“Let’s get some drinks,” Rachelle suggested.
“Please,” Brenna breathed. They walked along, following the faint smell of cofŹfee. “What did you and Jacques do?”
“We took Rose home for my family’s traditional blow-out all the trimmings. Even my brother and sister-in-law flew in from Seattle.”
Rachelle had clearly enjoyed herself so Brenna consciously brightened. “That’s wonderful. Are you going back for Christmas?”
“Probably.”
They both grabbed Styrofoam cups and filled them from the big coffeemaker. Brenna added Half and Half to hers, while Rachelle slugged it back black.
“So, where’s everyone meeting?”
“Your office set.”
“Why there?”
“Personally, I like the cushions,” Rachelle commented, then shrugged. “Beats me. That’s just where Victor said he wanted to run the meeting.”
“Branch is leading the meeting?” Brenna wondered why the producer would be leading a pre-dawn meeting usually only called by the director.
“That’s what he said,” Rachelle confirmed, dispensing more coffee for herself and sipping at it.
Brenna followed the brunette to the office set. Many of the rest of the cast were already assembled. She exchanged grins with Terry, who sat on the desk, legs crossed at the ankles and dangling above the floor. “Morning, Terry.”
Brown smiled broadly. “You look good.”
Brenna’s eyes dipped in acknowledgment. Apparently a smile and coffee go a long way toward repairing my appearance.
A semi-regular actor who filled a junior officer role darted in past her and sat
on the floor along one of the couches, his muscle shirt showing off where he had spent the holiday weekend on the beach getting sunburned. He grinned at her. She nodded back, her lips curling. “Hurt much?”
“Nan.”
Scanning the rest of the room, Brenna considered where to sit. Legs spread as he sat casually, Sean Durham caught her eye and changed his position, freeing up a section of cushion beside him. Brenna shook her head.
Rachelle left her side at that moment and pounced on the space, falling into Durham’s lap with a come-hither growl. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a staged kiss as nearly everyone laughed.
Brenna however could not, assailed by the reminder of her own acting over the weekend. Instead she took advantage of attention being elsewhere and moved to the upper level, sitting on the stretch of couch under the window.
With a silent nod, she acknowledged Chapman on the other couch, sipping from his own coffee. He offered her a smile which she couldn’t find in herself to return. Cheron and Durham finally sat side by side.
Shoes clicked on the bare concrete just outside the set. Branch and co-proŹducer, sometimes writer, Lonny Nickel stepped up onto the set flooring. “Good morning.”
Nickel was younger than Victor, but not much, maybe only forty, with curly black hair and a scarecrow-like build instead of a paunch. His tweed suit jacket sported large patches on each elbow. Brenna wondered why he would cultivate such a professorial look.
Just behind them, excusing herself, Cassidy slipped past, her arrival snaring Brenna’s attention. She drank in the sight with a hunger she struggled to suppress. She wore a soft blue cotton pullover sweater, slightly off her right shoulder, over form-fitting cotton workout pants and athletic shoes. Brenna took in the whole and then, over the rim of the coffee cup, directed her gaze up to the other woman’s face.
Cassidy looked tired, and Brenna suspected she had slept just as little she had over the last four days.
“Well, looks like we’re all Wait, where’s Rich?” Branch took the chair behind the desk, while Nickel set another one for himself next to the producer.
Meanwhile, Brenna fixated on the sight of Cassidy crossing through the set, both pleased and anxious about the woman’s direction toward her. Her breath caught in her throat as their gazes met for the first time since the parade. She put her coffee to her lips to hide their trembling.
At that moment, Rich Paulson bounded in. His lean frame filled the doorway, then sagged dramatically, allowing the man to fold up on the floor in a staged fall.
The low murmuring conversations became stunned silence. Paulson rolled over onto his back and panted as if he had been running miles. “Freeway backed up. I just got out of the car and ran.”
Sean grabbed the cushion next to Rachelle and pitched it at him. “Ham!”
“Salad!” responded Paulson, rolling to his feet. “Good morning, everyone!”
“We need to get started. There’s a lot to cover.”
At Branch’s words, Cassidy spun and sat down where she stood, curling her body on the carpeting to the left of Sean and Rachelle’s couch. When Brenna looked away from the blonde she discovered Chapman looking at her. She pointedly looked away, focusing on the executives.
“First off, I’ve appointed Lonny to be the on-set producer for the remainder of the season. Cameron has moved over to work start-up for a new fall series.” Brenna
grimaced. Even when she was diverting the press from printing anything about the incident between Will and Cameron, she had not expected that would resolve the problem.
There was a murmur of reaction among the others. She glanced down to see Cassidy’s back stiffen, as the woman tried to cover a tension that made Brenna’s finŹgers itch to rub it away. She did not blame Cassidy for the move, though others might. Brenna had a fleeting awareness that as recently as a year ago, she would have been one of them. All she wanted now was to hold Cassidy, protect her. She sighed.
“Brenna?”
She realized she apparently hadn’t been quiet enough, as Victor looked in her direction. “Hot coffee,” she explained. “Sorry.”
Sean boldly asked what was on everyone’s mind. “Is this because of the fight?”
Victor frowned as he shook his head. “We decided the new series needed CamŹeron’s special touch.” There was a “company line” quality to his voice. No one would say differently.
Brenna nodded. While on the surface the cover story protected Chapman and Palassis, she knew it also protected Cassidy, who had been at the center of their argument in a very demeaning way.
Two runners came in. Victor waved them over and instructed them to distribŹute the scripts they carried.
“These are the scenes being shot tomorrow,” he explained, as everyone received one set. “We’re able to go with 264 as planned. Its working title is Crash”
Brenna caught Victor’s nod to Cassidy, who dropped her gaze to her folded hands on her knee. The Raycreek/Hanssen script. Brenna inhaled and exhaled, tryŹing to figure out why she felt so uneasy about it. After all, she had helped Cassidy with some of the rewrite.
“You’ll get the rest of the pages after we’ve cleared them through set producŹtion, as we finalize the filming schedule. It’s a little last minute…” Certainly not uncommon, Brenna thought ruefully, recalling other scripts that had been extenŹsively rewritten even as they were filming, “…so check the call board every morning. We’ve also got more newspaper, magazine, and wire folks coming out. As their creŹdentials clear, they’ll be sent to you.”
“So, no hanging out in our undies?” Sean pouted. “Damn, I was thinking of rehearsing The Full Monty with the guys in the back lot.”
Branch let the laughter die naturally. “Crash is a character piece, limited action for most of you, but there are some key moments early in the script. Let’s read.” Since most of the cast had not yet seen the script, several flipped pages to finding the teaser. “The director is coming in after lunch. He’s checking out the sets right now.”
Everyone flipped back to the start, and the scene began to unfold as they tried out the dialogue for the first time.
“Interesting opening,” Will said neutrally, drawing everyone’s attention to him for the first time since the reading began. He had not had a single line in the teaser.
>
Victor nodded. “Practice. Read. Walk the sets. We’ll reconvene here after lunch, around one.”
The meeting broke up quickly after he exited with Nickel. As Cassidy was standing, with help from Rich, Brenna and Will intersected as their way down from upstage.
Brenna eyed Will warily. “How was your Thanksgiving?”
“Just fine. I’m really looking forward to this, though.”
Moving alongside Cassidy, Brenna vented her ire on Chapman. “We had to work pretty hard to recover from the mess you caused.”
“It’s all right,” Cassidy said softly, touching Brenna’s arm.
She looked at it a long moment before looking back up at Will. “She’s more forŹgiving than I can be.”
“I guess that’s why I’m getting involved with her and you’re not.” His expression was significant and cutting.
As Brenna opened her mouth to respond, Rich stepped forward, landing on her foot. “Hey!” Brenna glared up at him.
“Sorry,” he offered blithely. “It’s crowded here.” He looked at Cassidy. “Why don’t we all sit down somewhere quiet?”
Catching sight of the other actors watching the four of them with curiosity, Brenna stepped out of the group. “I’ve got some things to do,” she said. “Good luck.” She looked from Cassidy to Will; he nodded.
“I’d like to talk to you later,” he requested civilly.
“Fine.” She strode away, the script rolled in her fist.
Cassidy watched her go, then turned on Chapman. “Why do you have to hurt her like that?”
“She’s not hurt, she’s confused.”
“You baited her.”
“She doesn’t know what she wants,” Will answered.
He met her gaze squarely, and realization hit her. Coolly, she responded, “It’s her life, her decision to make, not yours.”
Rich looked confused. “Cassidy, I thought”
“He knows. Don’t you, Will? How long?”
“Give me some credit. I have a little experience knowing Brenna’s moods.”
“And you use that to go around manipulating people?” Cassidy spat. “Have you been enjoying your game?”
“It created a united front, didn’t it? I saw you two go off after my fight with Palassis. So, when did it happen? This past weekend?”
Cassidy ignored that. “She thinks you hate her for dumping you. You’ve been kicking around here like an angry mule.”
Chapman sighed and looked away for a moment. “She has been seeking someŹthing for a long time. I wasn’t it. Shortly after you arrived, when she went home durŹing the hiatus, she was scared. I didn’t expect her to come back married. She was so hungry for affection, for approval,” he said with a quiet pain that caught Cassidy off guard. “That was when I realized how strongly she was reacting to you. I also realŹized I’d seen it before with…” He trailed off, took a deep breath. “With someone else. She just didn’t understand what her body was telling her. She needed a push so I proŹvided it, to let her feel you needing her. ”
“You pushed?”
“Bren needs to feel needed.”
“She is.”
“I’m glad you two finally connected. Her tension was going to kill her.”
“It’s not that simple. She’s married.”
“Yes, she is. She’s cleared some sort of hurdle, though. She readily and openly defended you just now.”
“She did look pretty upset when she walked out of here,” Rich mused. “Maybe you should go talk to her,” he suggested to Cassidy.
“I promised her I wouldn’t pursue things. I won’t hurt her.” She frowned at Will, pondering his proclumation that he had purposely done things to gel Brenna and her together. Was he always acting? She didn’t know anymore. He seemed sinŹcere. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to issue a clear warning. “Don’t push her again.”
Abruptly, Will grinned. “Deal.”
“Thank you.” Cassidy leaned up and impulsively kissed his cheek.
In the shadows offset, Brenna watched the trio, unable to hear, but fully able to see Cassidy’s expression transforming from anger to relief. Brenna caught her breath at the kiss. What prompted that? When Will hugged Cassidy and led her off the set in the opposite direction, she leaned hard on the wall and sagged down.
“Brenna?”
She quickly straightened. “Rich. I’m sorry, didn’t see you.”
“It’s all right. Where are you headed?”
“My trailer, I guess.”
“All right. See you later.”
Chapter 29
Brenna was exhausted. The last reporter finally left her alone, and she signed out, already imagining the bath waiting at home. She had tried to avoid the set itself most of the day. Unfortunately, each time she got a few minutes away, she got another call to report back for a lighting check or a technical sound check or an interview where she had to force herself to smile and be cheerful. Each time she passed the set where Cassidy had practiced with Chapman, her heart ached a little more.
“Brenna?”
Her head jerked up, and she stopped abruptly at the sight of Cassidy leaning against the wall ahead of her. “I was just going home.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Brenna noted Cassidy looked worn. “Urn…how did your rehearsals go?” she asked, drawing in a breath to steady her nerves.
“It seems to be working.” Brenna nodded, too tired to do anything other than register the words. Cassidy started to reach for her, Brenna even swayed toward her, then they both pulled back. “Did Will talk to you?”
Brenna shook her head. She had sidestepped him a dozen times until, she hoped, he had given up trying to talk to her. “The reporters kept me too busy.”
“I’m sorry.” Cassidy watched Brenna for a moment. “I should go.”
Brenna looked up at her, her feelings a jumble of loss and hurt and frustration and want. Cassidy looked around at the empty area before taking a step forward. Brenna started to take a step back, then stopped. “Cass?”
“Yes?”
“I wish…”
Cassidy enfolded Brenna in a hug. She closed her eyes at the wish-fulfilling contact of their bodies. “Shh.” Cassidy rubbed her hands over Brenna’s tense shoulŹders and back. “I’m sorry about the parade. I didn’t plan that. You wanted space…1 didn’t give it to you.”
Cassidy’s voice stumbled to a halt as Brenna wrapped both arms suddenly around Cassidy’s back, accepting what she could no longer deny. After a long moment, Brenna’s voice filled the silence. “No. Not…I couldn’t…do…” Exhaustion was shattering her thoughts. She breathed in but hiccupped on an aborted sob. “I’m going to file for divorce.” Brenna blinked back tears, searching the taller woman’s gaze for comfort for her soul.
Cassidy leaned back and lifted Brenna’s trembling chin. “What happened?”
The years of moral precepts ingrained in Brenna’s upbringing were hard to overcome, but she forced out a whisper through the lump of propriety lodged in her throat. “I realized that I love you.” Cassidy’s arms were raising tingles where they rested on her hips. “I don’t know what to do…” It was terrifying and she wanted to hide, but the heat of their touching skin and the feel of Cassidy’s heart thudding under her ear fueled her courage. “Help…”
Brenna’s words were a soothing balm. Cassidy bowed her head, and tears trickŹled down her cheeks. Will had told her during practice that Brenna would likely
come around when she saw Cassidy with him in the love scenes in the same way he had noted Cassidy s reactions when Brenna had been romantically involved us in her role as Susan Jakes.
He had not yet spoken with Brenna, not explained his actions. Nor had they begun filming. Cassidy was elated. Brenna had not been prodded into making this move.
She pulled Brenna into her body, rejoicing in the comforting touch of their curves melding once again. There was a half-gasp, half-sob from either or both of them. I
t didn’t matter. Their mingled body heat intoxicated Cassidy as she moved her lips away from Brenna’s and down the soft column of her throat. She felt the woman tremble and weaken in her arms and murmured, “I’ve got you.”
Brenna lifted her eyes, and Cassidy saw pain and fear slide away, replaced by wonder which mirrored her own. She caressed Brenna’s cheek with shaking fingers before returning to the soft mouth for more absorbing kisses.
In their groping, Brenna slid her hands under Cassidy’s sweater, warm skin meeting her fingertips. She leaned back and closed her eyes, luxuriating in the senŹsations as Cassidy’s head fell to her shoulder, and she stroked silk skin and taut musŹcles.
Cassidy groaned with pleasure but shook her head, lifting it to pierce Brenna with darkening eyes. “Don’t…” she gasped again as Brenna’s innocent touch sent a bolt of desire directly to her groin, “don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
Brenna swallowed and stepped back. The separation was painful, more painful than she could have imagined. “How?”
“We’ll do something…impulsive, and you’ll wake up afterward, hating yourŹself…and me.”
Brenna nibbled her lip. “That’s what happened actually.”
“When?”
“Kevin. I… He… We went to bed. I…couldn’t think of anything…I…was dead afterward. Cass, I can’t do that again.”
“Then we wait.” She grasped a trembling hand, letting Brenna lead the way as they left the set.
Out in the late fall air in the parking lot, the brisk wind helped settle Brenna’s nerves. “Time to go, hmm?” Her car was closest.
Cassidy leaned against the SUV with Brenna, studying her face in the lights of the parking lot. “It is after midnight.”
Turning Point Page 29
