“But that’s not who I am.”
“Stop pacing, you’re giving me a headache. Sit down.” She pointed at the sofa.
“What happened?” He dropped onto the sofa. “Where did I go wrong?”
“You turned into that obnoxious little director who burned every professional bridge I built for you.” Nina’s voice came out slightly bitter. She’d believed in him, but he hadn’t truly believed in himself.
Kong whimpered and Carl picked the little dog up and hugged him. Kong licked his face. “At least you love me.”
“Tiffani loves you, too.”
He looked up, tears sparkling in his eyes. “Tiffani left me today. She told me she didn’t sign on to follow the ex to Reno.”
“Oh, Carl.” She reached out to touch him, feeling sorry for him, for the mess he’d made of his career and his life.
“I need you, Nina.” He gave her his puppy-dog look. Now if Scott gave her that look, she’d do anything for him. But Carl? Hell, no.
“What do you want?”
“Warner Brothers is developing a project that I’m perfect for.”
She thought about that for a second. Was he talking about the new comic book hero being developed to take advantage of the current popularity of superheroes? “You want to direct Star Chaser?”
He nodded.
Nina sat back, stunned. “I’m not that good, Carl.”
“Yes, you are. At least get me an interview with Jack Reston.” He gave her his best pleading look. “He owes you. Your promotional campaign for Minefield turned a middling movie into a blockbuster. The critics hated it, even Jack hated it.”
“I’ll think about it, Carl.” She took her dog out of his arms. “You need to go.” She pulled him to his feet.
“Please, Nina.”
“Just go.” He made her feel used.
“Promise you’ll think about it.”
“I promise.” She shoved him toward the door.
He opened the door and instead of air kisses, he kissed her on the lips. “Thank you.”
She pushed him out the door, closed it tightly behind him and twisted the dead bolt. He’d kissed her. A half hour ago, Scott had kissed her. She didn’t want Carl’s kiss to taint her lips.
* * *
Scott waited for Nina in the lobby. People streamed through the lobby either checking in or checking out. His camera bag was slung over his shoulder.
“A second date,” Hunter said. He handed Scott his coffee. Hunter wore jeans, boots and a plaid shirt open at the throat. He and Lydia must have plans for the day.
“We’re visiting Virginia City to take photographs. What are you implying?”
Hunter’s dark brown eyes shimmered with mischief. “You went to the car museum yesterday, today you’re heading out on another excursion. That’s seems kind of intense.”
“We’re not dating. She’s scouting tourist traps and I’m just taking photos.”
Hunter chuckled. “Is that what the kids call dating now?”
Scott wanted to punch his brother. “I’m bigger and stronger, bro. Keep this up and you’ll be missing a few teeth.”
“Just get the teeth you knocked out when I was twelve.”
Scott glared at Hunter. Lydia Montgomery entered the lobby with her daughter, Maya, in tow. Saved by the future in-laws. Scott breathed a sigh of relief now he didn’t have to talk about the mess that was his love life.
“Hunter,” Maya yelled. “Come on, we’re going to be late for our riding lessons.”
“Got to go, bro,” Hunter said. “I have a nondate with a horse and my two best girls.” Maya giggled as she tucked her hand in his.
Lydia grinned and tucked her hand around Hunter’s elbow. Scott tried not to be jealous. His brother, the first to fall, looked happy. For all her daintiness, Lydia was no pushover.
“Have fun.” Scott grinned at Maya.
“We will,” Maya said. “Hunter hasn’t fallen off for two whole weeks.”
Hunter waved as the lobby doors slid open letting in a trace of morning heat.
Scott’s grin widened. The elevator door opened and Nina stepped out. She wore jeans and a multi-colored floral T-shirt that suited her. She carried a purse in one hand and a floppy straw hat in the other. She practically bolted across the lobby, sliding to a stop in front of Scott.
“Let’s get out of here before Carl finds me...again.” She grabbed his hand and tugged him out the doors into the morning heat. What a take-charge woman! He liked it.
Once in the car, Nina settled in. Scott turned on the air-conditioning and pulled out of the parking lot. In minutes, they were heading south toward Virginia City.
“About last night,” Nina said. “I just want you to know I’m totally cool that we had a nice little kiss, but it can’t happen again because you’re my best friend’s brother and it’s awkward. I understand why it happened. But it’s not going to happen again.”
A confusion of thoughts spun through him. “Okay.”
Nina frowned at him. “I was expecting more of a fight from you.”
That would be laying his cards on the table and he didn’t do that. “Are you disappointed?”
“I believe I am.” She slumped down in the seat, staring out the window at the city rushing by.
“You’re the one who just stated we needed to keep a professional distance between us. I was agreeing. You’re blowing one little kiss way out of proportion.” The memory of her lips on his heated his blood and despite agreeing with her, he wanted more, a lot more. Why should Nina feel so unnerved by a kiss unless she was feeling something, too?
Something had stirred in Scott, a distant feeling that he’d never felt before. He’d thought he’d been in love before but this feeling was different.
“What’s the big deal, Nina?”
“I don’t have time for a relationship.” Her voice sounded weak as though she wasn’t certain she believed herself. “Getting Rio in Reno off the ground is a big task.”
“Nina, it was a kiss. We’re grown-ups. Kisses happen.”
“I’m too busy. This project is the biggest one I’ve ever done.”
“I’m okay with keeping our relationship on a professional level.” He tried not to sound disappointed. Or relieved, because Nina was a situation he was sure he could navigate.
“Fine, if that’s the way you want to keep things.” Did she sound disappointed?
“Stop,” Scott commanded in his military command voice. “You’re confusing me. If you want to kiss me again that’s fine. If you don’t, that’s fine, too.”
“Now you’re mad at me.”
“Let’s put this all aside and have a fun time. Tomorrow will come soon enough.”
She sighed.
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Scott concentrated on driving, managing the twisty mountain road skillfully.
The town was only a few blocks long with a two-lane street down the center. The street was bordered by original buildings and already tourists walked the plank sidewalks. A roadblock stopped them and a police officer directed them to a side street where Scott found a place to park.
“Where do we start?” Nina asked as she settled her sun hat on her head.
“We’ll start on this end and work our way up.”
They arrived on the main street to find a group of soldiers in Civil War costumes. Others in period costumes roamed the sidewalks.
“Looks like we’re in the middle of the Civil War,” Nina said, her gaze darting up and down the street taking in the reenactors. She smiled, her face lighting up. “Get your camera out. This is going to be awesome.”
Scott grinned. Excitement coursed through him. He couldn’t have planned it better if he’d tried. He loved to watch military reenactm
ents.
“This is great. This is great,” Nina muttered as she wrestled her iPhone out of her purse and started recording notes and taking photos. She switched to her Twitter feed and sent out her first tweet of the day and attached one of the photos.
Scott pulled his Canon out of the camera bag and looped the lanyard around his neck. He fiddled with the adjustments while Nina stared at two women in fancy crinolines as they paused to give directions to a family of tourists. He started snapping photos of the buildings and the people on the street.
“This is exciting,” he said.
“You’ve done the real thing. Where’s the excitement in watching adults playact? I’m not trying to be insulting.”
“This is living, breathing history.” He stopped to snap a photo of a horse-drawn wagon. “We’re viewing a piece of the past that has its own romanticism built into it.”
“I wouldn’t want to live in the past.”
“Why not?”
A horrified look passed over her face. “Let’s just start with indoor plumbing. I don’t have that little apparatus that allows men to tinkle in the woods.”
“You don’t like to camp, I take it.” Not that he was surprised. Nina was a silk-sheet-and-mint-on-the-pillow type. For her he could be, too.
“The last time I camped was at the Waldorf in New York. What is romantic about this?” She spread her hands to indicate the street.
“It’s about keeping the past alive, about understanding the past.”
“Some parts of our history aren’t romantic,” she said with a frown.
“What happened happened—we can’t change it. We need to remember the past so we don’t repeat it in the future.”
“Tell that to Congress.” Her voice took a sour note.
“Listen, we’re just here to have fun today. So let’s have fun.”
She looked around and suddenly jumped. “Look, a jewelry store.” She grabbed his arm and tugged him across the street to the store with the sign The Silver Lode over the window.
When she entered the jewelry store, Scott stayed outside on the boardwalk, watching a line of Union soldiers march down the street. Behind them a horse pulled a cannon. He snapped his photos, taking time to work out how he wanted the position of the soldiers against the backdrop of the buildings. A railroad car doubled as a museum next to an old brick fire station with a bell tower. His camera made clicking noises as he panned the street, humming a little to himself and planning how he would showcase his photos.
* * *
Nina studied the rows of glass cases and the brilliantly polished silver chains, pendants, rings and everything a girl could desire.
“This is all so beautiful,” she said to the woman behind the counter.
“Thank you. I design my own jewelry.” The woman was small and round with her ash-blond hair pulled into a long ponytail hanging down her back. She wore a pioneer-type costume made of light brown fabric. “My name is Beth Greene.”
“You could sell this jewelry on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. It’s just the right kind of funky.”
Beth grinned. “I have a contact there and I sell a few pieces a month, but nothing major. Most of my sales are internet and here during tourist season.”
Nina’s mind raced. Sometimes, she just couldn’t keep the ideas from flowing. “What about any of the casinos in Reno?”
Beth shook her head. “Hotels want touristy stuff and I don’t cater to that group.”
“Do you mind if I get some photos of some of your pieces?” She pulled a business card out of her purse and handed it to Beth. “I’m working with the Casa de Mariposa in increasing their profile. They’re revamping their image and I think you could do some major sales in the gift shop. We’re looking for eclectic, one-of-a-kind pieces. I can put you in touch with the buyer.”
Beth tilted her head and gave a half smile. “I can see doing a few pieces for a hotel.”
“I think I’m going to purchase that one right there. My mother will love it.” The silver necklace was shaped like a Mardi Gras mask with a spray of feathers over the mask portion. The chain consisted of delicate loops.
“What about for yourself?” Beth was a salesperson. She opened the back of the case and pulled out a silver cuff bracelet etched with swirls. “This would look nice against your skin.” She held the bracelet out to Nina.
Nina slid the cuff over her wrist and knew it was perfect. “I’ll take it.”
The bell on the door sounded as the door swung open. Scott stepped inside. “Come on, there’s going to be a mock battle and I want photos of it.”
Nina glanced at Beth and mouthed, oh yay. Beth grinned back. “Before we run off after the soldiers, I want some photos of some of her pieces to show Kenzie when she gets back from Brazil.”
She gestured at Beth to choose what she wanted photographed. Quickly, Beth unfolded a black velvet cloth and pulled out several pieces. Scott snapped the photos and before Nina could wave goodbye, pulled her out of the store. She went gracefully since she’d been tugging at him since they’d arrived.
The battles lines were already drawn by the time Nina and Scott arrived at the huge field just outside the town. Participants had arranged themselves into position and watchers stood outside the battlefield.
Nina had never seen a mock battle before. Scott paced back and forth down the field taking photos. Nina stood on the sidelines watching. It was more exciting than she thought it would be, though smoke from the huge cannons filled the air and kept her from seeing clearly. But the shouts from the sidelines and the charges where the soldiers clashed in hand-to-hand battle had her jumping up and down, joining in with the audience in shouting encouragement to the two sides. Nina found herself taking a few photos and posting them on Facebook and Twitter.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Scott asked.
“Very much,” she said. Carl loved basketball and she’d gone with him to Lakers and Clippers games. Basketball didn’t turn her on, but making connections had. Everyone who was anyone headed to the games, sitting in the courtside seats being photographed, being seen. Carl had season tickets every year. While he’d avidly watched the game, she’d chatted with producers, directors and actors. She never did business, but being social was just as important as making the contacts. Here with Scott she didn’t feel the pressure to work; she wanted only to enjoy herself. It was a nice feeling.
The battle ended, and the crowd dispersed back to the main street. Scott headed toward an antique store advertising military memorabilia. While he browsed inside, Nina stayed out on the street.
Usually when Nina planned something fun, it would be going to a museum, gallery openings or parties where she would rub elbows with the movers and shakers of the entertainment industry. A military reenactment had never been on her radar, but seeing it in action gave her a thrill. She’d never thought history could be exciting. History had been nothing but dull facts in a textbook filled with more dull facts. Seeing history in action was a completely different story.
She found a bench to sit on and people-watched. She took a few more photos with her iPhone and attached the best ones to her next tweet. Taking the moment to really look at things, she was surprised at the number of African-American soldiers and suitably costumed women wandering the street. Virginia City was like Comic Con for history buffs—people in costumes, role-paying, having fun by not being themselves.
She had a friend who made documentary films who would love this. Okay, so she didn’t leave work too far behind. She took out her phone and texted Stephanie, asking her if she’d ever thought about Civil War reenactments.
“How about some lunch?” Scott said.
“We’re not going to re-enact a Civil War lunch, are we?”
“If that’s what you want, I can catch you a rabbit.”
She stood up
and grinned at him. That was just so manly. “Do you know how to catch a rabbit?”
“I can catch anything.”
“That’s a statement with a lot of meanings.”
“You take it however you need to.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward a building advertising lunch specials. At least she wouldn’t be cooking over a fire. “And after lunch, we need to visit the cemeteries.”
She stopped and he kept walking a few steps before realizing she wasn’t with him. “What’s so fascinating about a cemetery? Are there beautiful headstones? Marble angels? What?”
“There’s a lot of history in cemeteries.” He opened the door to the restaurant and led her inside.
A hostess, dressed in a prairie-style gown and boots, took them to a table overlooking the street. Her footsteps echoed off the plank floor. The interior of the restaurant was quaint and diverse. The wood tables with wooden chairs were all different styles and colors. The only unifying elements were the red-and-white checked plastic tablecloths and the cowboy and cowgirl costumes on the waitstaff. Old photos of Virginia City decorated the walls. Lights designed to look like oil lamps hung over every table. Almost all the tables were filled with families.
This was the oddest date she’d ever been on, but she was enjoying herself beyond all expectations.
“Next week they’re having camel races.” He opened a brochure and showed her a photo of a camel.
“No way,” Nina said. “I didn’t know camels could be raced.” Another thing to add to her events log. “Do you want to go?”
“I was thinking more along the lines of telling Hunter so he can bring Lydia and Maya. Maya would love the camel races. I should bring her.”
“I don’t know about that,” Nina said. “She’d want a camel.” Nina had only met Maya a few days ago and already she was pestering her mother for a dog like Kong.
“I know, and I want to watch my brother deal with the situation.” He chuckled as he folded the brochure and tucked it into a side pocket on his camera bag.
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