Jennifer held on tight. “I should’ve been more careful. I wasn’t paying attention. My mind was somewhere else. I was thinking of my boyfriend,” she added in a whisper. “I get to see him in just two more days.”
“Boyfriend?” Alex repeated.
“Yeah, don’t tell anyone. My agent says I need to be seen as being available. That’s how it is in Hollywood. The second you’re off the market your fans lose interest and then you stop getting cast. Blaze has that part down pat.”
“How do you mean?”
“He claims to never date anyone. The way I hear it, you think you’re with him, but he’ll deny it up and down to anyone who will listen. I got warned to stay away from him, but who knows? He seems sweet to me.” They had arrived on set, so Jennifer got back into position outside the saloon with a smile on her face. “Thanks again for helping me.”
“No problem,” Alex said. All the headlines she’d read about Blaze claimed one relationship after another, but when she asked him about them, he had denied them all. Just like Jennifer said he would. Was that going to happen to her? Mr. Reid called her and pulled her out of her head.
“Miss Mitchell?” he repeated.
“Yes, sir?” she said as she approached his chair where he sat behind the camera.
“I heard you were helping Jennifer. Thank you for taking care of her,” he said. “Warm day.” Without another word, he turned his attention back to the screen.
“Yes, sir.” It was the first time he’d thanked her. As luck would have it, she was in the right place at the right time, and Mr. Reid noticed. Maybe she wasn’t such a failure after all, at least not when it came to her job.
When Alex went home for lunch, she watched the door; wondering if Brian would join her despite their agreement. What would she say to him? Was it fair to judge him based on a bit of gossip?
She smiled when Maggie knocked on the window.
“Hey, mind if I join you?” Maggie asked in a whisper, trying not to wake Henry who was asleep in her arm. “I saw you come home a few minutes ago, but I wanted to wait to make sure I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
“Oh.” Heat crept up Alex’s cheeks. “He’s staying on set for lunch. Do you think anyone else noticed yesterday?”
Maggie shrugged and then carefully lowered Henry onto the couch, patting his chest when he stirred and sat down next to him.
“How have you been?”
“Henry slept for five hours straight.” Maggie grinned. “The longest yet.” She laughed. “I never thought I would be celebrating five hours of sleep.”
Alex shared her lunch with her friend while they talked quietly about Henry.
“How are things with you?”
Alex beamed. “Mr. Reid thanked me for doing a good job today.”
Maggie grinned. “See? I told you you’re good at this.”
“Jennifer fainted on set.” Alex conveyed the entire story about the medic and how she caught her before she fell. “Jennifer also told me something about Brian, and I don’t know what to think of it.” She took a deep breath before telling Maggie the rest.
Maggie frowned. “That doesn’t sound like him. He’s nice.”
Alex nodded. “In private. On set, he’s totally different.”
“Didn’t he say he was just keeping up appearances?”
“I guess that’s all it is.” She wanted to believe it.
****
At every opportunity, Brian checked the clock on his phone. Impatient for the day to be over, he counted down the hours until he could be with Alex again. Right on cue, he smiled, recited his lines, and threw fake punches better than ever. He didn’t want to be the reason to have to film a scene more than once.
During slow moments, he thought about Alex’s reason why they couldn’t be seen together. It wouldn’t look good if she were using him for a good recommendation, but that’s not what she was doing. Maggie and Neal both understood and he was sure the other rangers would, too. And then there were directors, producers, and other bigwigs from the crew. The letters would carry a lot of weight, but she worried too much about them. It was time to show her that their relationship didn’t bother anyone.
At the end of the day, Mr. Reid gave him an approving nod. “Good work today.”
“Thank you, Mr. Reid.” Getting on his good side had taken a lot of work, and the validation put him in a good mood. But it didn’t last long.
Nate sidled up to him and said, “In trouble again?”
“No.” Brian didn’t say anything else. Nate didn’t deserve more.
“You should join me tonight. Shit is about to get real.” Nate glanced at a handful of extras waiting outside the costume trailer.
“I have plans,” Brian said. Holding his finger and thumb like a gun, he clicked his tongue and pointed at Jennifer. She giggled and waved.
“Showoff,” Nate grumbled before he stormed away.
A satisfied smile tugged at Brian’s mouth. Jennifer was out of Nate’s league, and she played along beautifully to foster the envy Brian had been hoping for.
Brian disappeared along one of the trails and found the spot where he got the best cell coverage. After a quick search online, he made a reservation for dinner.
When he opened Alex’s front door later, she smiled from her spot on the couch.
“Come on. Get dressed.”
She looked down at her brown uniform. “I am dressed.”
“I mean dressed up.” In her bedroom, he sorted through her closet. “I thought I saw a dress in here.”
“Where are we going?” she asked as she put her hand on top of his.
“I lied. The restaurant recommendation wasn’t for Nate. I want to take you somewhere special while I have the chance. We have a reservation at seven.”
Alex narrowed her eyes. “Like a date? In public?”
“Yeah.”
She frowned. “But—”
“No buts. I’ve been thinking about it. The press hasn’t gotten wind of us being here, so there’s no chance of me being recognized.”
“That’s not true. You have fans all over the world.”
“I’ve been to Dembi a few times, walked around, eaten at restaurants. No one has recognized me. I know how to blend in.”
“But what if Mr. Reid saw us? Or Steve? I’m trying to impress them, not—”
“They’re impressed. Besides, what are the chances that they’ll be at the same restaurant at the same time?”
Before he could go on, she shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Please? Let me take you out. I want to be a normal couple. Just for the night,” he pleaded. It worked. As he watched her face, her resolve crumbled. A sly smile tugged at her lips as if she secretly wanted to be wined and dined.
“Okay,” she finally said. “But we have to be discreet.”
“We will,” he promised and then kissed her. He changed into the only button-down shirt he had packed. It would have to do.
She pulled two dresses out of her closet and held them up to her body, one after another. “Which one? Green or purple?”
“Purple.” They would both look good on her, but the purple one had a deeper cut in the front, which would greatly improve his view. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he watched her slip out of her uniform, remove her bra, and tug the purple dress over her head.
“Hang on,” she said before ducking into the bathroom. When she emerged, she had brushed her hair and put on lipstick.
“I didn’t see any makeup in there.” Brian grimaced. “Not that I was snooping.”
“I don’t have much, but we’re going out so I thought I would get fancy.” A warm laugh filled the room. “Lipstick is my version of fancy, so you know.”
“I do now.” He grinned. “Are you ready?”
After grabbing a pair of flats out of her closet, she nodded. “I am. Do I look okay?”
“You’re beautiful.” It was the truth, if only she would believe him.
She shook her head but
smiled anyway.
“I think we should take a picture to commemorate our first real date.” With his phone at arm’s length, he pulled her into a hug. “Say monkey butts.”
Alex burst out laughing and Brian got the whole thing in a series of pictures.
“Monkey butts?” she asked when she finally caught her breath.
“No one expects monkey butts. It’s always cheese or smile. Boring.”
Without releasing his hold on her, they walked to the parking lot together and he opened the passenger door of the rental car. “After you.”
Alex kissed him before taking her seat. “Thank you.”
Behind the wheel, he started the car, and pulled onto the quiet road. After a while, she opened her hand. “Can I see the pictures?”
He unlocked his phone and handed it to her. The sound of her giggling distracted him from the road. Nothing could beat that sound.
“These are actually pretty good. You need to share these with me.” After a second of her typing something on his screen her phone chimed. “Done.”
“Does that mean I finally have your number?”
“Yep. I’ll update your contacts.” The keyboard on his phone clicked as she typed. “There, I’m in your phone.”
He glanced at her just in time to see her smile fall. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“There are so many.” The light from his screen lit up her sad face as she scrolled. “Amber, Amy, Angie, Anna.” The screen went dark and she stared at the windshield. “That’s just part of the As. Are they ex-girlfriends?”
“They’re people I know through work. Networking is very important for my job.”
No answer.
“I have nothing to hide from you.”
“It’s none of my business anyway,” she finally said.
“Yes, it is.” The car coasted to a stop on the desolate road to Dembi, and he turned in his seat to look at her. “They don’t mean anything.”
Pressing her lips into a thin line, she sighed.
He brushed his thumb against her cheek, turning her face toward his. “You’re the only one who matters.”
****
Alex exhaled. “It’s hard.” This conversation had been on the tip of her tongue for days, but she hadn’t known how to bring it up. Thinking about him with other women made her want to cry.
“What is?” Brian responded.
“The jealousy. I try not to let it get to me, but it’s not easy. There are so many women.”
“I’m sorry. It’s part of my job.” He hung his head.
“I’m not trying to make you feel bad, just trying to explain myself. I get it. You have to act a certain way or people will start asking questions. But it’s hard not to believe the lie.”
“That’s all it is,” he reassured her. “I should’ve explained what I was doing. I assumed you knew I was flirting to throw Nate off, especially since you didn’t say anything.”
“I didn’t feel like I could say anything.” Keeping their relationship light and fun meant ignoring the green monster inside her. No matter how much time she spent with Brian she had to admit Blaze was a huge part of his life, and Blaze could do whatever he wanted.
He picked up her hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry. You’re the only one.”
“It’s okay,” she said with a smile. “Sorry to derail our date. We should get going.”
“Are you sure? We can talk about this more. As much as you like.”
“I’m sure,” she said. “Let’s go before it’s too late.” Everything he’d said had been reassuring. No one else mattered and she believed him. Why shouldn’t she?
A few awkward seconds passed.
“We’re good. I promise. Go,” she demanded.
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled and started down the road again.
When they pulled into the parking lot, Brian opened her door and offered his hand. Before getting out, she looked all around them. No one stopped and stared or said anything. At that moment, they were a regular couple going on a date.
“Thank you,” she said as she swung her leg out onto the pavement. A cool breeze blew across her thighs, reminding her just how much skin showed. Brian noticed, too. His eyes glazed over and she laughed. “You wouldn’t think you’d be so easily distracted.”
It was as if he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. “What?”
“I’m amazed at how easily distracted you are by a little leg.” She pulled the hem of her dress up and he swallowed hard. “Considering you work with the most beautiful women in the world.”
“They’re nothing compared to you,” he said. “You’re stunning.”
Unable to ignore him and the warm feeling that crept into her heart, she said, “Thank you.”
He blinked and smiled. “Did you just take a compliment?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m finally getting through to you.”
“More like wearing me down,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe I needed to be worn down.”
“However you want to look at it,” he said and then pulled her the rest of the way out of the car and into his arms.
When he kissed her, she truly believed everything he said.
The reservation was under her name, and after apologizing for being a few minutes late, they followed the hostess to a tea room near the back of the restaurant. They slipped their shoes off and ducked around the silk curtain hanging in the opening of the private dining area.
Alex tucked her feet under her body and wiggled under the edge of the short table until her feet were down on the sunken floor. She giggled when Brian struggled to follow suit.
“My legs are bigger than yours,” he said. After a few seconds, he managed to fold himself into the small space and get comfortable.
The menu was just the right size to hide her smile.
A minute later, Alex and Brian listened while their server listed the specials and his personal recommendations and then disappeared to give them time to decide while he got their drinks.
“See?” Brian said. “No one is going to pay any attention to me when I’m with you.”
One of the reasons she had hesitated to agree to a date was because she feared Blaze might make an appearance. He did every time they were in public. Why should this be any different? But there wasn’t a trace of Blaze. Just Brian and his seemingly never-ending string of compliments. It was unsettling for a completely different reason.
When they were alone again after ordering Alex said, “Why are you so quiet?”
“I’m nervous.”
“Why?”
“This is our first date. What if I say the wrong thing and you don’t return my calls?” A hint of a smile played at the edge of his mouth. “A lot is riding on this.”
“First dates aren’t that bad. All we have to do is talk about work, hobbies, and family.” She shook her head. “Scratch that. Let’s not talk about my family.”
“That leaves work and hobbies.”
“So, Brian, what do you do for work?” she asked.
“I dress up and lie to people.”
A laugh erupted out of her. It took a minute to compose herself. “Do you like it?”
“Most of the time. How about you? Have you always been a ranger?”
“For about ten years. Do you have any hobbies?”
“I like to cook. You?”
“Can’t cook.”
Brian sighed. “Well, we’re out of first date material. Should we move on to more advanced conversation?” He waited for Alex to nod before going on. “When did you first realize you liked me?”
Chapter Nineteen
Alex narrowed her eyes. So far, she had been playing with him, pretending to get to know someone she’d been living with, but now she had a real answer for him. “When I saw you in town.”
At that, he smiled. “It wasn’t that first day? When I walked up to you and you were practically drooling?”
“I wasn’t drooling, I was still mad at you for throwing a
rock at that raven.” Reaching across the table, she smacked his hand with her napkin. “And no, it was definitely in town. And then I wanted to kill you.”
The smile disappeared from his face. “What? Why?”
“Because you were flirting with Jennifer. You gave her a flower and told her how pretty she was.” Despite knowing the truth about Jennifer, and knowing how silly it was to hold onto a feeling not founded in reality, the jealousy still hurt.
“That flower was for you,” he said.
“It was?”
He nodded. “I lost my nerve. I wanted to kiss you. In town that day.”
“Too bad you didn’t. We could’ve skipped to the good part.” That time, she reached across the table and put her hands in his. “That first night at my house, did you drop your towel on purpose?”
The server brought their appetizer before Brian could answer, but the second he was gone Alex said, “Well?”
Brian pressed his lips together but didn’t answer.
“You did, didn’t you?”
“It was all part of my plan to woo you. When you’re accustomed to getting your way using your one asset, you use it.”
“And you thought it would work?” That night was when everything changed. The kiss in the car had done it though, not his trick with the towel. That was just fodder for her dreams.
“It did, didn’t it?” he said with a laugh.
“How about you? When did you decide you liked me?”
“When you gripped my wrist and told me not to hurt that raven. You were so tough and intimidating. You scared the shit out of me.”
Alex nibbled on edamame. “You like that about me?”
Brian nodded. “You’re so strong and passionate and opinionated.”
“In your face, Mom.”
“I thought family was off the table.”
“I couldn’t resist. She always told me no one would ever want me if I didn’t learn how to keep my mouth shut.”
“Should we call and tell her she’s wrong?” A sly smile turned up the corners of his mouth.
“Absolutely not,” Alex warned.
“Fine.” He lifted an eyebrow. “You didn’t make it easy though. You kept rejecting me.”
“You kept being an ass,” she reminded him. “But then you made it all better. And here we are.”
Love on Location Page 18