.
With a heavy sigh, she watched as they curved into the drive for the ranch. She rolled in her lips. Amen.
Chapter 14
Stifling a yawn, Courtney leaned against the barn, waiting for the crew inside to finish prepping for the scene Angela and Jeffrey were about to shoot. It had been an agonizing afternoon, thanks to Angela’s outrage over Mr. Bloom’s gentle refusal to reschedule his lunch with Mrs. Greene. What did she expect? Courtney had secretly savored finally hearing someone say the word no to Angela, even though the resulting tsunami of indignation had largely come crashing down on her.
Now, in an attempt to regain her composure, Courtney relaxed her shoulders and allowed her senses to open to the beauty around her. The perfect clear sky, and the distant snow-dusted peaks eased the tension from her limbs. A dog barked in the distance, in soothing contrast to the hubbub inside the barn behind her.
A peripheral movement snagged her attention. Some distance away, in a fenced grassy pasture, Pepper trotted around Adam on the end of a long rope. Courtney’s jaw clenched, and whatever composure she’d just gained slipped away. She hadn’t seen him yet today, and still felt uncomfortable about last night.
Watching him work, sadness threatened. It had been so nice of him to cooperate with Angela’s demands—whatever his personal motivation might be. She hated to think of him losing the ranch. She owed it to him to help, but how?
Revolving in a slow circle as Pepper pranced like a show horse, Adam tipped his hat forward to guard his eyes from the late-afternoon sun. His strong form seemed like such a part of this landscape. He should be able to have his dream...to raise a family here. It wasn’t hard to see that he’d make a great dad someday.
A smile found her lips as she clasped her elbows and curved one leg to rest her dirt-encrusted boot against the barn. In her mind’s eye, a child appeared on Pepper’s back and she saw herself approaching with a picnic basket. She bit back a snicker. A picnic basket...and a baby. She pictured Adam taking the basket and setting it at their feet. He then took the baby and held him up, making him giggle. She looped an arm through Adam’s and reached up to hold the small hand of the child on the horse. Adam looked at her. Their eyes met and he bent down—
“Does all this hay really have to be here? I think I’m allergic.”
Angela’s grating protest snapped Courtney back to reality, and her dream image disappeared like a cinematic special effect. Where had that come from, anyway? Becoming a wife and mother was a distant goal at best, and definitely not on a ranch. Why was she giving in to those thoughts about Adam?
She quickly entered the barn and crossed to Angela, countering Jeffrey, who rolled his eyes and muttered something unflattering about Angela under his breath.
Courtney forced a calm demeanor. “Can I get you anything, Ms. Bijou?”
“Yes, you can get rid of this hay. I simply cannot say my lines with all this dust in the air.”
“You seem to be having no trouble talking now.” Jeffrey fixed Angela with a glare that could have straightened a horseshoe.
Courtney inhaled. The smell of the barn had actually grown on her.
“Lose the hay!” The A.D.’s voice echoed inside the aged wooden structure and the place suddenly bustled with activity.
They had gotten a late start filming, thanks to the fund-raiser. If they took the time to deal with this, they didn’t stand a chance of wrapping the scene before they lost light.
“You!”
Courtney whipped around. Mr. Kingsley aimed his megaphone in her direction and charged toward her. Dread hit full force.
“Yes, sir?”
“Where’s that cowboy who owns this place?” He snarled through gnashing teeth. “Find him and tell him he needs to convince Angela that we can’t get rid of the hay.”
“I’m on it.” She hurried back outside, grateful that she knew Adam’s whereabouts, but hating the idea of asking him one more favor.
As she rushed toward him, Adam cracked that tantalizing grin. The rope slackened, and Pepper ambled to Adam’s side.
“Hey.” He hooked a thumb in the front pocket of his jeans. “How’d the dolls go over?”
“Great. The kids loved them.” Standing in the very spot where she had nearly kissed him in her daydream, a blush crept up her neck.
“How’s it going in there?” He tilted his chin toward the barn, skepticism creasing his brow.
Turning away slightly so he wouldn’t notice her cheeks transforming into two ripe tomatoes, she stroked Pepper’s dusty, velvety muzzle. “Well, I have good news and bad news.”
An agreeable smile flashed beneath his what-now frown.
The soft fuzz of Pepper’s lips nuzzling her hand prompted a titter. “The bad news is Angela thinks she’s allergic to hay.”
He huffed out an ironic chuckle.
“But the good news is that Mr. Kingsley thinks you’re the man to tell her the hay has to stay in the barn.”
Tilting back his hat, he tossed her a bemused frown. “And why is that good news?”
Good question. “Because...” She didn’t want to point out the obvious—it was an opportunity for him to talk to Angela. “You get a chance to swoop in and be the hero to the entire crew.”
“Uh-huh.” Amusement creased his eyes. “Nice try, Miss Jacobs.” With a wink, he started toward the barn, Pepper in tow.
She kept stride.
They tossed around a few lighthearted comments—nothing serious, and no mention of the events of the previous evening. Her mind flitted between how much his financial problems must be weighing on him, and the memory of their near-kiss the night before.
Just as they reached the hard-packed dirt near the barn doors, Adam faced her, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck. “Listen, last night, I—”
“I am Angela Bijou.” The screechy declaration carried from inside the barn and sliced into the air between them. “I don’t have to put up with this!”
Adam’s face contorted as he and Courtney exchanged a glance. He loosely tied Pepper to the fence railing and held out a hand indicating that she should go first.
Courtney expelled a breath as she took the lead. If given the option, she would have handed over every last bottle of Angela’s precious D’eau Douce to know what he’d been about to say.
Angela faced away from the door, clenching and unclenching her diminutive fists, and stomping a tiny booted foot. She held her shoulders so high, her neck disappeared into the twisted chignon at the back of her head.
The collective attention of the room shifted to its entrance, and Angela spun around.
She fixed her fiery gaze on Courtney. “Call my agent, right now—” As her eyes shifted to Adam, her scowl melted to a sultry smile. “Well, hello.” Relaxing her shoulders, she sidled over to him and, casting a deliberate burn at Jeffrey, draped an arm through Adam’s.
Courtney retreated a step, her skin threatening to crawl right off her bones.
Lobbing Courtney a quic
k look, Adam covered Angela’s hand with his. He considered the openmouthed crew, then spoke softly. “How about if we take a little walk.”
Queasiness weakened Courtney to her core. Picking up her clipboard, she bit her quivering lip as the pair strolled past her and out into the yard.
A sound of utter disgust gurgling from Jeffrey’s throat. “Now I’ve seen everything. Keith! This is the most outrageous display of ego I’ve ever—”
The horse in the stall behind him suddenly reared up with a thunderous neigh. Jeffrey lunged forward, sheer terror filling his eyes.
Keith bolted to his side. “Where’s the wrangler? Why isn’t he here?”
Clutching her clipboard, Courtney stumbled back. Several crew guys sheepishly glanced at one another. What was going on?
Mr. Kingsley attempted to calm down his star, who shouted out something about litigation. Just then, the wrangler swaggered into the barn and tried to grab the horse by its mane. He wobbled, winding up in a heap on the floor of the stall.
“That’s it!” Mr. Kingsley bellowed. “I’ve had it with you showing up drunk. Get off my set!”
Drunk? Courtney gawked. Sure, the guys weren’t exactly known for drinking Shirley Temples, but to imbibe on the clock was a well-known taboo.
The entire crew stood back, as if any sort of affiliation with this man might earn them their walking papers, too.
As the wrangler lurched and reeled off the set, slurring a blue streak and threatening to sue, Angela and Adam strolled in arm in arm. Courtney’s breath caught in her chest at their obvious ease with each other.
Adam’s attention darted to the agitated horse. He removed Angela’s arm from his and hurried to the stall, instantly soothing the animal.
A still-shaken Jeffrey glanced from Angela to Adam, then back to Angela.
Angela scoffed. “What’s the holdup? Don’t we have a scene to shoot?”
“Yes!” Mr. Kingsley bellowed. “We also have an out-of-control horse, a cattle-drive scene next week and no animal wrangler.”
Courtney spoke without thinking. “Why don’t you hire Adam?”
Lights, Cowboy, Action Page 10