Love on Location

by September Roberts

  “Sure. I’ll tell Jim. Seven?”

  “Six. Brian offered to cook us dinner.”

  Maggie smiled. “I’ll have Jim pick up a movie.”

  “Great. Thanks for being so understanding.” Alex checked her phone. “I need to get back to the set. See you tonight.”

  When Alex got back into position, resting against a large boulder, Brian came up alongside her. “We’re on for tonight,” she said.

  “Good. Can I come over early? There’s something I want to talk to you about,” he added in a quiet voice.

  “Sure. Is everything okay?” Worry twisted her stomach into a knot.

  “I think so.” He offered a small smile and checked his phone. “I need to go. We’ll talk later, okay?”

  “Okay,” she replied. Whatever it was he needed to talk to her about didn’t seem to be bad news. She couldn’t help but replay the conversation over and over again as she tried to figure out what it could be.

  When filming ended for the day, she was dying to talk to him, but after changing back into his regular clothes he took off on one of the trails. Slowly but surely the overflow parking lot emptied.

  Alex tidied her front room while she waited for Brian. Only when the last van disappeared over the hill did he arrive at her door, his cheeks rosy and his breath ragged. “What did you want to talk about?” she blurted, unable to wait another second to ask him the question that had been on the tip of her tongue for half the day.

  “I wanted to ask you a favor,” he said, but he wouldn’t look at her.

  “What?” She chewed on her lip.

  “I wanted to… I hoped I could stay…with you. After what happened with Nate.” Their eyes met for a second before he went back to staring at his feet.

  Saying goodbye every night had become more and more difficult. Having him stay with her would make her beyond happy, but she knew the only reason he asked was to escape Nate. “Tonight?”

  “As long as you’ll have me,” he said.

  She threw her arms around him and looked up at his handsome face. “I would love for you to stay.”

  “I may or may not have brought a duffle bag full of clothes,” he mumbled, looking away again.

  “Maybe you should go get it,” she said.

  Within two minutes, he returned with a bag slung over his shoulder. “I was so nervous,” he said with an uneasy laugh. “I didn’t want to assume it would be okay.”

  Once they were in her room, she pushed her clothes to the side. “My closet has plenty of room. Put your stuff in here.”

  As he unpacked his things, he said, “It’s like I’m moving in.”

  “Temporarily. To keep you safe from Nate. You don’t need to spend the next three days with a bully like him.”

  He nodded and finished unpacking without another word.

  ****

  Alex got out of the way while Brian bustled around the kitchen. Wonderful fragrances filled the air and then Maggie and Jim arrived promptly at six, with a baby and dog in tow. Alex set the table and helped Jim with the portable swing for Henry.

  Brian served everyone and opened a bottle of sparkling cider, pouring a little into four wine glasses. “Cheers,” he toasted.

  Everyone dug in, complimenting him on the meal. Jim said, “Wow. You can cook.”

  “That apron’s not a joke anymore,” Maggie added, pointing to the lettering on Brian’s chest. “You really are the world’s greatest cook,” she said.

  Alex laughed. “I think you should keep it,” she said. But keeping it meant him taking it when he left. In three days. And she didn’t want to think about him leaving.

  “To good food,” Jim announced, raising his glass, clinking his way around the table.

  “And good company,” Brian added.

  “To movie night,” Jim said. “I’ve never been invited before,” he confided in Brian. “Thanks for making that happen.”

  “I didn’t do anything, I just cooked.” Brian smiled. “Alex planned everything.”

  Everyone looked at her. Could they tell she had been thinking about Brian leaving? “So, Jim how’s work?”

  “Can’t complain. I think you’ll like what we have brewing right now. It’s a rye-based pale ale.”

  “Sounds good,” Alex said.

  “You’re a brewmaster, right?” Brian asked.

  Jim nodded. “It’s my dream job. I mean, it’s not as cool as acting, but…”

  “You get to taste everything you make, right?” Before going on, he waited for Jim to nod. “That sounds pretty cool to me.”

  Jim smiled wide. The conversation veered from Jim’s job to Henry, who decided he couldn’t wait any longer for his dinner. Maggie picked him up and excused herself to nurse him in the front room. While they were gone, Alex, Jim, and Brian discussed filming, but only after Jim swore up and down not to tell anyone the details of the movie. So far, the media hadn’t gotten wise to the fact Twisted Juniper hosted some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

  “It’s a shit storm when they find out,” Brian said, leaning back in his chair. “That’s why I try to keep a low profile when I’m on location.”

  “By hanging out with a ranger,” Jim added with a sly smile.

  “That’s a bonus,” Brian added.

  Alex avoided the attention by clearing the table. “Maggie, are you ready for us yet?” she called to her friend.

  “Almost.”

  Alex started in on the dishes and Jim came to help her. When Brian stood, they both shooed him back to the table. “You’re not going to cook and clean up.”

  “Fine.”

  “Thank you for dinner,” Jim said, drying the clean dishes Alex handed him.

  “You’re welcome,” Brian said.

  “Did Alex tell you what we’re watching?” Jim asked him.

  “Don’t make fun of me, Jim, or you won’t be invited over for movie night again,” she warned.

  Jim laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  “I happen to like old westerns,” she said a little too defensively.

  “I do, too,” Brian added. “They remind me of stage acting. The story always focused on the triumph of good over evil, fought by real people instead of all the CGI bullshit in movies today.”

  Alex smiled and kissed him, right there in front of Jim. She couldn’t help it.

  When they put on the movie, Jim joined Maggie and their sleeping baby while Alex and Brian snuggled together. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, so she reclined against him. Being surrounded by his warmth and the scent of his skin made her brain a little fuzzy. Despite her love for the movie, all she noticed was the way Brian’s body tensed when the good guy got captured and then cheered when he won.

  At the end, Brian said, “That was awesome.”

  “I’m glad you liked it,” Alex said.

  “Thanks for hanging out with us,” he said to Jim and Maggie. “And for being so understanding about the need for discretion.”

  “No worries,” Jim said. “You’re welcome to stop by for a beer at Dembi Brewing any time.”

  “I will gladly take you up on that.” Brian grinned. “Hey, we’ll probably be having a wrap party before we leave. Could we have it there?”

  “I don’t see why not. We could definitely use the publicity.” Jim’s back straightened. “That would be cool. Really?”

  “Yeah. Sunday,” Brian said.

  Alex laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” Brian frowned.

  “Sundays in Utah are interesting,” Alex said. “Most places are closed, including Dembi Brewing. It took me a while to get used to that.”

  “I’m sure I could pull a few strings for a private party,” Jim said, winking at Brian.

  “Okay, I’ll talk to Mr. Reid about it. What’s the best way to get in touch with you?”

  While they exchanged information, Alex and Maggie said good night.

  “He’s really great,” Maggie said.

  “I’
m glad you think so.” It was nice to have feedback from her best friend because she certainly thought he was great.

  “Too bad he’s leaving,” she added.

  “I know.” Alex’s shoulders fell.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up. Just live in the moment, right?”

  Alex nodded because she planned to enjoy every second she had left with him. “Thanks for coming over.”

  “Thanks for inviting us,” Maggie said.

  “It was fun,” Jim added, giving Alex a quick hug and shaking Brian’s hand. “Thank you for everything. We’ll be in touch.”

  Pelli led the family procession back to their house, leaving Alex and Brian alone.

  “They’re so great,” Brian said.

  “They really are.”

  “So are you,” he said as he pulled her into a hug.

  “I can’t believe I get you all to myself.” It didn’t matter that it was only for three more days. Living in the moment meant not focusing on the future. “What should we do first?”

  With a smile on his lips, he locked the front door and scooped her into his arms. “I believe I owe you a few more orgasms.”

  He delivered on his promise and so much more.

  ****

  Brian stretched carefully when he woke the next morning. The sun was almost up, which meant it was the perfect time for a run. Trying not to disturb Alex, he slid out of bed and got dressed. Even though he was quiet, she stretched to fill the gap where he’d been and mumbled in her sleep.

  Koko’s tail thumped against the mattress and she followed him out into the hallway. “Want to go for a run?” he asked and her ears perked up. “Come on,” he whispered. In the front room, she nudged her leash with her nose. “Good girl.” He ruffled her ears and clipped her. “Sit and stay. I need to leave your mom a note so she doesn’t worry.” In the kitchen, he scrawled a note and crept into her bedroom to leave it on his pillow.

  At first, the dog wanted to smell and pee on everything and had no interest in running, so he ran in place. “Come on, Koko. Let’s run.” She tilted her head to the side. “Yeah, let’s go.” Tugging at her leash, he started moving toward the eastern trail. When he picked up the pace, so did she. Before long, they were running together, Koko matching his stride with ease.

  They reached the farthest rocky edge of the trail just in time to watch the sun show itself, tingeing the desert gold. The return trip along the sandy trail was filled with the sounds of their synchronized breathing. Instead of completing the path around the park, they finished a loop to and from Alex’s house. The full path would have to wait for when they had more time. Just like in town, he didn’t run into another person on the trail that early in the morning, but that changed when he approached the row of houses.

  Neal was in the process of walking to work when he bumped into them. “Good morning.”

  “Morning,” Brian returned.

  “Out for a run?” Neal asked. A frown settled on his forehead as he looked at Koko.

  “Beautiful out there,” Brian replied as his stomach filled with dread. How could he explain why Koko was with him? He couldn’t. “See you later.”

  Neal nodded. “Later.”

  Brian ran past Alex’s house and kept going until he was sure Neal would be gone, and then circled back and let himself in. He unhooked Koko’s leash, returned it to the hook on the wall, and groaned. No matter how much he wanted to crawl under a rock, he knew he had to tell Alex what happened.

  The water ran in the shower so he went into the bathroom.

  “Brian, is that you?” Alex called out.

  “Yes.” Time to come clean. “I fucked up.”

  She turned the water off, pulled the curtain back, and frowned. “What happened? Is Koko okay?”

  “She’s fine. We had a great run. Until we saw Neal.”

  “Oh shit.”

  “Exactly. I’m so sorry. I should’ve left her at home, but she followed me and begged to come with me. I didn’t think it through.”

  Alex reached out of the curtain and tugged on his clothes. “Join me. There’s no sense in feeling bad about it now. It’s in the past.”

  When he looked up at her, she smiled.

  He undressed quickly and stepped into the shower just as she turned the water on again. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’m sure she had a great time and don’t worry about Neal. I’ll talk to him.”

  “Why are you so understanding?”

  She smiled and caressed his face. “Because you deserve it.”

  ****

  Despite her calm reaction to Brian’s news, Alex had some major damage control to do. They left her house at different times and in different directions. While he meandered along the trails, she went directly to the Visitor Center.

  “Hey, Lynn,” she greeted at the gift shop. “Have you seen Neal?”

  “Nope. Must be out somewhere. You want me to call him?”

  “That’s okay. I’ll find him.” The last thing she wanted was a confrontation over a walkie-talkie frequency the entire staff could hear. After visiting his usual haunts she finally found him tinkering with a bat house wedged under the back eave of the Visitor Center.

  “Hey,” he said as she approached.

  “Hey,” she echoed. “Do you need a hand?”

  “No, I’m good. I noticed this box had fallen off one of the hooks. Probably in that crazy wind we had. Bats won’t use it if it’s crooked.”

  “They’re so persnickety,” she said.

  “True.” He teetered on the ladder while he struggled with the box, so she reached out and steadied it. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Their conversation baffled her. It wasn’t the confrontation she had been expecting, and she couldn’t figure out what to do next.

  Neal descended the ladder and faced her. “Thanks for helping me.”

  “I didn’t do much. Um. I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”

  He nodded. “I figured as much.”

  Heat crept up her neck. “It’s about when you saw Koko this morning.” When he didn’t respond at all, she went on. “With Br—Blaze.”

  “It’s none of my business,” he replied.

  Her mouth hung open. Things definitely hadn’t gone as she expected. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. You have to know I would never let a relationship interfere with my work.”

  “You don’t need to justify anything to me.”

  “If Mr. Howard found out, I would be in serious trouble,” she added.

  “He’s not going to find out from me.”

  Alex let out a long, shaky breath. “Is it obvious? Me and him?”

  Neal shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t have believed it except I saw it with my own eyes. Blaze is such a dick to everyone on set, especially you.”

  “That’s just for show.” Not too long ago, she had felt the same way. “Thanks. I mean it. I’m so grateful.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Neal inclined his head slightly. “Before we get going, I’ll say one thing. Tell him to be more careful. I’m not sure Beth would be as quiet.”

  Alex laughed. “I will.”

  They walked to the set together and split up. Neal stood near the costume trailer. Alex went to Steve to check in for the day. After they discussed the day’s shoot, he turned the conversation to his property.

  “My sister couldn’t wait for me. She met with a man from the wildlife trust and set everything up. I’ll have to sign some paperwork when I get home.”

  “That’s very exciting.”

  “All thanks to you,” he said with a smile. “Would you ever considered moving to California to work for me?”

  “Um.” The loose thread on her brown shirt suddenly became very interesting, so she rolled it between her fingers. Anything to get her mind off Steve’s question.

  “My sister said we need to hire someone to do a wildlife survey, and then they could stay on as the manager,” he sa
id.

  “Neal is an excellent naturalist. I bet he would be happy to help. You could ask him,” she said, nodding toward her friend.

  “I’d like you to do it. It’s your idea, after all, and you know so much about everything. Blaze was telling me the things he’s learned from you while we’ve been on location.”

  “I wouldn’t know the first thing about doing a wildlife survey,” she lied. She had, in fact, helped Maggie with one in the spring. It became increasingly difficult to hold still. “Thanks for meeting with me. I should probably get ready. Mr. Reid is here. I bet he’s going to call everyone to the set soon,” she said as she inched away from him.

  Steve nodded, but before she left he said, “Think about it, okay?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The cast and crew bustled around Alex, including Blaze. Larger than life, full of swagger, and goofing around with the stunt guys. “Hey,” she called out. “Stay on the designated trails.”

  He threw his hands up in the air and strutted toward her. “Now you’re just busting my balls.”

  “You’d have to have balls first,” she said.

  Nate sniggered.

  Blaze glared at his assistant before breaking away from the group to confront her. “I was on the trail.”

  “I’m just doing my job, buddy,” she said loud enough for everyone to hear before whispering, “Neal’s good. He’s not going to say anything.”

  “Good.” A smile softened his face, and his shoulders relaxed. “Are you going home for lunch?”

  “Probably best if I do.” Anything to avoid another awkward conversation with Steve.

  “Will there be anything else?” he said loudly as he straightened his back.

  “I suggest you get back to work,” she replied.

  In an exaggerated movement, he rolled his eyes and turned on his heel. Nate scurried over to him and mumbled something while looking at Alex but Blaze shook his head. “I think she still wants my autograph. Poor thing doesn’t know how to ask for it.”

  She almost laughed, but that would undermine his act, so she scowled at him instead.

  The morning passed quickly, and when lunch arrived, she stood in line for a plate and carried it home. Koko sat at her feet and waited patiently for her share, but after a few minutes, she lost interest and whined at the front door. A knock followed.