Chapter 20
Chapter
Twenty
ISABELLE
A s I head back to my room to get changed, I feel a rush of nerves at practicing for an interview with Adam. I have a basic idea of the generic questions asked by interviewers, but I’m not very good at answering questions on the fly. Hopefully Adam has some suggestions that will work for me , and not just something he does, like look broody and stare down the interviewer until they decide to ask a different question. There’s even a picture of him scowling at an interviewer that people like to use for memes of “When my boss asks me where my report is,” or “When I’m ready to leave a party and my girlfriend keeps talking to people.”
I step back into my room to get dressed, taking note of my phone on the vanity. It’s strange, being disconnected from reality for the last few days while I’ve been here, but at the same time, it’s actually been nice. There’s been no need to obsess over social media, scrolling for hours and wasting my day. Instead, I’ve filled my time with Theo and books and Brigette and the staff…
And Adam .
But the screen of my phone lights up, showing me a text from my best friend, Jen. I pick up my phone and read her text.
CALL ME ASAP! I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE ALIVE!
I snort a laugh and dial her number.
“Izzy!” she squeals in my ear. “Oh, my goodness. I’ve been so worried. So has your dad. Did he call the police to cancel the report?”
“Yes, he did,” I reply. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”
“It’s not your fault! I didn’t even know it could snow in California in May. But I did a ton of research, and apparently that’s happened in Mammoth and even Big Bear before.”
I’m not surprised she did a bunch of research. Jen is a software engineer, along with her boyfriend Robby. At least that’s what she tells her traditional Korean parents. But the two of them are constantly on the Internet, researching whatever they can. It’s almost scary the kind of information they’re able to dig up online. I feel like they should be working for the CIA with those skills—actually, maybe they are and I just don’t know. She doesn’t tell me much about her second secret job. But they’re an adorable pair of nerds, and I love them dearly.
“I didn’t know about that either,” I admit. “I thought there was some kind of mystical, magical atmosphere around here.” I glance around my room, still not sure that’s untrue.
“Well, that still doesn’t normalize the fact that you’re STRANDED in a CASTLE with ADAM STONE!”
I have to pull the phone away from my ear to deal with her loud voice. “Tone it down, Jen.”
“Sorry. But…girl. Tell me everything. What’s he like?”
I walk over to the curtain and pull it aside, making sure Theo isn’t listening in my room. All clear. “I… I don’t know. It’s hard to explain.”
“I have time.”
I laugh. Of course she has time to listen to me describe Adam Stone in the flesh, especially after I dragged her to every one of his movies over the last few years. “Well, for starters, he doesn’t look like himself. His hair was super long, and he had this scraggly beard, but it was kind of hot.”
“Was?”
“Yeah. He’s cleaned up now. Like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, except even better because it’s Adam Stone. Oh, and he has a scar over one eye, and I think it’s messed with his vision. But we haven’t talked about that.” I still wonder where that came from, because he didn’t have it a year ago, or even when he was on the red carpet and punched Tristan. But it doesn’t seem like a scar from that event. More mysteries to solve.
“Did he clean up for you ?” Jen asks suggestively.
The thought has crossed my mind. I never asked him why he chose to do it right after he saved me from the snow. But I wouldn’t dare say that out loud. “I don’t know. When I first got here, he was extremely rude and condescending. He said I was only up for the role because of my dad.”
Jen gasps. “What a jerk!”
“Don’t worry, I told him off.”
“You didn’t.”
“Oh, I did. I told him I wouldn’t do the movie with him, tried to leave, and realized I was snowed in. So that was a little awkward.”
Jen giggles. “I bet.”
“But he put me up in his sister’s room, and the staff here has been super sweet and welcoming. Then he gave me the cold shoulder for a few days—I still don’t know why—and then I snuck into his office and he got mad so I ran outside in the snow, but he rescued me and?—”
“What in the world?” Jen interrupts. “Is this real life?”
“I’m not totally sure,” I admit. “It feels like a fairy tale. Anyway, I hadn’t been sleeping. You know my thing about watching movies before bed. And with no reception or Internet, I couldn’t turn my mind off. Well, it turns out he has this incredible in-home theater, and a huge collection of movie musicals. So I’ve been hanging out and sleeping in there the last few days.”
“And Adam? Is he…still rude?”
I hesitate. Because yes, he is still rude…sort of. A little gruff and closed-off, like he’s worried that I’m going to see too far past his exterior. But I’ve seen sides of him that are making me fall.
Hard.
“I’m not sure how to describe it,” I say softly. “But I feel like there’s something there.”
“Something?”
“I can’t explain it.” I sigh. “So I’m not sure about the movie anymore. I feel like we’re starting to understand each other.” I smile to myself. “He’s even been asking the staff to leave bowls of popcorn for me in the theater.”
“Oh, how scandalous,” Jen says with a silly voice.
“Hush, you.”
“I’m teasing. It’s actually adorable.”
I shake my head, wanting to move away from this conversation. “Anyway, I have exciting news. I have an interview tomorrow morning.”
“No way! Who is it with?”
I put the phone on speaker and check the text from my dad. “Inside Scoop. My dad just sent me a zoom link for tomorrow at nine-thirty.”
Jen hums, and I know her well enough to know she’s thinking something but not saying it. “What?”
“Don’t get your feelings hurt,” she says. “But why are they interviewing you? You’ve done a few commercials and that role with one line in Whispers of Deception , but I didn’t think that was interesting enough for an interview with Inside Scoop.”
Ouch. I mean, she’s right. But I was so excited about the prospect of being interviewed that I didn’t consider that part of it.
“I’m sure you’ll do great,” she says quickly, filling my silence. “Forget I said anything. What do I know about Hollywood?”
“You know everything I tell you,” I say.
“Exactly. Nothing of my own. So if you didn’t think anything of it, then it’s going to be awesome.”
“Adam offered to coach me.”
“See!” She laughs. “Although I’m not sure his style of interviewing will work for you. The silent, brooding, grumpy-face memes won’t serve you as well as they do him.”
“True, true,” I laugh. “I’ll take his advice with a grain of salt.”
She laughs again and sighs. “Oh, I miss you. I can’t wait until you come home. Do you think it’ll be soon?”
“I’m not sure.” I glance outside again. “The snow is still piled high, and it’s pretty cold. But if the storm stays away, it’ll probably be just a few more days.”
“Keep me updated. We’ll get dinner and you can tell me all about the castle and Adam. I have a feeling…never mind.”
“What? You can’t leave me hanging like that.”
She pauses. “Something about the way you’re talking about Adam makes me think… I have a feeling you’ll be coming home with a new friend.”
“Okay,” I say, drawing out the word. Yeah, I could see that. “I guess we’re kind of friends now.”
“Mm-hmm,” she muses. “And is that all?”
“What do you mean?”
She groans. “Come ON, Izzy!” Her voice rings through the room, still on speaker. “It’s Adam Freaking Stone! You’ve dragged me to every one of his movies for the last five years. And now you’re stuck in this castle with him, fighting and playing in the snow and I’m sure the tension is building and building—you’re going to kiss him, I just know it!”
“Jen! There’s no way I’m kissing Adam Stone!”
“You know you want to.”
“Oh, my lord.” I rub my forehead with my hand. “A kiss has to be two-sided, you know.”
“And with your gorgeous looks and amazing personality, I’m sure there’s a mutual attraction going on.”
I blow through my lips. “You’ve known me for fifteen years. There’s no ‘gorgeous looks’ going on here, just an awkward, average looking, movie and musical obsessed nerd with two model sisters. If anyone’s kissing Adam Stone, it’s one of them.”
“Your shallow, self-obsessed, narcissist sisters? Yeah, no. Anyone who’s been around your family knows you’re the catch. Not them.”
“Well, thanks.” This conversation, once again, reminds me why Jen is my best friend. We went through the awkward middle school years together, and she helped me find my own strengths in high school, taking me out from the shadow of my sisters. When I told her I wanted to pursue acting, she cheered and has been there to support me every step of the way.
“Any time.” I hear her fingers clicking on her keyboard. “Hmm, it doesn’t look like he’s dated much recently. I can do some more research and find out if you’re his type.”
“Don’t use your illegal tech skills for this!”
“Who says it’s illegal? I mean…fine, whatever. Just go make out with Adam and tell me how it is.”
I gasp. “You’re impossible.”
“Isabelle?” Adam’s voice sounds through my doorway. “Are you ready? ”
“IS THAT HIM?” Jen calls, her voice still on speakerphone. “HE SOUNDS SO HOT!”
I immediately hang up the phone, not even bothering to say goodbye. She’s going to pay for that later. “Heyyy, Adam.”
His head pokes around the open door. Why did I leave my door open? And why isn’t he just waiting in the study for me? “All ready?”
“Almost. You, uh, didn’t hear any of that, did you?”
He blinks, impassive. “Hear what?”
Oh, thank goodness. “Nothing.” I paste a big smile on my face. “Let me freshen up and I’ll meet you in the study?”
“Sounds good.” He turns and leaves, and I fall backward on my bed, praying Adam didn’t hear me talking to Jen about kissing him.