Departure from the Script

by Jae

  Eagerly, she flipped through them. Wow. Maybe it was just Photoshop magic, but she looked great. Michelle had perfectly captured the intensity the producers had wanted for their crime-fighting detective, while at the same time posing her in a way that hinted at a vulnerability that would appeal to the audience.

  Stuck to the last photo was a note, written in the same neat handwriting.

  They turned out stunning, even if I do say so myself. But then again, it’s hard to get a bad angle on a subject like you.

  Amanda smiled. “Charmer.”

  Then she spotted the post script beneath Michelle’s signature.

  P.S. As sexy as you look in your detective clothes and that leather jacket, I still want that private session.

  Laughing, Amanda reached for the phone to call her.

  CHAPTER 11

  “What are you doing here?” her grandmother greeted her when Amanda entered the kitchen.

  Amanda bent to kiss her cheek. “Hello to you too. I’m spending my first afternoon off in forever with my much-missed grandmother, if you don’t mind.”

  Her grandmother got up from the kitchen table, where she was poring over the crossword puzzle and drinking coffee—no doubt with a healthy splash of bourbon. “No, you’re not.”

  “I’m not?”

  “No.”

  “What else am I doing, then, oh mistress of my life and schedule?”

  “You’re gonna drive your cute little behind over to a certain bungalow in the Hollywood Hills and spend some time with a certain photographer who happens to have the afternoon off as well.”

  Amanda shook her head, directed her grandmother back into her chair, and sat next to her. “I can spend time with her later.”

  “Amanda Josephine Clark! Would you please go and spend the day with Michelle?”

  “This coming from the woman who interrupted our first date!”

  A hint of a blush dusted her grandmother’s wrinkled face. “You are the one who always insists that it wasn’t a date. Besides, I had to check her out to make sure she was right for you. You can’t blame me for that.”

  “And you can’t blame me for wanting to spend time with you.”

  Her grandmother pretended to study the crossword puzzle on the table. “Another word for stubborn with six letters. Hmm… Oh, right.” In big, black letters, she filled in Amanda’s name.

  “I’m not being stubborn,” Amanda said. “I just don’t want you to think I’m neglecting you now that I’m in a relationship. My girlfriends have always had to accept that my job and my family come first.”

  “Maybe that’s why they never worked out. No woman likes to play second or even third fiddle to an eighty-two-year-old and an acting gig.”

  Amanda shrugged. “Michelle has been very understanding so far.”

  “That girl is special. That’s why you should hang on to her with both hands.”

  Memories returned of how she had clung to Michelle last week, holding on for just one more kiss until she had arrived in makeup ten minutes late. “Oh, I am hanging on to her; believe me.”

  Something in the tone of her voice made her grandmother look up from her crossword puzzle. A smile spread over her lined face. “I knew it! You’re in love with her.”

  Amanda didn’t try to deny it. Her grandmother knew her too well. “That doesn’t mean I can’t spend time with you.”

  “Lord, why did you have to inherit my stubbornness and not your grandfather’s easygoing nature?”

  Amanda laughed. “Just luck, I guess.”

  Her grandmother tugged on Amanda’s chair as if wanting to wrench it out from under her. “Go. You can come back for dinner. And bring Michelle. I’m making her favorite.”

  “Hers, not mine?” Amanda pretended to pout.

  Her grandmother shrugged. “I figure she’ll need the energy to handle that stubborn granddaughter of mine.”

  “Thanks. I love you too.”

  “And I love you.” Her grandmother caught her hand, squeezed it, and then let go. “And now go before we turn into two sentimental Hollywood divas.”

  After kissing her grandmother’s cheek, Amanda rushed out the door and nearly skipped to her car. Full of glee at the prospect of spending the day with Michelle, she pressed number two on her cell phone’s speed dial.

  The phone rang and rang, and Amanda’s elation dimmed. Usually, Michelle picked up her phone immediately if she wasn’t at work. Maybe she was busy after all.

  Just when Amanda thought voice mail would pick up any moment, Michelle’s breathless voice came through the receiver. “Yes?”

  Ridiculous how good just hearing her voice could make Amanda feel. “Hi. It’s me.”

  No need to add a name. She knew Michelle would instantly recognize her voice, even if she hadn’t looked at the caller ID.

  “Oh, hi. Hang on a second.” She talked to someone else, and the boisterous noises in the background ebbed away as if she had turned down the TV. Then Michelle was back. “Did the cameraman run out of film, or to what do I owe the pleasure of you calling me in the middle of the day?”

  Amanda chuckled. “No, I’m afraid filming is all digital nowadays. But Detective Halliday is lazing around in a hospital bed after nearly being killed by a psychopath, so her partner gets to fight crime alone today and I get the afternoon off. My grandmother mentioned that you took the afternoon off too, so I thought this might be a good time to take those photos you mentioned.” She glanced left and right to make sure she was alone. “You know, the ones with the sexy underwear.”

  “Damn.”

  Puzzled, Amanda stared at the phone for a second before moving it back to her ear. “You don’t want to do that anymore?”

  “Oh, yes.” Michelle lowered her voice to a husky whisper. “You have no idea how much I want to do that, but…”

  “Not a good time for you?”

  “Not the best,” Michelle said. “You’re spoiling all the fun I had with the strippers.”

  “You!” Even though Michelle couldn’t see it, Amanda threatened her with her index finger.

  “Okay, okay, no strippers, but I do have three young ladies over.”

  Amanda frowned. “Are you still working?”

  “No, I don’t think my brother will pay me for this, although he really should.”

  “Your brother?”

  “I’m babysitting my nieces.”

  At the word babysitting, protests came from somewhere in the background. “Oh, yeah, yeah, I know you’re all grown-up and mature women of eight and ten. Pardon my mistake, ladies.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know. Sorry. I didn’t want to intrude on your time with—”

  “You’re not intruding,” Michelle said immediately. “In fact, why don’t you come over? We’re about to head out for some ice cream and a movie, and we’d love to have you join us.”

  Amanda had never spent any time with children beyond playing a nanny in a movie once. But real life didn’t have any stage directions, so she wasn’t sure she would make a good babysitter. She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of Michelle or spoil her time with her nieces. “I don’t know.”

  “Oh, come on. What do you say, kids? Do you want Amanda to come with us?”

  Excited screams answered.

  “See? They want you to come.”

  “They don’t even know me.”

  “One more reason to come over and meet them,” Michelle said. “My brother’s misbehaving brood is a big part of my life, and I want you to get to know them.” Her voice had lost its light, teasing tone.

  Amanda swallowed. This meant a lot to Michelle, so she couldn’t say no. Besides, Michelle had been more than wonderful to Amanda’s grandmother, so she would suck it up and get over her nervousness around children. “All right. I’ll come. Where should I meet you?”

  “We’ll pick you up at half past three.”

  She glanced at her wristwatch. Just enough time to make it home. “Okay.”

  “Thank you,”
Michelle said and hung up.

  Amanda unlocked her car, sank into the driver’s seat, and leaned her head against the steering wheel. Why did shooting a dozen takes of a kidnapping scene suddenly look like a pleasant activity compared to spending the afternoon with three little girls?

  The excited chatter of the girls engulfed Amanda as soon as she got into the car. She closed the passenger-side door and turned to Michelle. “Hi,” she said, unsure how to greet her in front of her nieces. Did the girls even know that their aunt was gay?

  “Hi.” Michelle leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Not a long, passionate smooch, but not just a quick peck on the cheek either.

  Guess that answers that question.

  “Girls,” Michelle said, turning around to the backseat. “This is my girlfriend, Amanda.”

  Normally, Amanda thought the term girlfriend sounded a bit too juvenile for someone over thirty, but Michelle somehow managed to make it sound just right.

  “Amanda, these are my nieces.” She pointed at the girl in the middle, who seemed to be the oldest. “That’s Hannah. And those are her sisters, Did Too and Did Not.”

  The two pigtailed girls giggled. “That’s not my name, Aunt Mickey,” one of them protested.

  “It’s not?” Michelle pretended to be stunned.

  Amanda grinned broadly and lifted one eyebrow at her. “Aunt Mickey?”

  “When the girls were little, they couldn’t pronounce my name, so they called me Mickey instead. Somehow, the name stuck.”

  “It fits.”

  Michelle furrowed her brow. “Because it’s butch?”

  “You think the name Mickey is butch?” Laughing, Amanda shook her head. “It’s cute, just like Mickey Mouse—and like you.”

  One of Michelle’s eyebrows rose until it almost reached her hairline. “Cute?” she drawled.

  Amanda fought the urge to lean over and kiss her. “Yes,” she said. “Cute.”

  Her oldest niece stuck her head through the space between the seats and tugged on Michelle’s sleeve. “Can we get going? We’ll miss the movie.”

  “Aye, aye, ma’am.” Michelle started the car and pulled away from the curb.

  The scent of popcorn and hot dogs engulfed Amanda as soon as the glass doors swung open, starting a slideshow of happy memories of going to the movies with her grandmother as a child.

  Michelle nudged her. “You look as happy as the three of them.” She pointed to the girls.

  “What can I say? I love the movies.”

  “Me too,” one of the twins piped up. When she smiled up at Amanda, she looked so much like her aunt that it took Amanda’s breath away for a moment.

  The lobby of the movie theater was packed.

  “Would you mind getting us some snacks while I get the tickets?” Michelle asked.

  “No problem. I can do that. What would you like?”

  “Whatever looks good to you,” Michelle said. “I trust your judgment.”

  That little gesture meant a lot to Amanda. For some reason, when she had first gotten involved with Michelle, she had feared that Michelle would want to make all the decisions, but she wasn’t like that at all.

  “All right. Anything special for you girls?”

  The twins and their older sister craned their necks to check out the snacks at the concession stand, but the crowd in the lobby blocked their view.

  “I’ll come with you and look at what they have,” Hannah, the oldest, said.

  “Me too,” the twins shouted.

  Uh-oh. Amanda sent Michelle a panicked glance. Leaving her alone with three kids was not a good idea. “Um, Michelle…”

  Michelle just smiled and patted her arm. “They don’t bite. Well, maybe Em and Nat do, but Hannah doesn’t.”

  “Great. Come on, girls. Let’s buy something unhealthy and fattening for your aunt.”

  As she got in line at the concession stand, the girls followed her like ducklings. The twins instantly started arguing about whether to get popcorn or nachos.

  “You got to pick last time,” one of them shouted.

  “I did not.”

  “Did too.”

  Now Amanda knew why Michelle had introduced them that way. Before the battle over the movie theater snacks could escalate, she stepped between them. “You know what the good thing about going to the movies with so many people is?”

  The girls looked up at her with big eyes. “What?”

  “We don’t need to decide. We’ll just get nachos and popcorn.” She wasn’t above bribery to get into the girls’ good graces.

  “And chocolate?” Hannah asked.

  “That too.”

  Loaded down with sodas, chocolate bars, a bucket of popcorn, and a large tray of nachos, they met Michelle at the other end of the lobby.

  Michelle laughed when she saw them. “Did you leave anything for the other people?”

  Amanda poked her in the ribs. “You’re one to talk. Since you’re such a fan of anything spicy, I bet you’ll finish that tray of nachos all by yourself.”

  Grinning, Michelle ducked her head. “Guilty as charged, ma’am. I told you I like it spicy.” She licked her lips and made a gimme-gimme motion in the direction of the nachos.

  The twin who carried the nachos pulled them closer to her chest. “Oh, no, you won’t.”

  “Don’t worry,” Amanda told her. “I’ll sit between the two of you and make sure your aunt doesn’t take more than her share.”

  “Thank you.” The nacho twin latched on to Amanda’s hand.

  Startled, Amanda glanced down at the small fingers wrapped around her own and then up at Michelle, who smiled.

  The usher ripped their tickets in half and handed them their slips. “Theater four is down the hallway to your right.”

  They headed down the hallway, juggled their junk food past rows of people, and took their seats.

  Amanda watched as Michelle carefully helped the niece to her right slide her soda into the cup holder. She whispered something in the girl’s ear, and Nat—or was it Em?—nodded enthusiastically.

  She’s a natural with kids. I wonder if she wants any of her own? The sudden thought freaked her out a little, but not as much as it had in the past, with some of her former partners. She could see herself settling down with Michelle, even if she wasn’t sure yet about having kids.

  Michelle looked up. Their gazes met.

  “What?” Michelle patted her chest. “Do I have popcorn on my shirt? I know it can’t be nachos, since the two of you aren’t giving me any.”

  “Um, no, just wondering what movie we’re watching,” Amanda said. Now definitely wasn’t the time to talk about having kids. It was too soon in their relationship for that topic anyway.

  “Rosey and the Fox,” one of the girls said.

  Amanda nodded as if she had heard of that movie—which she of course hadn’t. For someone in the acting business, she was woefully behind on industry news.

  “It’s an animated movie,” Michelle said. “Sorry ’bout that.”

  “Oh, no. I love animated movies.” At least she wouldn’t think about camera angles and acting techniques while watching an animated movie.

  Someone in the row behind them tapped Amanda on the shoulder.

  She turned and gave the man and the boy next to him a questioning gaze.

  “Excuse me, but are you Detective Halliday?” the man asked.

  “Well, I play her on TV.”

  “Oh, yes, of course.” The man beamed at her. “I’m a big fan. Would you mind taking a photo with me?”

  Amanda had never before been approached by a fan. No wonder, since people usually didn’t go gaga over commercials and one-time guest stars on daily soaps.

  When she failed to answer, Michelle gently nudged her.

  “Oh. Yes, of course.”

  The man handed his cell phone to the boy and turned so he could be photographed with Amanda.

  “Let’s do this in the aisle,” Amanda said. “I don’t want the girls t
o be in the photo.”

  People started turning their heads as Amanda and the man stepped into the aisle. Sweat broke out along Amanda’s back, and she hoped no one else would ask for a photo or an autograph. For the first time, she wondered how big movie stars dealt with this constant attention from the public.

  Finally, she took her seat again and leaned over to Michelle. “That was…weird.”

  “You’d better get used to it,” Michelle said. “I have a feeling that will happen more often in the future. By the way, thanks.”

  “What for?”

  “For protecting the girls from being photographed.”

  Amanda smiled. “You’re welcome.” Maybe she did have a bit of a maternal side after all.

  The niece to her left tugged on Amanda’s sleeve. “If you’re a famous actress, do you have your own star?”

  “Uh, no, I don’t. I’m not that famous.”

  “Yet,” Michelle said.

  Again, their gazes met, and Amanda smiled, warmed by Michelle’s trust in her acting skills.

  “When I grow up, I’m gonna be an actress too,” the girl next to Amanda said.

  Michelle furrowed her brow. “Am I mistaken, or did you want to become a photographer just this morning, Em?”

  Em shook her head. “Not anymore.”

  “There you have it.” Michelle sighed deeply. “I think I lost my status as their favorite aunt.”

  Amanda shook her head. “I’m not their aunt.”

  Michelle winked at her with the eye that didn’t have the scar. “Yet,” she said again.

  Michelle stopped the car in front of Amanda’s apartment building and turned off the engine.

  Despite her initial misgivings about spending the day with three kids, now Amanda didn’t want it to end. “Want to come up? I have ice cream in my fridge, so we could have the ice cream you promised the girls right here.”

  “If you’re sure your bachelorette pad can take the invasion of three preteens?”

  “No worries. The couch wipes down.”