Adapted for Film

by Stacey Rourke

  She paused her sashay to glance back over her shoulder. “And if one of the Amazonian women heaves him over her head?”

  “Two full helicopter rotations, then you have to intervene.”

  “That’s a perfectly reasonable deal. Have fun, you two!” Wiggling her fingers in a cute little wave, she strode off in the direction of the peer.

  Kole turned on the ball of his foot to meet my gaze. His eyes darkened to a deep sea blue, a storm brewing there caused by something beyond mere occupational aggravation.

  Shifting under the weight of his intense stare, I yanked open the Jeep door and slid into the passenger seat. “You ready?” I asked, my voice far more meek and unsteady than I was comfortable with.

  Straightening his spine, his broad chest filled with a deep inhale that only added to my rash of nerves. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 10

  Kole eased the Jeep to a stop, gravel crunching beneath the tires. Hooking his hand over the roll-bar, he swung himself out into the parking lot. I hung back for a minute and finger-combed my wind-blown hair. Pulling it to the side, I weaved it into a loose braid as I climbed out.

  “How could you possibly need my opinion on this?” I stammered, spinning in a slow circle. “This is the B&B from True Love! The Victorian-style architecture, the wrap around porch, the peaked roof perfectly matching the deep slate shade of the window shutters; it’s all here. Oh! Old fashion light poles surrounded by Gerbera Daisies! I wrote that exact thing into the book because it reminded me of this adorable little bistro I visited upstate in New York. How is this kind of a coincidence even possible?”

  “Or, it’s the spot my location scouts found that we have painstakingly added the exact finishing touches to,” Kole admitted with a noncommittal shrug. “It’s one of the most romantic scenes in the movie, it had to be perfect.”

  “Then … why are we here?”

  “I needed a believable reason to get you alone, so I sent the crew to the wrong address.” He stated this matter-of-factly, as if it made all the sense in the world—which it did not.

  “And you viewed this an easier option than the traditional ‘Hey¸ Aubrey, I need to speak with you privately’?”

  Casting his gaze to the ground, he took a beat, seemingly mulling over my alternative scenario. When his head raised, a smile teased at the corners of his mouth. “I see things in pictures, that’s how I stage my scenes in my movies. For some reason this conversation had to happen here.”

  I dipped my head in a slight nod of understanding. “Oddly enough, I can completely understand that.”

  “I figured you would.” Kole dragged his fingers through his hair, resentment dripping from his tone. “Are you aware that you’re a colossal pain in the ass? The magnitude of it really boggles the mind.”

  Stepping back, I looked around for the truck that just blindsided me. “You didn’t really need to bring me out here to tell me that. I would’ve been totally okay with you yelling that across the set. Or, you could’ve folded it into a paper airplane and thrown it at me. Either way would’ve saved time.”

  “Keep your hackles down, I’m not done yet.” His words would’ve had the exact opposite effect if they contained even an ounce of malice. They didn’t. A fact that added yet another layer of mystery to his enigmatic behavior.

  “Then, by all means, continue to degrade and belittle me,” I said, inviting his further tirade with a polite wave of my hand.

  “I don’t want to … this isn’t about … uhhh!” Throwing his hands in the air, he paced about a ten foot section of the circular driveway. “Yes, you are a pain, but I get why and that’s why I brought you out here. I’m probably one of the few people that will get you because—and here’s the kicker—I’m just like you! We’re passionate about our work, basically at the expense of everything else. Which is why we locked horns at first, because we don’t think anyone else can see our vision or nurture it like we can. Yet even at the worst of it, when I wanted to pinch your head off your shoulders and punt it, I respected you. Why? Because I knew why you were doing it!” He stopped directly in front of me, spinning my way in an abrupt about-face with accusation stabbing from his glare. “Until now.”

  Understanding sloshed over me, bringing with it the acidic sting of guilt. “The Raven’s Claw agreement.”

  “The agreement.” His jaw tensed as he plunged his hands into his pockets. “You have talent, Evans. Women across America would beat me to death with your hardcovers if I argued otherwise. So why are you doing this? You’re selling your work short for a contrite scheme.”

  I meant to mull it over, to formulate the perfect diplomatic response. My mouth, on the other hand, had other ideas and refused to be filtered. “Because my work is all I have. I lost more than you can possibly imagine in the pursuit of this seemingly unattainable dream, things I can never get back. And now, when I am so close to reaching my own Mt. Olympus, these people, with their excess of power, want to snatch everything away from me. You claim we’re alike. If that’s true, you should know I can’t let them do that. If all that stands in my way is letting them dress me up so photographers can snap a couple pictures, then that’s what I’m going to do.” Resolve steeled my spine, preparing to thwart off any further verbal lashings.

  Instead, his shoulders slumped. Resentful resignation seeped in and stole the wind from the sails of his attack. “Did you at least get it in writing that you don’t have to kiss or touch the guy?”

  “Physical contact will be limited—other than the occasional nude interlude under a waterfall in Maui, but they said that was standard in any Raven’s Claw contract,” I deadpanned.

  “It is.” Kole nodded with mock conviction. “That’s how the studio landed me. Side note, Art has surprisingly tender hands.”

  Laughing at that disturbing mental picture, I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “So, are we good here, or should I expect further protective big brother antics?”

  “I guess.” Crinkling his nose as if he’d smelled something rotten, Kole kicked at a loose rock with the toe of his tennis shoe. “Could you at least do this in an ironic way? Like you hate the cameras, instead of preening for them like all those wanna-be starlets?”

  “That is a promise I can easily make since the idea of all those flashbulbs makes me queasy.”

  Kole attempted a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Filling his lungs, he exhaled slowly and closed the space between us. Sincerity sparked in his eyes, flecks of silver swirling in a sapphire sea.

  “I’m going to hold you to that,” he murmured and pressed his index finger delicately to my forehead, “because this isn’t over.”

  A simple touch meant as a joke. Yet, beneath the pad of his finger my skin sizzled. Unable to deny the pull I felt toward him, I opened my mouth and let the first inane thought tumble out, “So, a girl broke up with you during sex?”

  And that, kids, is how you effectively kill a moment.

  His dimple beamed to life, accompanied by a rush of red that filled his cheeks. He bought himself time before answering by striding to the Jeep and wrenching open the passenger door for me. “Any chance you can forget I said that?”

  “Not a chance.” Shaking my head, I slid across the cracked vinyl seat and buckled in. “You might as well tell me what happened. Otherwise I have to imagine it myself, and I’m a writer. I flex my imagination daily. No way will you come out of my version in any kind of flattering light.”

  Slamming the door, he rounded the Jeep. “I kind of think I want to hear what you come up with,” he admitted, climbing into the driver’s seat beside me.

  “I tell you mine, you tell me yours?” In my mind I was already constructing an elaborate story involving a midget, and a goat in a bonnet.

  Turning the ignition, he fired the Jeep to life. “I’m terrified, yet intrigued.” He grinned and backed us from our parking spot.

  Chapter 11

  After that, the vibe between Kole and I shifted. We forged an unlik
ely friendship rooted by our mutual desire to add a sardonic twist to the fact that the production studio basically had both of us over a barrel.

  RB leaned toward and tapped the digital recorder off. One French manicured fingernail drummed against the device, as if buying her time to collect herself. When she finally glanced up her eyes were flaring with a dangerous edge, her jaw appeared clenched to the point of pain.

  “Even if the entire thing was a setup, how could you do that to Greyson?” Each word was sharp and clipped, her tone cutting. “He was willing to open himself up to you, and you were off making time with the director.”

  I dropped my chin to my chest to collect myself and hide my smirk at the tried and true loyalty of Grey’s diehard fans. Adequately composed, I countered her glare with a warm smile. “You already know the outcome of this story. That’s why you’re here. How we got here is unconventional, but all of the best love stories are.”

  That answer appeased her enough for her to turn the recorder back on. Her sour expression remained tightly pinched, granting me only the courtesy of silence to continue.

  My smile, made knowing by hindsight, didn’t falter at her reaction. “We were leaving the Bed and Breakfast, headed back to gather the crew, when I got a phone call from Art’s assistant. We were given an address and no information other than my attendance there was mandatory …”

  “What the hell is the matter with you?” Kole erupted in laughter. Tears streamed down his face as I concluded my concocted version of why a girl would break-up with him during sex.

  “Me?” I laughed, turning the actual explanation he had finally given up around him. “You answered a business call mid-penetration! You’re lucky all she did was break up with you. Any other red-blooded female and you would’ve needed a colonoscopy to retrieve that phone.”

  “In your version she left me for a barnyard animal! That’s eons worse, and practically makes me come across as Prince Charming by comparison.” He parallel parked the Jeep on the side of a street lined with businesses that all utilized neon, glass, and contemporary design elements to lure patrons through their swanky doors.

  “Yes, but mine was purely satirical and yours was true. Which, in this particular scenario, makes you the ass end of another barnyard animal.”

  “I’m sure the young lady in question would probably agree with that assessment.” He gave my shoulder a quick bump and pointed over the dash. “Little Maria’s, this is it.”

  Hooking his hand over the roll bar, Kole launched himself out of the Jeep. I followed him out, eyeing the elegant draperies hung around the arched entrance and skirting the perimeter of the outdoor sitting area. We weaved our way through the patio, admiring the ivory linens hung over all the tables and the potted Ficus trees that provided a splash of color to the neutral décor.

  “Any idea why he wants me here?” I asked.

  “Well, you did accompany me on a flight of fancy that wasted the studios time and money today.” The warmth of his hand brushed against the small of my back, ushering me along.

  Gripping the ornate doorknob, I yanked the barn-wood door open. Immediately I was enveloped by the mouthwatering aroma of fresh baked bread and the sweet tanginess of homemade marinara sauce. “If he plans to buy my breadsticks and beer while lecturing, I may even feign remorse.”

  The interior of Little Maria’s was truly a work of art. Chrome and leather bar stools lined an earth-tone granite bar. Blown-glass light fixtures, each in a deep amber tone complete with its own beautifying flaws, hung over each of the hand-crafted tables.

  Mateo rounded the bar, dressed in a dapper suit that contradicted his usual persona, and welcomed us with a wide smile that made his gold tooth gleam.

  “There they are! Were you two together?” He threw an elbow into my ribs that forced my breath out in a pained huff. “You hittin’ that, Evans?”

  “I’ve tried a couple times,” I teased, massaging my now bruised side, “but he keeps dodging and weaving. He’s really fast.”

  “All right, all right, I hear that,” Mateo encouraged, bumping his closed fist to his chest. “Get you some, chica.”

  Kole and I exchanged tight-lipped grins at how my attempt at humor had sailed right over Mateo’s head. Then again, at his size I had to assume most things did.

  “This here is my cousin’s place.” Rising up on tiptoe, Mateo waved an arm over his head. “Little Maria, say hey to my director and his amiga with benefits!”

  “Whoa! Hey! I was kidding! There are no benefits!” Spinning around, I was prepared to argue that fact … until I took in the wonder that was Maria. If an obviously male sumo wrestler decided to become a drag queen, choosing a bright red wig and matching lipstick as his feminine flares of choice, the end result would be Maria. Just like that, any protests I planned to make fell right out of my head.

  “Isn’t he pretty?” Mateo slapped a hand on Kole’s shoulder. “You should see him when he goes full dude. Scare the hair off a cat.”

  “Oh, yeah. Sh–he is a delicate flower,” Kole croaked.

  Across the room, Maria licked her mustached lip and blew Kole a kiss.

  “Good for you, playah!” Mateo’s fingers curled around Kole’s shoulder and gave him a brotherly shake. “Get her to hook you up with a free meat-lovers pizza. It’s heaven!”

  “I don’t want her … meat.” The last word seemed to bring Kole great anguish to force from his throat, which I found insanely funny.

  “Not that Maria and her establishment aren’t lovely,” I said, still giggling at Kole’s expense, “but do you have any idea why Art called me here?”

  “Si!” Mateo clapped his hands together and rubbed them mischievously. “Art thought this would be the perfect place for your debut. We’re going to shut down early today and stage the whole thing!”

  That simple statement was enough to drown the lingering humor in the moment and replace it with a cold lump of palpable unease.

  “My debut?” I pressed, my dread audible.

  “Si, bella, today you’re coming out to the world as Greyson Meyers’s amor de sa vida.”

  “Love of his life,” Kole offered.

  “I know! Don’t help!” I snapped. Too many thoughts swirled through my mind; doubts, fears, and phobias jockeyed for the starring role in my inevitable freak out. Yet, the second I opened my mouth the least likely contender tumbled out, “Can I at least have breadsticks and beer first?”

  Chapter 12

  My hair, still warm from its tortuous session with a flat-iron, fell against my cheeks. Sebastian, the stylist who had spent the last forty-five minutes plucking, dressing, and grooming me, ran his fingers through it for what felt like the millionth time.

  Barbs of violet hair spiked off his head in every conceivable direction, as he swayed in front of me ensuring every hair fell properly.

  “Don’t touch your eyes,” he coached. “You rub them too much and those fake lashes will shift. Last thing we need is you on the cover of The Gossiper with lashes on your forehead.”

  “That’d be a travesty,” I grumbled, mentally wishing the earth would swallow me whole and spare me whatever fate was about to follow.

  Sebastian stepped back, his emerald-lashed eyes traveling the length of me to evaluate his work. “I think you’re about ready. I just want to add a little shine-gloss to your hair. Don’t move from this spot or I will find more things to pluck.”

  If there was a more effective threat to keep me rooted where I stood, I couldn’t think of it. A full-length mirror had been positioned a few feet in front of me. Sucking in my stomach, I turned one way then the other, trying to recognize the stranger that reflected back at me. The black skinny jeans they had forced me to wiggle into were tucked into knee-high black leather boots with a—thankfully—low, sensible heel. My normal uniform of a loose fitting T-shirt had been replaced by a lavender silk camisole with ivory lace trim around the neckline. A short-wasted army green jacket completed the look.

  “You don’t look
terrible,” Kole whispered from behind me.

  Spinning around, I found him leaning against a decorative pillar, a frothy stein of amber goodness in his hand.

  “That’s really all I can hope for,” I replied with a depreciating laugh, eyeballing the beer in his hand. “Is that for me?”

  “It wasn’t my intention, but if you need a little liquid courage ...” His sentence trailing off, he offered me the stein.

  “A kind offer, but I think I’m okay,” I lied.

  “There’s still time to get out of this.” Kole pushed his sleeves further up his arms, glancing around to see who was listening. “I could set a small kitchen fire, give you the chance to make a run for it.”

  My eyes narrowed and head tilted at his suggestion. “Kitchen fire before just pulling the fire alarm? That’s twisted, sir.”

  “I’m just sayin’.” Without warning, Kole stepped in close. His arm snaked around my waist to pluck my phone from my back pocket. His desired cargo in hand, he stepped back, already clicking away on the screen. A moment later he handed it back, his fingers lingering a beat too long against mine. “I programed my number in. I’m not kidding. If you want out of this, text me. I’ve got mad skills and connections. Even from a distance, I can create a diversion.”

  Flustered over the casual touch, I glanced up to see four hulking bodyguards stride in with their insanely famous boss trailing behind. Greyson glided in, his presence effecting the room like a cool mist over a parched oasis. All faces turned his way, his name escaping every lip.

  In that moment the reality of the situation, and what was about to happen, hit me like a punch to the gut. My throat constricted in a vise grip of fear. Seeing no other alternative, there was only one thing I could think to do. I snatched the beer from Kole’s hand, dashed across Little Maria’s, and locked myself in the ladies’ room.