She was not an actress, the type I always dated. She was a chef, for goodness sake—a glorified cook. Yet one smile, one twinkle of those dimples had me wanting to lay my life down for her. What was it about her? I was still to put my finger on it. All I knew was that whatever ‘it’ was she had ‘it’, and it made me weak. Seeing Helen again made me realize that Patricia bore a slight resemblance to her. Had my subconscious selected memories of Helen when I was choosing my girlfriends?
I gave myself a mental shake. “Come on, dude. Snap out of it. She’s just another woman.” Yes, she was, but I had to admit that there was more than something physical. There was this smoldering chemistry between us. The separation of a year did not do anything to douse the flame. And now that I had seen her again, my heart was complete.
I went back inside and picked up the script. I was going to have to make it a serious point of duty to concentrate. Tomorrow was another day, and I could not wait for it to dawn so that I could see Helen once more.
Chapter 10 – Helen
“And scene! Okay, everyone, that’s a wrap. Good job this morning! Let’s take an hour and then pick up at scene twenty-three. Breakfast is here!”
I looked up as I put out the last platter. My timing was perfect. Though David had told me breakfast was at nine, I had taken the precaution of being thirty minutes early. My caution had paid off.
“Ok, guys. Get in place. The masses are about to descend.” My servers had barely positioned themselves behind their stations before the crowd of workers gathered around. We smiled and nodded and served until there was nothing but empty platters and satisfied stomachs. I was sure I had served some persons twice. But from all indications, the food was well-received.
We started packing away the trays to exit the lot. I carted the last batch to the catering van and had gone back to the serving station to make sure nothing was left behind when David approached. He was smiling.
“Helen! That was a feast and a half! I can’t wait to see what you dish up for lunch.”
I grinned. “I’m glad that you all enjoyed it. One morning down, eighty-nine more to go.”
“So, see you for lunch?”
“My assistant Stacy is taking care of lunch. And you’ll see Brenda for dinner. We’ll rotate as time goes on. I cannot be away from the café all day.”
“Awww! Such a pity. This space could certainly use a pretty face like yours to brighten it up.”
I waved my hands around. “You’ve got all these actresses around. One little cook is not needed.” I smiled gently and bid him farewell.
I walked briskly across the lot. I had not seen Scott while we served. I suspected that they served him in his trailer. I was almost at the parking lot when I spotted him crossing the lot. My heart started to race a bit as my nerves fluttered. I had told myself that I was not going to be tongue-tied like I was yesterday. But just seeing him made all rational thought fly out of my head.
Though I had opposed Susan a few weeks ago, I had long admitted to myself that I was attracted to Scott. I flicked my shades down over my eyes as he drew near. This morning, he was wearing close-fitting jeans and a dull, dark t-shirt. I knew the second he spotted me as he started to smile. I smiled back as we passed within three feet of each other. I dared not look back. As I drove out of the lot, my nerves calmed a bit. It was going to be hard to stay away from him for the next three months.
I developed a routine. I quickly realized that I would have to take the movie production breakfast shift on the days the café had a packed dinner service. On the lighter days, I opted to take the movie production lunch or dinner shifts. After about two weeks, Stacy, Brenda, and I fell into a routine.
Each day I glimpsed Scott: sometimes from afar, and sometimes within touching distance. By day two, Vivian had appeared. I had taken the lunch shift that day and was in the middle of packing up when I heard my name.
“Helen!”
I looked up to see Vivian waving vigorously. I froze when I saw that she was dragging Scott in her wake.
“Hi, hun! I got in last night. Let me introduce my boss.”
Scott held up his hand. “No need, Viv. Helen and I are old friends.”
Vivian looked from him to me, then back at him. “I thought I knew all your lady friends.” She pouted and crossed her arms.
He smirked. “That just goes to show what you know.”
“Hi, Scott. Nice to see you again.”
“The feeling is mutual. The lunch was excellent. If I continue to eat at this rate, I may lose my part. Winston does not have a gut. It’s been two days of your cooking, and I can feel it coming already.
I chuckled. “Exaggerate much?”
He laughed softly. “It’s what us divas do, don’t you know?” He winked, and I blushed.
Vivian looked from him to me, then back at him. Then she smiled weirdly.
“Anyway, it was nice running into you, Helen. I had to let you know how good that food was. I’m sure we’ll catch up more often. I’ve got to help him run his lines for the next scene, so we’ll catch up.” Vivian turned away, but Scott remained, staring at me.
“The food was excellent, Helen. My compliments to the chef when you get back. He patted my shoulder softly, then turned and walked away.
Thus began an unspoken arrangement. It was like clockwork the way he always turned up just as I was packing up to leave. No matter what shift I was on, he always appeared as I was going away. Some times he assisted with the trays. Other times it was a simple ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ as we hurried to our next destination.
On one of the longer greeting mornings, he came out to the general area as I was running back to my car. He caught up with me.
“I didn’t see any fries on the menu this morning.”
I frowned as I dug into my purse for the keys. “Excuse me?”
“They usually go well with shakes.” He glanced behind me surreptitiously. “And that you have quite a bit of, my love.”
I felt my face grow crimson, and he tossed his head back and laughed.
“Sweet, sweet Helen. You must know that you have a body many actresses pay money for, right?”
I lowered my eyes and mumbled. He leaned in, and I smelled the aroma of his aftershave waft over me. I looked up to find him just a few inches from me. He took the keys from my hand and opened the door. He handed me in, then closed it before stooping to the window. I wound it down, and we were practically nose to nose. His gaze dropped to my lips. Unconsciously, I licked them, and I saw his eyes narrow. He huffed in a breath and pulled back.
“Sweet Helen. Drive safely. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stood and pushed his hands deep into his pockets.
I swallowed as I started the car with trembling fingers. I gave him a tiny wave, and he smiled. As I turned out of the parking lot, I checked my rearview mirror. He was standing where I left him. A small smile drifted across my lips. Had I been mistaken in thinking that Scott had been about to – kiss me?
After that, I could sense that our interaction had taken a more personal turn. The next day I brought a portable blender. I waited until he approached before starting it up. He quirked an eye at my actions, and I smiled. I quickly blended up a creamy chocolate smoothie. I poured it into a tall glass and handed it to him. He looked at me, puzzled.
“What’s this for?”
“A shake. A tall, dark chocolate shake.” I winked. It took a second for the hint to drop. He threw his head back and laughed. Several heads turned in our direction. I buried my flaming face under the pretext of packing the boxes.
“Touché, my sweet Helen. Touché.”
I gave him a mock bow. “Your move.”
His brows shot up. “Oh! It’s like that is it. Well, bring it on, my sweet.”
I placed my hands my hips and tilted my head to look up at him. “Consider it brought.”
He looked me up and down. “Brought it is, indeed. In one bombshell of a package.” He held my eyes as he took a long sip of the shake.
&n
bsp; One of the servers returning for another set of trays forced us to break eye contact. I became aware of where we were and how many people were milling around. I was sure that by now the speculations had begun. Anyone with eyes and a sensible head on their body must have picked up on our energy by now.
I cleared my throat and dropped my eyes.
“I’ve got to go now. It was lovely serving you again, Mr. Scott Dawson. I will see you tomorrow.”
He nodded. “You certainly shall.” He winked as he turned away, still sipping on the shake.
The next day was Sunday. I was due to take the dinner shift so that I could be at the café for our Sunday Brunch service. When I got to the restaurant, I found Stacy running around frantically.
“Thank goodness you’re here, Helen!”
“What’s the matter?”
“Brenda had to run out of town for a family emergency. She couldn't get through to you, so she called me. I came in an hour early to cover her breakfast and my lunch for the movie set. I’m almost finished with the breakfast.”
“Okay. I’ll take over on that. You start working on lunch. We’ll have to bump Mark up to sous for this morning until I get back. Mark!”
Half an hour later, the van was packed and sent off. I followed a few minutes after.
We set up the serving station quickly and soon had a line. Before we knew it, the trays were empty, and we were packing up. I had all but forgotten about Scott until I had sent the van off. On my way to the parking lot, I spotted him heading towards the trailers. Very few persons were around as everyone had gone back on the set immediately after eating.
“Aren’t you heading in the wrong direction? Everyone else went back on set.”
He fell into step beside me. “My shots are done for today. So guess who is as free as a bird. I’m going to bum around in my trailer for the rest of the day. I’ll relax until the bus comes to take us to the hotel.”
“Lucky you. I’ve got a brunch service to get back to so I can free Stacy to prepare your dinner.”
“If only I could cook, I would offer my services.”
“No, thank you. I will not be held responsible for Scott Dawson’s missing fingers.”
He laughed and put a hand on my shoulder. “Have you ever seen the inside of a movie trailer?”
“No.”
“Would you like to?”
I hesitated. “I need to get back and relieve Stacy.”
“It will only take a minute. It’s not like I’m giving you a mansion tour or anything like that.”
“Ok. Just a minute, though.”
He turned me towards his trailer, and I followed. The interior was a bit dim. Then he hit the lights. I don’t know what I was expecting. But it was nothing more than a ten by twenty space. There was a rack of clothing at one end, a couch, television, dresser, and mini-fridge took up the rest of the area.
He took my hand. “Let me give you the grand tour, milady. Over here we have a rack of clothes. As you can see, the hangers have the scenes written on them. Over here, we have my fridge. This is where I keep a stash of all those lovely fruits you’ve been feeding me. If I feel bored, switch on the television. It keeps me thoroughly entertained. The couch is where I sit to practice my lines.”
He turned to look down at me. “It’s not the Ritz, but it will do. So what do you think? Is it star quality?” He leaned against the edge of the dresser, still holding my hand captive.
I swallowed. I realized that for the first time, Scott and I were alone – completely alone. My tongue came out to wet my suddenly dry lips. It was something I always did whenever I became nervous. I took a deep breath as his eyes held mine. My heart started to race as he drew me closer. I saw his chest rise and fall as he took a deep breath also. He held my gaze as he raised his hand to my hair. With a slight tug, the hairnet came off, and my curls bounced free. His other hand took me by the waist as he lowered his head.
The first touch of his lips on mine was like the first touch of bacon on a smoking hot grill. His lips were firm and pressed insistently. My heart pounded as I melted into him. My purse fell from my shoulder as I wound my arms around his neck. He pulled me closer unto I felt his groin press against mine. I moaned softly, and he seized the opportunity my parted lips offered. His hot tongue dove into my mouth and found its quivering mate.
I felt my core grow hot and wet. His hands slid down to cup my buttocks and pull me even closer to him, and I felt the unmistakable pulse of his erection against my belly. My hips pressed into him, and it was his turn to groan deep in his throat.
I fought to catch my breath as our bodies pressed together, hungry for more. I felt his hand come up between us, and then I felt cool air as he opened the buttons on my blouse. That was a wake-up call. With every ounce of energy I could muster, I pulled back. I felt his him resist, and I pulled back even more. I shook my head violently.
“No. No. No. I have to go.”
With shaking fingers, I redid the buttons on my blouse and grabbed up my purse and hairnet. I dashed out of the trailer and made a beeline for the parking lot. I did not stop until I pulled into the café parking lot. My mind was racing a mile a minute. I raised trembling fingers to my swollen lips. What the hell had just happened?
Chapter 11 – Scott
I was on edge as I waited for the director to yell ‘cut’. I was out of my seat like a bullet and hightailed it to my trailer. Hastily I pulled off my costume for the morning scene and got into my street clothes. As I pulled on a baseball cap and glasses, my door flew open, and Vivian stepped in.
“Going somewhere?” She casually took a seat.
“Just a quick walk to get my thoughts together for this evening’s shoot.”
“Anywhere in particular?”
“Anywhere my feet choose to take me.”
“Maybe a fifteen walk to a café, maybe?”
I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. I opened my mouth, then closed it as there was nothing I could say. I leaned against the dresser and waited for Vivian to continue. I didn’t have long to wait.
Slowly, she walked over to me. She casually reached out a hand to smooth the collar of my polo shirt. Our eyes met and held. Suddenly, she grabbed a fistful of my shirt and yanked my face down to hers.
“I like Helen, Scott. I like her a lot. If you ever break her heart, you will have me to answer to, and it will not be an easy feat. Got that?”
I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips. “Whatever you think you know, you’re wrong.”
“I know I’m very right. And I’m serious, Scott.” She released my shirt and smoothed out the wrinkles. “I don’t know why, but I don’t want you to mess this up. She’s a good person. Don’t fuck up.”
“May I go for my walk, please?”
She stepped back. “Certainly. Tell Helen to send me a slice of cheesecake and add it to the bill, please.”
I heard her mocking laughter drift out behind me as I walked briskly across the lot. Vivian was right, of course. At breakfast, I had gone to the food station only to be disappointed. There was no Helen. But I had to see her.
Since she had hightailed it out of my trailer, I had thought about how she felt in my arms. It was a feeling like none I had ever had in any of my previous relationships. I didn’t feel as if it was a means to an end to get her in bed. I just wanted to spend time with her.
I realized yesterday that I did not even have her phone number. That was going to change very soon. I also realized that I could not exist with seeing her at only meal times. I had to step it up.
My brisk steps soon brought me to Andy’s. I walked around to the back door and was contemplating how to enter when the door flew open. A pretty little brunette stood there. She was as shocked to see me as I was to see her.
“You want Helen, right? Let me get her for you.” She stepped back inside. I went over to the bench. Shortly after, the door opened, and my heart skipped a beat. I was seriously going to have a talk with my doctor and maybe get a referral to
a cardiologist for this heart-skipping issue I had been having lately. She smiled, and I felt my mouth go dry. I remembered all the conversations I had had with Vivian about my blasé attitude towards relationships and her desire for me to find someone who captured my heart. I remembered her warning about not hurting Helen. It was the last thing on my mind.
“Hi.” Her dimples winked as she smiled down at me.
“Hi.” At that moment, I recognized how puzzling it must seem for me to be at the café and not on the set. I drew for the first excuse I could find.
“Vivian sent me for cheesecake.”
Her eyebrows shot up, and I thought I saw a shadow of disappointment cross her features.
“But that was after she called me out on the fact that I was coming to see you.”
Her face lit up. “You were?”
I smiled. “I was.”
She grinned. “So, why did you want to see me?”
I was stumped. Why did I want to see her? The next words that flew out of my mouth shocked me.
“Would you like to go out with me sometime?”
Her mouth fell open. “G-G-Go out with you?”
“Yes.”
She took a seat on the other end of the bench. I turned to face her, careful to keep my distance as I was conscious of unseen eyes.
“As in go out with you on a date?”
“As in go out with me on a date.”
“Ummm. Aren’t you afraid someone will see us somewhere? You are a celebrity in these parts, you know.”
“You’re a local. I’m sure you know places where I would be able to spend some time with you while remaining incognito. So?”
“So?”
“Will you go out with me?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Can I think about it, please?”
I nodded. “Sure. Can I have your number?” I handed her my cellphone. She punched in her digits, then pressed send.
“You have mine, and I have yours. Let me go get that cake for Vivian.”
She walked briskly and disappeared inside. In seemingly no time, she returned with a parcel.
Slender Bridge Page 7
