Something Better

by Gail R Delaney

  Brooke winked and smiled. "Nice to meet the woman behind the hullabaloo."

  "Forty-five seconds, Ms. Halle," called from the hall a young man wearing a head mic and carrying a clipboard.

  "Thanks," she answered, already half way out the door. "See you out there."

  "Do I need to go?" Andi asked.

  "Not a big rush. I don't go out until after the first commercial break. Avi can take you to the seats, though." Andi nodded and smiled up at him, the kind of smile that made his chest expand with pure pride that this gorgeous woman would look at him like that. He raised his hand to touch her cheek. "Avi will bring you back the next commercial break after I leave the stage."

  When he spoke, the lingering taste of honey and berries danced on his lips and he ran his tongue along the inside of his lower lip, tasting the gloss she'd left behind.

  "Okay, lover boy. Let the young lady go so we can get to our seats without being too obvious."

  Avi took Andi's elbow to lead her away, but David needed one more taste before she was gone. He pulled her back, and she came into his arms without hesitation, her hands sliding up his arms to rest behind his neck. He angled his lips over hers and kissed her slowly, deliberately, taking the sweet taste from her lips. Her mouth opened beneath his, and he delved inside, his entire body coming more alive than a dozen cups of espresso could ever accomplish.

  David slid his cheek across hers to whisper near her ear. "I love how you taste," he said softly enough that only Andi heard.

  She shuddered in his hold, her breath warm against his jaw. Reluctantly, David let her go and she walked out with Avi, smiling back at him over her shoulder before disappearing into the hall.

  David rubbed his lips together, letting the faint taste of honey and berries settle on his tongue. He'd felt the slick of Andi's gloss with the first kiss, but the delicate taste had taken time to register. When he ran his thumb over his lower lip, the gloss still slicked his skin. David looked at the pad of his thumb and smiled.

  The same young man who'd called Brooke to the stage stuck his head in the door. "Mr. Bishop, if you'll please follow me."

  David snatched up the sunglasses he'd set on the arm of the waiting room couch and slipped them on, following the man. Avi had discussed with Brooke, and then with David, about wearing the sunglasses until he was on stage to cover the remaining bruises. It was a gag, but it was humorous, and that's why he liked Brooke's show. She had celebrities and well-knowns on every day, but her interviews were light and fun and never too serious. He also knew he could trust her to bring up Andi without making her a point of gossip.

  He smiled as he followed the stage manager to his entrance door. Andi, even just the thought of Andi, invariably and inevitably put a smile on his face. Brooke's voice carried through the false walls that separated her set from the back area, and he heard her monologue as he waited to enter.

  *****

  The soundstage was dimly lit, with most of the lights focused on the simple, permanent set of the Brooke Halle morning show. The background looked like a mock-up of a simple home with part of a kitchen visible. Brooke had a desk set center stage, with a chair and couch side-by-side adjacent to it. In the background a black baby grand piano sat near the faux set wall.

  Avid led her by the elbow through the maze of cameras and cables taped to the floor to two empty chairs in the front row. Andi sat and said a brief hello to the woman seated beside her. The middle-aged woman smiled brightly, clutching a quilted bag in her lap.

  "You got here just in time," the woman said with enthusiasm. "I heard there was a last minute change to the show schedule." She whispered, but her voice seemed loud to Andi. "I heard some big celebrity is going to be here." The lady smiled, pride of her knowledge obvious in her bright eyes. "I heard it might even be David Bishop."

  "Oh, that would be wonderful," Andi replied, letting the woman enjoy the chance to pass on news she believed no one else knew.

  The woman nodded and extended her hand. "I'm Lucille."

  Before Andi could answer, the stage door opened and Brooke Halle stepped onto the stage, raising her arm in a high wave as the audience burst into loud cheers. She made a show of pointing at certain people in the audience and waving, even blowing kisses, before sitting behind her desk. Her first few minutes of chitchat didn't register with Andi, but she did her best to pay attention. Her thoughts slipped again and again to David's final kiss before she left the ready room.

  "So, we all heard about the terrible accident that happened on the set of David Bishop's new movie Rise of Dawn... You saw the papers or the reports on television that said everything from he had a hangnail to he's disfigured for life, right? Well, David is here today to set the record straight--" Whatever she said after that was lost in the roar of the studio audience.

  The door at the back of the stage opened, and David came out wearing dark sunglasses that hid much of the remaining bruises. They were nearly gone now, nothing in comparison to those first couple of days after the accident, but with the glasses they weren't visible at all. Now, seated with the rest of the crowd, Andi could take him in and appreciate just how good he looked. Except for their dinner, David often dressed more casual in casual slacks and button down shirts, or shorts and a tee shirt, when not on set. But today... today he played the roll of celebrity interviewee. He wore dark dress slacks that fit perfectly, with a matching three-button vest over a dark gray dress shirt. His shirtsleeves were rolled to his elbows, revealing his muscled lower arm, and the collar remained unbuttoned to expose the base of his throat. Andi had to lick her lips and draw in a slow breath. If she inhaled deep enough, she swore she could smell the scent of his cologne -- or shampoo -- or whatever he used to give him the earthy, spicy scent she associated with him.

  David raised his hand just as Brooke had, greeting the crowd. Brooke came around to the front of the desk and chairs, meeting him in a quick embrace and exchange of cheek kisses, motioning for him to sit. The crowd hadn't settled yet, but as he settled into the chair, bringing one foot up to rest his ankle on the other knee, they finally quieted enough for Brooke to speak.

  "So, how you doin'?" she asked with a grin.

  David chuckled. "Good. Enjoying a few days off."

  He scanned the crowd, and Andi knew the moment he found her, because her breath caught and her heart jumped. She didn't have to see his eyes, just the way his lips ticked up at the corners in a slow smile. Lucille sighed beside her, touching Andi's arm. "Isn't he just the handsomest thing ever? I mean, I know I'm practically old enough to be his mother, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the view, right?"

  "Right," was all Andi managed to say.

  "You know, there are easier ways to get a day off," Brooke joked. "Are you going to end the suspense and let everyone see how badly things are -- or aren't -- as the case may be?"

  David obliged and took off the sunglasses, squinting against the lights. The stage lighting emphasized the remaining bruises, but even then, they didn't look very bad. Another day or so, and they'd be nothing but shadows and he'd return to work. The thought actually made Andi sad. She'd enjoyed these days with him, and knew being with him on set wouldn't be quite the same.

  A series of gasps, moans and "Oh" sounds shifted through the crowd.

  "See? Not so bad."

  "So, what really happened?" Brooke asked.

  David shifted in the seat, setting his elbow on the arm. He rubbed his thumb across his lower lip and for just a moment, he looked directly at Andi. She couldn't help but grin... just a little. With a flush of heat that went from her toes to her hairline, Andi realized why he'd kissed her so thoroughly before letting her go. He'd kissed her gloss away, and now tasted it on stage. A sweet tumble shifted through her stomach, and she sat back just a little further in the seat.

  David told the story of the set accident, with Brooke slipping in questions and statements to instigate a laugh or reaction from the crowd. David laughed along, joked with her, and shifted almost ner
vously in his seat. When he stilled for a moment, his foot bounced until he shifted again.

  "So, you're enjoying some time off..." Brooke let the statement trail off.

  "Yeah. But, it's back to the set on Thursday." He rubbed his lip.

  They talked another minute or so about not much of anything. She asked questions about the movie, and he provided the carefully scripted answers that wouldn't give too much away. The plot was no secret to anyone who'd read the books, but some of the movie effects and whatnot were purposefully being kept under wrap to build more interest in the release.

  "Speaking of the movie, and the woman who penned the bestselling novel that inspired it..." Brooke let the sentence fall away as she cleared her throat. She turned to pick up a pile of papers near her elbow. "You know we just had to ask, David."

  An immediate rush of panic slammed into Andi's chest and her cheeks felt so hot she figured they could use her face as a source of backup lighting.

  "Yeah, yeah..." David shifted to see what the host was about to show the audience. "I know, Brooke."

  She smiled and held up a blown up shot similar to the one that Caroline had showed them the day before. This one was slightly different, probably taken a second or two before or after the other, but the effect was the same. A better, more erotic looking kiss couldn't be and had never been staged for any movie ever, as far as Andi was concerned. As embarrassed as she was that such a private moment was caught on film, and as much aggravation the exposure caused with Lawrence, the effect of the shot was intense and immediate for her. She remembered the kiss with clarity, every touch of his lips and every smooth stroke of his hands. In the image, Andi's eyes were closed, her head tilted back with her lips parted to accept his kiss as his tongue filled her mouth. Her fingers were just visible beneath the back hem of his jacket where her hands had slid down to his waist. He cradled her head, his fingers laced into her hair, leaning her back against the car.

  David shifted again. He tilted his head, released a long sigh, and rubbed his lip. "I'm actually thinking about having that framed," he said with a smile.

  Brooke laughed, angling the photo toward one of the nearby cameras so the large LCD screen above them enlarged the image to ten times life size. Andi stared for a moment, pressing her hand to her chest to still the sudden pounding of her heart. When she lowered her head, her breath caught as she discovered David staring at her. Andi smiled slowly, and he did the same, winking.

  "Oh, my..." Lucille said beside her. She turned slowly and looked at Andi. "Oh, my."

  Andi shook her head, leaning toward Lucille. "Please don't say anything."

  Lucille shook her head. "Oh, I won't. Are you... you're Andrea Parker?"

  She nodded. "Yes."

  Lucille flushed bright red. "Oh, my. You lucky, lucky woman."

  Andi smiled genuinely. "I know."

  "These made the rounds yesterday," Brooke continued. "Hitting all the major and not-so-major magazines and entertainment news shows. And just to make sure we have it right, this lucky young woman would be Andrea Parker, right?

  David nodded, still watching Andi. "Yes, that would be her."

  Brooke cleared her throat and snapped her finger, forcing David to shift his attention. "Over here, David," she said lightly, then looked out into the audience. "We promised David that we wouldn't put her on camera, but Andrea is in the audience today. It seems we can't hold David's attention with her around."

  A murmur went through the audience, and Andi had all she could do not to slouch. But, that would surely draw everyone's attention. Lucille patted her hand and nodded, her expression saying Andi's secret was safe.

  "So, if we judge by this photo, I'd say you and Andrea are... dating?" Brooke raised her brows and tilted her head, intentionally adding a sarcastic lilt to her voice.

  David nodded. "Yeah, that's safe to say."

  "Uh huh, uh huh..." She set the photo face down. "Do you care to elaborate?"

  David glanced to Andi and held her gaze for just a beat before looking back to Brooke. "I've spent enough time with Andi to pick up some of her writer terms, and all I'll say is we're a work in progress."

  Brooke protruded her lower lip and tipped her head side-to-side in a variation of a nod. "Okay, I can take that. But let me just say, if this is the work in progress--" She held up the photo again, "I'm definitely buying the final copy!"

  The audience erupted in a unison bout of laughter, and David chuckled.

  "Now, we invited you to bring Andrea out here with you, but you said no. Why is that?"

  David drew in a breath, his shoulders rising and falling, and he tilted his head slightly to the side. Just before he spoke, his gaze connected with her again and Andi's heartbeat jumped. There was something so dark and intense about his eyes today... just his gaze made her flush.

  "Andi--"

  "So, it's Andi and not Andrea?"

  David nodded. "Andi is still getting used to her fans lining up for hours just to say hello and get her autograph in a book. Live interviews might be a bit much right now."

  "Maybe next time, then?"

  "Maybe..." He didn't look away.

  If he wasn't careful, everyone would figure out where she was just by following his eyes. Andi knew the thought should -- and would usually -- make her panic, but this time it didn't. Instead of panic, warm pride bloomed in her chest and she realized that she was the woman David Bishop looked at like that... with desire. With a smile. No one else but her.

  "You give me the opportunity to bring up an interesting point, David," Brooke said, pulling Andi from her thoughts. "I read in one of the many articles that have come out in the last week about you, and about Andrea -- I'm sorry. Andi, right? -- Since your accident when you and she were connected publicly -- that's another topic altogether -- but, anyway, this article described the two of you as a bit of an odd couple. Since celebrities don't often... well, let's be honest... you don't often date outside of your kind."

  Andi had a hard time following the scattered, rambling point and chuckled softly when David stared at Brooke with a single eyebrow arched. It looked like he had the same problem.

  "I never quite heard it put that way before," he finally said when she finished circling her point.

  "It's true, though." Brooke looked out to the audience, nodding her head and holding her hand out as if asking for affirmation from the crowd. A few people mumbled, and many nodded. "Except for the few big names that have been married forever, and probably to someone they married before everyone in the world knew their names, most celebrities end up married -- more than once, I might add -- to another celebrity. If not married, then at least dating. Right? Isn't that usually the case? Even with you?"

  David shrugged, keeping his focus now on Brooke. "Generally speaking, yes."

  "So, anyway, this article tried to make you two an odd couple, like I said. But, the way I see it, you're not. I mean, hello! Who hasn't read or doesn't know about the Rise of Dawn books? Cave dwellers, maybe, but I bet even some of them have downloaded it to their Kindle. But otherwise, Andrea Parker is nearly as much a household name as... well... David Bishop."

  The crowd clapped and cheered, and Brooke encouraged it was an enthusiastic "Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?" She looked out into the general audience, her focus quite clearly directed away from where Andi and Avi sat. "So, Andrea honey, when you're ready for an interview, you come on up. My couch is your couch, and you can bring your boyfriend if you want."

  Andi closed her eyes and heard David's chuckle. She didn't have to look to know he was grinning ear to ear, and confirmed it when she opened her eyes again. He watched her, one arm slung across the back of the chair, the other hand rubbing his lower lip.

  "What's so funny, David?" Brooke asked, leaning on her desk to make eye contact. "And do you need a tissue? You've been working at something on your lips there... oooooh..." She winked at the camera. "I get it now. I caught David and Andi back in the ready room." She pursed her lips and made
a kissing sound. "It's a good thing she doesn't wear bright red lipstick, my friend."

  His tongue ran across his lip before his smile widened, and he winked. Andi knew the giddy, warm feeling in her stomach was something best left to love-struck teenagers -- and if she tried to describe it, she'd sound like a blushing virgin in a romance novel -- but she was tired of denying it, and tired of trying to convince herself otherwise.

  "Now, just a little more serious," Brooke said, clearing her throat as she tried to look more serious with an obvious theatrical flair. That's what you get when you had an actress who'd taken the talk show route. "She may be a celebrity in her own right, but I understand a lot of people have been surprised that you two would date because there are some marked differences between the two of you."

  As soon as she started with the new angle of discussion, the warm feeling disappeared with a snap and her stomach clenched like someone had thrown ice water on her insides.

  "Andrea -- I'm sorry. Andi -- is divorced with a son. That's not a surprise or news to anyone who has an inclination to look her up."

  David nodded. "True."

  "And she's older than you..."

  He didn't blink, didn't look away from Brooke, and didn't shift. "Yes," he answered simply.

  Brooke stared at him, arching her eyebrows, obviously waiting for more of an answer. "Okay..." she said after a moment. "I guess that really answers the unasked questions then, doesn't it?"

  David smiled and looked into the crowd again. "I guess it does..." he said in a softer, lower voice as his gaze settled on Andi.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The front door flew open and Jake bolted into the house, dropping his duffle on the floor as he sprinted into the kitchen.

  "Mom!"

  Andi set down her casserole pan, turning just in time to catch her son in a firm hug, squeezing him hard. "Oh, I missed you," she whispered against his hair, doing her best to blink away the tears. It felt like an eternity had passed since he'd left, instead of just four days.