The Director Gets a Grip: Moonchuckle Bay Romantic Comedy #3

by Heather Horrocks

  “I’ve seen no evidence of that on the set.”

  “Well, I mean, he could be a millionaire, right? But he chooses not to be.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “His family’s been begging him to come back to their big ole pharmaceutical company. It’s worth millions. He could have a cushy job now — and he’d be worth a bundle. But he refused to do it. I begged him to go back the entire time we were married, but he just kept insisting that he loved his piddly little career more than he wanted the money.”

  Stunned into silence, Bianca didn’t respond.

  It didn’t seem to matter to Miranda. “He could still have the money, if he would just go to his father today. But he won’t. He’s too stubborn. That’s why I divorced him. And I recommend you find yourself a new key grip.”

  “He’s been very professional in the studio here.”

  “Just keep an eye on him, that’s all. I wouldn’t want you to have any problems on your set.”

  “Thank you so much, Ms. Finch. I’ll put this information to good use.”

  “Oh, it’s been my pleasure, Ms. Rossi. And I hope we can maybe work on a film together someday.”

  After saying goodbye, Bianca sat there, shocked.

  She had called him a gold digger. Oh. My. Gosh.

  Horrified, she knew she had to apologize to him. He didn’t need any money from that heiress. He didn’t need money from her. He didn’t even want it from his own parents, who were willing to share it with him if he’d do what they wanted.

  There was a knock on her door.

  “Come in,” she managed to get out.

  It was Orlando. When he saw her, he hurried in. “What is wrong, la mia cara sorella? You look much paler than normal.”

  She shook her head. “I have to apologize to Blake.”

  “I’m sure you do.” He pulled her up into a hug. “But right now, let me take you to supper. You look shell-shocked.”

  “So tell me what is really bothering you.” Orlando spoke after the server delivered their dinners.

  “I fear I have made a mistake.”

  “It’s all right, sweet. One movie won’t make a difference. You can always go back to the next Creature Feature. No one will hold this against you.” He lifted his glass and sipped.

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’m not talking about the movie.”

  He froze, hand in mid-air, obviously surprised. Then he set the glass back down and gave her his full attention. “What do you mean, then?”

  “Orlando, have you ever been in love?”

  “Love?” Her brother sat back. “No. I have been in infatuation before, but never a lasting love. After all these years, I fear our lifemates will not materialize.”

  “Remember how Thomas faked the lifemate buzz with a spell?”

  His face darkened. “Of course.”

  “I have felt it again.”

  “I will kill Thomas!”

  “No,” she hastened to say. “It’s not Thomas.”

  His eyes widened. “You are feeling the lifemate buzz again with another man?”

  She nodded, her eyes locked with his. “Yes.”

  “Who is the man?”

  She smiled ruefully. “It’s your fault, you know. Yours and Leo’s.”

  “How could it possibly be our fault?” he asked, visibly affronted.

  She gave him a half-smile. “You insisted I hire him.”

  He made an impatient gesture. “Go on, then. Who is this man that we inadvertently threw into your path?”

  “Blake Gladwell, the key grip on the film.”

  He stared at her for a few long seconds. “I am stunned.” He lifted a shoulder. “Truly shocked.”

  “Wait. There’s more.”

  He held up a hand. “I don’t think I can process more.”

  Bianca stared at her hands. “I sent him away.”

  “You what?” Orlando asked in confusion. “Why would you do that?”

  “I told you I made a mistake.” She sighed, her favorite unnecessary mannerism. “I owe him an apology.”

  “Make it quickly, sister.” Orlando looked at her with a mixture of concern and consternation.

  “As soon as I get back to the studio, I will.”

  “Bene. It is not good to turn down your lifemate.” He grinned then. “I cannot believe it. You have found your lifemate!”

  “And lost him.”

  “You will win him back again. You’ll see.”

  “I love this place,” Ernie said over a beer at the Black Lagoon Saloon. “We ought to all go swimming in that huge aquarium tank.”

  Blake nodded as he watched three guys power stroke across the tank. “Yeah.”

  It looked like a jungle bar from the 1950s, with monster movie posters on the walls, palm trees in large pots, and fans spinning overhead.

  They offered good old-fashioned comfort food, at least. Might as well drown his sorrows in food. He’d better watch it or he’d gain thirty pounds in the two weeks before this movie was wrapped. He took another bite of fried chicken swirled through mashed potatoes and gravy.

  His fellow grips, Ernie and Buddy, were trying to cheer him up. He hadn’t announced what had happened with Bianca, and he suspected she hadn’t, either, but the crew knew something wasn’t right.

  Buddy said, “I wonder if they rent out scuba gear for the so-called lagoon.”

  The conversation went on around him. All he could think of was Bianca, accusing him of only wanting her for her money. And then refusing to see him anymore.

  It was torture. How had this woman gotten in his system so thoroughly?

  “What do you think, Blake?”

  He realized he hadn’t been paying attention. “About what?”

  The others laughed. Ernie shook his head. “Poor guy has it bad.”

  “I don’t— ” Blake started, but the others made disbelieving sounds. He couldn’t deny it. “Yeah, you’re right. I have it bad.”

  “My treat today, pal,” Buddy said.

  “Thanks.”

  After paying, they put on their coats and headed out into the sunny but cold day.

  The restaurant was kitty-cornered from Town Square, the Black Lagoon Saloon on one side and, on the other, they could see the windows of three other eating establishments: Beans and Boos Coffee, A Bite to Eat Café, and Fangs.

  Buddy squinted, tipped his head, and then pointed toward Fangs. “Isn’t that Ms. Rossi? With a man?”

  Blake’s heart rate pounded. “Where?”

  He started walking toward the restaurant. It looked more upscale than the one they’d just been in. As he drew closer he could see that, yes, it was indeed Bianca Rossi sitting at a table inside. And, yes, she was sitting with a man.

  They were holding hands!

  Jealousy flashed through him.

  The guy was probably what a woman would consider handsome. Tall and handsome and dressed in an expensive suit, he was probably filthy rich, which would make her realize he wasn’t after her for her money.

  This was torture. He couldn’t stand the thought of her with another man.

  “You’re not going to let this guy get away with this, are you?” Ernie asked. “Stealing your girl?”

  Buddy murmured agreement.

  “What do you think I should do? March in there and grab her and drag her off?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Buddy nodded.

  He shook his head vehemently. “No way.”

  “Okay, man, but look at that. She’s kissing his cheek.”

  “You’re right. I’m going in after her.”

  In mere seconds, he was pushing his way inside the restaurant.

  When Bianca saw him, she sat up straight and her eyes widened.

  Blake narrowed his eyes as he walked up to their table, ignoring the usurper, and said, “I don’t accept your time table. Come on, we’re leaving.”

  The man put up a hand, “Sir, I’m sure—”

  “Sorry, bud. Her heart’s mi
ne.”

  “May I introduce you...?” Bianca asked.

  “Nope. Not interested. Let’s go.”

  He held out a hand. And waited.

  She exchanged a look with the other man, and after a long pause, she put her hand in his and stood. He shot one more glance at the man and was surprised to see that he seemed to be trying to hide a smile. He thought, Go ahead, buddy. Laugh it up. She’s leaving with me.

  She put on her coat and he took her hand, practically dragging her outside and halfway down the street.

  Finally, she tugged on his hand. “Would you please stop?”

  He stopped and looked at her. “So you told me you wouldn’t date me, and immediately went out with another guy? Who is that loser, anyway?”

  “My brother.” She smiled.

  He stared at her for a few seconds, then face-palmed. That explained the amused expression. “I just made a huge fool out of myself, didn’t I?”

  “And I loved every minute of it.” She touched his arm. “Blake, I need to apologize for my words and actions. I apparently still have issues from a past relationship where a man was after my money. I know that isn’t you.”

  Relief flooded him, but he tried to play it cool. “That’s okay. Let’s forget it.”

  “If you still want me to rip up your contract, you can go.”

  “I don’t want to go anywhere else. I’m no good without you.” He pulled her into his arms. “Can we go somewhere more private?”

  The private place ended up being his place, which was fine with him. The place he was staying was nice enough, though small. He hadn’t had much of a chance to spend time there, what with the hectic pace of filming.

  He steepled wood in the fireplace and got a fire blazing. Then he sat down with Bianca on the couch and they snuggled, neither of them saying much.

  He was glad she’d given up trying to fight her attraction to him. He knew, from his own experience, that resistance was futile.

  He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back against his chest, both of them facing the fireplace.

  He thought back to the incident at the restaurant. “Your brother must think I’m a Neanderthal.”

  “He understands about the lifemate buzz.”

  “The what? The buzz? Does that have to do with the birds and the bees?”

  “Sort of. It’s the feeling we get when we meet our lifemate, like it’s tingling throughout our bodies, buzzing almost.”

  “I’ve felt something similar.” He ran his finger along the curve of her jaw.

  She tipped her head up and kissed him, and it just felt right. He pulled her close and groaned as his lips moved against hers.

  Then she twisted until she was facing him and settled in against his chest — the perfect place for her to be.

  He ran one hand along her side and cupped the back of her head with the other, his fingers tangling in her hair. His fingers found the clasp holding her hair, and he loosened it, allowing her mane to cascade freely around her shoulders. It was as beautiful as he’d thought it would be and hung nearly to her waist. That’s how long it was.

  She kissed his cheek along his jaw, nuzzling his neck.

  And then she bit him!

  Surprised, he pulled back.

  She lifted her face, and her sharp teeth were down like they’d been the other night.

  And then it hit him. She’d bitten him. She had sharp vampire teeth.

  She really was a vampire!

  Stunned, he stared into her blue eyes and whispered, “It’s true.”

  She nodded. “It is.”

  “Will I be one, too, now that you’ve bitten me?”

  “No. That’s not how it happens. This was a claiming bite.” She caressed his face.

  “Does that mean you just claimed me?” A slow smile moved across his face.

  “Yes. You don’t mind, do you? I guess I should have asked first, but I was caught up in the moment.”

  He caressed her cheek. “No. I was just surprised.”

  “If you’re interested in becoming a vampire down the road, it can happen.”

  “I’ll need to get used to the idea that vampires even exist first. Does it happen often — people choosing to be changed, I mean?”

  “Occasionally. Sheriff Winston’s new wife Amber is considering being changed.”

  “She wants to be a vampire?”

  “Well, in her case, it will be a werewolf.”

  “Werewolf,” he repeated, dumbly.

  She took his hand. “Are you okay?”

  He huffed out a breath. “I’m not sure. This is all quite a shock.”

  “I told you I was a vampire.”

  “I know. I know. But hearing it and having it proven by being bitten on the neck are two entirely different things.”

  She leaned over. He tensed, wondering if she’d bite him again, but she just kissed the spot where she’d bitten. “You’re mine now, you know,” she told him softly. “Does it bother you that I think of you that way?”

  “I’ve been yours since I first saw you.”

  She kissed the tip of his nose. “Who knew that when you walked in wearing your cowboy boots you’d be stealing my heart?”

  “I probably should have warned you in advance. We cowboys are hero material.”

  “You are.”

  He kissed her again and heard bells.

  The doorbell.

  They exchanged a glance. “Are you expecting anyone?”

  He shook his head. “No. Are you expecting your brothers to check in?”

  “No.”

  “I really hate to do this, but I’d better get off the couch.”

  “And I’d better twist my hair back up.”

  The doorbell rang a second time, and he stood and watched as she expertly wound her hair back up. Darn — he hated to see all of that gorgeous hair hidden.

  He opened the door to find the cinematographer there.

  “Daniel? What are you doing here?”

  Daniel stepped inside and Blake shut the door against the cold wind outside. “You asked me to think of what we could do to stop the saboteur on the set, and I’ve had an idea.”

  Daniel looked past Blake and his eyes widened. “Hey, dude, I didn’t realize you were entertaining.”

  Bianca smiled at Daniel and said, “If you have a plan, I’d like to hear it.”

  Going on a Weasel Hunt

  TWO DAYS LATER, THE TRAP was set.

  There was a special catered lunch on Friday, to make up for the Thanksgiving dinner horror of two weeks earlier, and everyone had been invited. During the lunch, the cinematographer had been vocal about how the latest scenes were now transferred to thumb drives, which he held out to show them. Then he placed them on the table beside him.

  “So those are the only backups for the day’s filming?” Blake asked.

  Daniel nodded. “If anything happened to the film, we have a backup.”

  “Better put those away, then,” Blake said.

  “I plan to. I’m keeping these safe.”

  But as the lunch progressed, and as everyone rose afterward and left the room, Daniel had not picked up the thumb drives. They sat on the table still, the metaphorical cheese left out to entice the rat.

  After lunch, everybody left the room to go back to work. Instead of following them, Blake and Bianca went into the security office to watch the cameras to see if said rat would take the bait.

  Sheriff Winston and Deputy Knight were there with them and it had been thirty minutes since the room had cleared. Two people had gone back in, but they’d only gotten some Diet Cokes from the vending machine.

  Now the actress, Rachel, moved into the room.

  When she glanced over her shoulder as if she was making sure she was alone, they snapped to attention.

  “This might be the one,” the sheriff said.

  “Rachel? She was the woman who was tied up,” Bianca said.

  Rachel crossed the room, went straight to the thumb drives
, and stuffed them into her purse. She looked frightened as she turned and hurried forward.

  “She’s also the woman who just stole the thumb drives,” the sheriff said, then stood. “We’ll be right back with our suspect.”

  Blake turned to Bianca. She shook her head. “Why would an actress sabotage her own film? I don’t understand. That’s like cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

  They watched as Rachel hurried down the hallway — and then a door opened and the sheriff and deputy stepped out. The actress froze.

  “Miss, we need you to come with us,” Sheriff Winston said.

  She dropped her bag on the floor.

  The deputy leaned over and picked it up. “I’ll carry this for you.”

  “Surely this isn’t the person who poisoned people,” Bianca said. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Me, neither. It just doesn’t seem right.”

  “And surely she didn’t tie herself up.”

  A moment later, the sheriff and deputy brought the suspect to the security office to be questioned. Blake and Bianca followed them inside.

  Rachel was white-faced and her hands were trembling. “What do you need to talk with me for?” she asked.

  “Have a seat, Ms. Poole,” the sheriff said, kindly.

  She dropped into the seat, glancing from face to face nervously.

  The sheriff sat in the chair in front of her. “Ms. Poole, you are being questioned in the matter of the sabotage that has been occurring on this set.”

  “But I don’t know anything about it.”

  Winston motioned to the deputy to hand over her purse. She took it. “Please pull out the thumb drives that you just put inside.”

  She looked like she was going to cry, but then she got control of herself. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Ms. Poole, let’s not play games. We caught you on tape. We saw you.”

  Rachel closed her eyes and clutched the bag to her. Then the tears started. She reached in and pulled out the two thumb drives and handed them to the sheriff, who turned and handed them to Bianca.

  “Now I want you to tell us what you’ve been doing on the set that you shouldn’t have been doing.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She looked terrified. “He told me I had to do it or he’d tell my husband about the first movie I was in. I couldn’t let that happen.”