Home Sweet Home

by Melanie Shawn

  “Oh, yes, you absolutely have to tell that,” said Amanda matter of factly, turning toward Lauren.

  “For sure. Not even a question,” confirmed Sam.

  Lauren took a deep breath, trying to keep her face neutral even though she could feel her cheeks start to burn again, and even though she could feel her hands begin to tremble when she remembered the gall of him.

  She grimaced and leaned in, lowering her voice to a frustrated whisper, “If you must know, he asked if I'd ever thought about removing the stick from my ass and loosening up.”

  Karina burst out laughing, and all three of the other girls smacked her arm.

  “What?” Karina asked, her merriment not dimmed in the least, “It's not like I agree with him. I just like his style is all.”

  Amanda frowned, “Well, I think he's a jerk now. I really liked him at dinner, too. He seemed so friendly and approachable. But he had no right to talk to you that way!”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that,” Lauren said, glad of the affirmation.

  Sam shrugged, “I don't know, I can see both sides. Yes, of course, it's super jerky to say that. But by the same token, maybe he meant it to be funny and we just don't get his sense of humor? Also it might be a guy thing. They're a lot less sensitive about remarks like that than we are.”

  Karina brightened even further, “Brilliant, Sam! I agree with you! Let's bring the guys over and get their opinion.”

  Lauren began to protest, “I really don't think she meant...”

  But it was too late, Karina was already gesturing for Justin, Ryan, and Luke to come over. When they did, Karina told them the story. Her retelling was a little too gleeful for Lauren's liking, but nonetheless accurate. When she was done, they all burst out laughing.

  Amanda's jaw dropped, “So, you all think that's funny? Not even one of you thinks that's unforgivably rude?”

  The three guys looked at each other and then back at the girls, shaking their heads.

  “Nah,” Justin said, wrapping his arms around his irate fiancé, “You gotta realize, babe. Not all guys are as classy and sensitive as I am.”

  This made the group laugh again and Amanda began to soften, looking up at Justin. “I know you're joking,” she said affectionately, “but you really are classy and sensitive...”

  They kissed lovingly, bringing an unexpected pang to Lauren's heart. She shook her head. Nope. She couldn't give in to her lonely impulses. Dwelling on your loneliness, letting it make you vulnerable...that's how you found yourself entangled with a charming bastard, and Lauren had had enough of those to last a lifetime.

  The woman from production approached the group.

  “Thanks for waiting,” she said, pleasantly but briskly, “here's the deal. The producers love the town. It seems from another time, heart of America, that kind of thing. They've extended the shoot to two weeks, to expand and get footage from local businesses like here in the cafe, the outdoor adventure and ski resort, and some of the other downtown businesses. Maybe that cute ice cream parlor, Two Scoops.

  “At any rate, the crew and the talent need someplace to stay. It's not feasible to commute in from Lake Tahoe every day. The director's got a lock on an apartment that's apparently above this cafe, but that only covers him. So, basically, what we need is a furnished property that could comfortably sleep a dozen people. Doubling or even tripling up rooms, of course. And then another property, but this one wouldn't need to be as large. It would only house Ben.

  “Obviously, even if we needed to contract them for the whole month, that would be fine. Do you have anything like that? You'd really be helping us out of a bind.”

  Lauren was already nodding, pulling out her smart phone, completely comfortable now that she was back in Super Agent Mode. “Absolutely. I need to contact a couple of owners, but I don't think it will be a problem. I have a couple of different properties in mind that should fit the bill. What's your email? I'll send you the information and the lease agreement once I have a deal on lock.”

  The woman smiled, “One more little wrinkle. Think we could get into the properties tonight?”

  Lauren smiled back. She loved nothing more than a real estate related challenge.

  “I might be able to make that happen,” she said airily, in a tone that implied she sure as hell WOULD make that happen, “Let me just jet back to the office. Here, put your number into my phone and I'll call you the minute I know anything.”

  As Lauren strode down Main Street toward her office, the familiar buzz of a deal about to take shape starting to electrify her blood, it suddenly hit her.

  Ben wasn't going to be around for two more days.

  Ben was going to be around for two more WEEKS.

  --- ~ ---

  Ben wanted nothing more than to get back to his hotel room and shake off the day – take a long hot shower, get a good night's sleep, and come back to Hope Falls again the next day focused and prepared to do good work. It sounded like heaven.

  Now he just needed to find a production assistant and figure out where his town car was. Just as he was starting to make his way over to the group of techs striking the set to see if he could scare up a PA – any PA at all – his cell phone rang. Glancing at the face, he saw it was his agent. That was weird. His agent never called when he was out on location. Maybe he'd heard about the scheduling snafu this morning.

  Ben answered the call and heard his agent's rushed but cheery voice, “Benny boy! Clear your schedule my friend. They've extended this shoot to two weeks.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, they love the ambiance up there. So, listen. Obviously, after what happened this morning, it's not going to work, shuttling you back and forth almost an hour each way every day. So production has arranged a place for you there in town.”

  “Starting tonight?” Ben was startled.

  “Yeah, I guess there's some real estate woman who was able to find a couple of rentals. The hotel is packing up your things and a PA's already on his way to get them. All you have to do is go collect the key and relax in your new home away from home.”

  “That sounds great,” Ben said.

  “Hey, when you roll with me, kid, you get luxury.”

  “Well, thanks, then,” Ben said, although he suspected his agent was trying to take credit for 'wrangling' an accommodation that was actually pretty standard. Still. Never hurt to let the guy feel appreciated.

  “That's about it,” his agent wrapped up, “I told them to send the town car to wait out front of wherever you all shot dinner. So it ought to be there by now. Call me back if they give you any problems, kid.”

  “Sure,” Ben agreed readily, bidding the man goodbye. He walked out onto the sidewalk, and, sure enough, the town car was idling in a parking space immediately in front of the cafe. Ben climbed into the back and sunk down gratefully into the overstuffed leather seats, breathing a sigh of relief.

  “Do you know where we're headed?” he asked the driver.

  “Certainly, sir,” the man replied deferentially, pulling the town car out into the street. Ben watched the streets of the quaint little town pass by outside the window, and he definitely saw the charm that the production team saw. This town had everything that viewers liked to relate to – friendly people, close knit friends and family, and a strong sense of community. And yet, it also had the magic ingredients that made people watch real estate reality shows aspirationally – stunning natural beauty and (his bread and butter) gorgeous mansions set high in the hills.

  As the town car finished its climb into the hills surrounding Hope Falls and pulled up in front of a beautiful cabin, Ben was pleased to see one very leggy blonde waiting outside, all bundled up in a jacket, gloves, hat and scarf. He smirked. She definitely did not look equally pleased to see him, but she did look flat-out adorable.

  Ben climbed out of the town car and tipped the driver, waving as he sped away. He turned and walked toward Lauren.

  “You look so cute. Seriously. Most adorable thin
g I've ever seen,” he said sincerely, a smile of pure joy softening his face.

  Rather than taking his words as the compliment they were intended to be, however, she stiffened, clearly taking offense.

  “Mr. Stevens,” she began coldly, “I have already been to the crew's house and overseen that lease signing, and now showing you this property and getting the lease signed is the very last task on my to-do list, the ending of an extremely long day. Perhaps we could get through this without you prolonging it by teasing me?”

  Ben was taken aback, “Good lord, why would you think I was teasing you?”

  Lauren looked skeptical, “I've been called many things in my life, but never adorable, nor cute.”

  Ben smiled warmly, “Then I think you've been listening to the wrong people.”

  This seemed to fluster her a little, but she pulled herself together quickly, letting that remark slide entirely and getting straight down to business.

  “Look, I just need to collect the check and get a signature, then I can hand over the key. Do you have it?”

  Ben shook his head, “No, but I'm sure someone will be along with it shortly.”

  “Who?”

  Ben shrugged, “I don't know. Someone from production.”

  Lauren shook her head, “God, you people. I don't know what kind of show you're running, but this is certainly not how I'm used to conducting business with fellow professionals. Honestly, no one involved with this production seems to have the slightest consideration for my time.”

  Ben, who felt so much more free and comfortable being sincere with this woman now that he wasn't in 'host' mode, said sincerely, “Lauren, I totally understand. Believe me, show business people, myself included, can be incredibly frustrating. I truly apologize for all of the inconveniences you've had to put up with today.”

  His apology seemed to bring her up short, in fact it seemed to catch her completely off guard. She opened her mouth a couple of times to respond, but in the end all she said was, “It's freezing out here. No need to stand out here in the cold while we wait. Let me show you around the house.”

  Then, without waiting for him to respond, she turned and walked up to the front door of the house, taking out a key and turning it in the lock. She opened the door, pushing it wide and gesturing for him to precede her into the house.

  Ben walked in ahead of her, taking in the surroundings. The cabin was, obviously, nothing that would compare to the lush surroundings of Karina's home, which he had hosted a tour of as part of his job today, but by any other standards it was a truly wonderful space.

  The ceiling was crossed with roughhewn beams, but the room was kept from being too dark and oppressive by the light cream-colored paint which covered the walls. The furniture was overstuffed and looked extremely comfortable, which was perfect for Ben.

  In the evening while he was on the road on a shoot, he really liked to spend his time resting up for the next day, getting in the right mind frame, then studying the details and dialogue that he was going to be responsible for knowing the next day. In short, he liked to spend his time getting prepared.

  However, in hotel rooms, many times there was no good place to sit and spread out papers in front of you except for the bed. That was all well and good, but after a while it did get a little tiring. It would be a nice change of pace to be in one place for a while, a place with comfortable furniture, a place where he could spread out his papers on the coffee table or the kitchen table.

  “This looks great, Lauren,” Ben enthused, “it looks perfect, actually. You did a great job. Thanks so much.”

  Again, Lauren seemed surprised by his graciousness, and it made him wonder with a somewhat sinking feeling what sort of impression he must've made on her initially that she would be so shocked when he displayed even the most basic of common courtesy.

  She covered her surprise quickly, however, and continued the tour. She led him through the kitchen, pointing out all of the updated stainless steel appliances, and then up the stairs.

  As they stepped into the bedroom, Ben didn't think it was his imagination that she was getting slightly nervous and fidgety. Her speech as she pointed out features was getting a bit more high strung and rambling.

  This came to a head when she led him into the master bath and began talking about the bathtub.

  “So, as you can see, the bathtub is large enough to accommodate two... not that you would have two people in there... or, you know, not that you wouldn't... it's none of my business...”

  Ben was enjoying the show, he liked seeing her a little off balance, it was a stark contrast and a welcome relief from seeing her only as being supremely put together and on top of things. In fact, he realized that he wouldn't mind seeing her this way more often. When it came down to it, he admitted to himself ruefully, he just wouldn't mind seeing her more often, period.

  Unfortunately for Ben, Lauren's nervous rambling was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. In contrast to Ben's disappointment at the sound of that ring, Lauren on the other hand seemed highly relieved. She snatched her phone out of her pocket as if it was a life raft rather than a communication device.

  She looked at Ben, adopting a regretful expression, and said, “So sorry to interrupt. I have to get this, but I'm sure it won't take more than a moment. Please excuse me.”

  Ben nodded his agreement, but Lauren hadn't even waited to make sure of his approval. By the time he began nodding, she had already turned away from him and began to walk to the far side of the room, giving herself at least an illusion of privacy.

  Ben couldn't hear precisely what she was saying on the phone, but he caught enough snatches to make it clear that she was closing some kind of deal. When she walked back over to him, she was flushed with excitement. He recognized that particular brand of enthusiasm. That was a victory flush. She had just closed a deal, and from the look on her face, it had probably been a difficult one.

  Ben smiled widely. He was truly happy for her, he knew that feeling well and loved it every bit as much.

  “It's the best feeling in the world, isn't it?” Ben asked, his wide smile lighting up his face.

  Lauren looked, for perhaps the first time all day, completely and totally in the moment, her guard down, and – dare he say it – possibly even enjoying his company.

  “It sure as hell is,” she confirmed, a wide grin spreading from ear to ear.

  Ben, perhaps letting his confidence get the better of him or perhaps seduced by the mystical allure of her smile, committed the cardinal sin of sales – he went too far too fast. Well, no, scratch that-- the cardinal sin of sales is when you keep talking after you've already got the sale – but going too far too fast came pretty close.

  He reached out and brushed her arm with his fingertips, looked straight into her eyes, and said softly, “You're beautiful when you smile. You should do that more often.”

  This had a disastrous effect on her state of happy relaxation, which is to say it completely annihilated it. Lauren snapped immediately back into 'business mode.'

  Looking around as if she couldn't quite believe that she had wasted this much time goofing around in the house with him, she said impatiently, “ Where in the world is the PA with my check? I need to get a signature and hand over these keys so I can go home.”

  With that, she spun and exited the bedroom, the spell entirely shattered. He heard her footsteps descending the stairs and decided with reluctance that, since she obviously wasn't coming back, he may as well follow her.

  He caught up with her just as she was exiting the front door, and they both saw the PA standing in the driveway on her cell phone.

  Damn, Ben thought to himself, now there's no way she'll be forced to stick around with me here longer. There's no possible way that I can recapture that moment we were having in the bedroom.

  As Lauren and Ben were approaching the PA, they heard her talking on her phone, saying, “I don't know where she is... I know, I'm freezing my ass off... I was supposed to
meet that uptight, prissy chick here but I don't see her anywhere.”

  “Found her!” Lauren said cheerfully, and the PA spun around, face red with embarrassment.

  “Yeah, I'm going to have to call you back,” she muttered softly into the cell phone before snapping it shut.

  “Oh honey,” Lauren said sympathetically, “Of all the things you said into the cell phone, that shouldn't have been the one you chose to say quietly.”

  Ben started cracking up. The PA looked mortified. Ben could sympathize. Not only had she been overheard saying mean things by the very object of her derision, but now the host of the show on which she was a lowly production assistant was having a good laugh at her expense. All in all, not a great night.

  “Sorry,” the PA muttered, holding out the signed lease and attached check, “I really didn't mean anything by it.”

  “Not at all,” Lauren replied graciously, giving the paperwork a quick once over and then handing the keys to Ben, “and now if you all don't mind, I believe I am going to take my uptight, prissy ass home to soak in a hot bath.”

  She was halfway down the driveway toward where she parked her Mercedes in the street when she turned to Ben and, with a small smirk and a wink, said, “Who knows? Maybe it'll loosen up the stick.”

  With that, Lauren climbed into her car and zoomed away. Ben was impressed with the way that she handled the situation. Most of the women he dealt with could not handle being insulted, they flew apart, but Lauren – she was a class act. She didn't explode with rage, she merely gave as good as she got. He liked that.

  Of course, now she had left him with a completely different problem. He had no idea how he was going to fall asleep that night, because now all he could do was picture Lauren Harrison, naked in her bathtub.

  Chapter Three

  Lauren was relieved to have the events of the previous day over with. As intrigued as she was by Ben on some levels, her overwhelming feeling toward him was annoyance at his juvenile antics.

  Yes, as glamorous and exciting as the prospect of being part of a film production crew would sound to most people, and (in all fairness) had actually sounded to her when the idea was first broached, Lauren was extremely glad to be getting back to her old life.