Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
T hey were almost finished filming by mid-March, which was only two weeks behind schedule. Blake declared that on time, and the studio seemed to agree, because there was no more fuss about the budget. Early numbers showed they would come in about two million under.
Piper adjusted the camera on her traveling mount in the desert house instead of her home studio, which wasn’t ideal, but she hadn’t wanted to take the time to fly back and forth just for Wednesday Morning Coffee Chats . Plus, she scored a cameo appearance from Blake and Marshall the previous week, which had sent her fans into spasms of ecstasy, and she was hoping to do it again.
The drama that happened over the Scorched premiere was a distant memory to her fans now that she was so obviously happy. They were also becoming die-hard Blake Ryan fans, just like her, which helped settle some of Blake’s more ardent fans. Though it also seemed to stoke the fire of the more passionate ones who were still royally pissed off at Della, which was troubling, but there wasn’t a lot she could do about that.
“Good morning!” She drew out the word good like a morning talk show host. “What’s so good about it, you ask? He loves me! He loves me and I love him back and the world is a beautiful place. You know, I never really understood those love songs my sister wrote until now. I mean, sure, I knew about love. I’ve had huge crushes on guys before, so I thought I knew what the songs were about but I didn’t. Not really. Suddenly, those songs make more sense. Mattie, hats off to you. You nailed that third song. Nailed it. If you haven’t heard our Blue album in a while, check it out.”
She took a sip of coffee and sighed happily. “I bought a case of pumpkin spice syrup so I never have to be without it again. Take that, Starbucks. They should never phase out pumpkin spice. It should be on the menu all year long. Oh, and I have exciting news but I can’t share it yet. It’s a secret.”
She put her finger to her lips. “Shhh. It’s big. Huge. Very, very, very big, and you’ll find out in three months. And to the hundreds who keep asking, no, I’m not pregnant. Why is it when a woman has news everyone assumes she’s pregnant? I’m not.”
She crossed her fingers in front of her to ward off the suggestion. “Let me repeat that. I am not pregnant. But this news is just as exciting. You’re going to want to stick around, and you’re going to want to watch the live stream of the VIP concert in July. Links below.”
She pointed down at her lap to indicate where the links would be on the screen. “Go ahead. Smash that button and subscribe to get the invite link. You don’t want to miss this, it’s going to be epic.”
Piper cradled her cup in both hands. “We’re wrapping up the movie today, which makes me a little sad. I’ve had such a good time working on this movie, and I’ve discovered I love the desert. If you haven’t been out here to see the stars, you really should. They are out of this world, no pun intended. As for the movie, I’ve seen some of the dailies and wow. Blake and Marshall have created a fun, fast-paced story. I’m having a blast playing a small-town girl. It’s easier than I thought it would be, probably because I am a small-town girl at heart. Can’t wait for y’all to see it.”
She took a breath and sang the opening line from “Don’t Stop Believin’,” then laughed. “There’s a certain bar scene with a story behind it, but I’ll share that another time.”
She checked the time and sighed. “Can’t be late for the last day. Before I go, though, I just want you to know how awesome you are. You’ve been with me through everything, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Piper pointed at the camera. “You rock. Never forget that. Let’s go make it a good day today. See ya!”
She ended the stream, made sure it uploaded to all the sites, then sat back to watch the comments flow in.
Blake snuck up behind her and started rubbing her shoulders. “You realize they’ll all think your pregnant. Doesn’t matter how many times you deny it, the fact you mentioned it is enough.”
She looked up at him with a grin. “I know. It’ll keep them distracted until we make the real announcement.”
“They might not be as happy as you think they’ll be that you’re going back on tour with your sisters. They’re Piper fans, not Bellamy fans.”
“That’s why I’m going to keep up those special little concerts even after we drop the new album.” She scrolled the comments to keep up with the questions pouring in. Most of the first few comments were statements of support, like always.
Blake leaned over her shoulder and kissed her ear before reading a question off the screen. “‘What kind of underwear is under those super-tight leggings?’ Seriously?”
“Yeah, that’s not even the worst question I’ve ever seen. Lots of trolls and pervs out there.”
“How do you handle them?”
It was cute how cranky he sounded .
“I ignore them. Neil’s team will eventually zap it. I like this one though. ‘Is Blake a good kisser?’” Piper typed out the answer. “He’s a great kisser.”
“Damn right,” Blake said as he kissed the back of her neck.
If he kept doing that, she was never, ever wearing her hair down again.
“‘Was it love at first sight?’” she read out loud.
“Well, was it?” he whispered near her ear.
She turned her head to give him a kiss. It was sweet and soft, a promise of more to come later when they had time.
Blake deepened the kiss, exploring more thoroughly with his tongue as one hand drifted down to her breast.
She moaned and pulled away. “Not now. We have to leave in ten minutes.”
“You still haven’t answered.”
She tapped the keys, then read it out loud for him. “‘No, it was love at first knowing. I was way too nervous when I met him to fall in love. But once I got to know Blake, he took my breath away.’”
Blake squeezed her shoulders. “I love you too.”
She smiled up at him.
These last few weeks had been like another world. They’d barely slept, they spent all their time on set in one location or another. The questions, the decisions, and the wrangling of people and script were nonstop, and when she wasn’t helping Blake and Marshall get through the movie shoot, she was on the phone with her sisters, plotting out The Bellamy Sisters’ future tour.
It was hectic, exhausting, and overwhelming, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything because at the end of every day, she was in bed with Blake, and the rest was just icing on a very large cake.
“We should go,” Blake said .
She patted his hand. “Just a couple more. This one’s fun. If you could have any superpower in the world what would it be?”
“I’d want to be able to fly,” Blake said. “Then I wouldn’t have to sit in traffic.”
“I’d be invisible so I could mess with people,” Marshall said as he walked into the kitchen. “Oh, or read minds.”
“I couldn’t handle mind reading,” Piper said. “I don’t want to know what people like Rachel really think. What she says out loud is bad enough.”
She thought about it, then tapped out her reply. “I’d want the ability to heal people. That would be so cool, to be able to fix something like cancer just by using my superpower.”
Blake’s hand drifted off her shoulders and down. She wasn’t wearing a bra, just one of her light sweaters that she wore for these chats, so she could feel the heat of his hand through the thin fabric.
“You’re trying to distract me.” She put her hands over his before they went any further.
“Hey, get a room,” Marshall said with exasperation.
She pointed at another question. “Now that you’re with Blake Ryan, are you going to settle down, get married, and have kids? Sheila. I’m disappointed in you.”
Piper tsked and scrolled past the question.
“You’re not going to answer that?” Blake sat on the arm of the chair.
“No. Nobody ever asks men that question when they hook up with someone, so I’m not answering either.”
“Here’s a good one.” Blake pointed. “‘Now that you’ve been in Hollywood, who do you think is the best-dressed man?’”
“Obviously it’s me,” Marshall said. He puffed out his chest and showed off the dark green linen shirt and khaki pants he wore .
Piper pretended to consider him. “You do look pretty fine today.”
“Just today? I’m hurt.” Marshall’s feigned offense made her giggle.
“Hey, it’s definitely me.” Blake stood up and gestured to his outfit.
He was already in character mode, wearing a charcoal suit with the steel-gray shirt unbuttoned just enough to look sexy casino con instead of Wall Street banker.
She thought about what he usually wore after they finished for the day, and shook her head. “You look hot today, but I’ve seen you in jerseys and basketball shorts way too often to say you’re the best dressed.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Lakers gear,” Blake protested.
She shook her head. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“So which one of us are you going to pick?” Marshall asked. “Me, right? It has to be me. After all, you said I was your favorite movie star.”
She typed out her answer.
“‘So far, the best-dressed man I’ve seen in Hollywood is Jeremy Graham,’” Blake read out loud. “That’s just mean.”
“Ouch!” Marshall put a hand on his chest and staggered back. “Right to the heart.”
Piper giggled. She scrolled down, looking for one more question before they left for the day, and stopped on one that made her smile. “Who is your celebrity crush?”
“Careful how you answer that one,” Marshall warned.
She typed out her answer, then set the laptop on the dining room table and walked away. “I’m going to get dressed.”
“Who’d you put?” Blake asked.
Marshall looked at the screen and read out loud, “‘I only have eyes for Blake Ryan. Look at him…he has the best ass I’ve ever seen.’ ”
Blake lifted his suit coat to display his very fine behind.
Marshall made a choking sound. “I don’t want to think about asses. Not today.”
“That’s right, today is penalty day.” Piper couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face. “Can’t wait to see what all the fuss is about. You realize that will be the topic next Wednesday, right?”
“Oh no. Hell no.” Marshall looked sick. “Come on, Blake. I’ll let you out of yours if you let me out of mine.”
Blake looked at Piper. “Should I? We could call off both penalties and I wouldn’t have to work with Diva Face.”
He’d taken to referring to Rachel by various nicknames rather than her actual name. It had become their private version of She Who Shall Not Be Named.
“No way,” Piper said. “I want to know what’s on his butt. Besides, you shouldn’t have been making deals about who I get to kiss. You both deserve to be punished for that.”
“Come on, Piper. Please?” Marshall dropped to his knees and put his hands together like he was praying. “Pretty, beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous Piper, please?”
Blake kissed her shoulder in a very unfair attempt to get his way. “It’s your call.”
All she wanted to do was drag Blake back to bed, but they couldn’t do that because then they’d be late. “Hmm. Let’s see. On the one hand, I really don’t want Blake doing anything with Rachel ever again. On the other hand, I’m dying to know what’s going on back there.”
She tapped her chin and pretended to think it through. She already knew her answer; she just liked teasing Marshall. She glanced at Blake. “This is tough.”
“Come on, please? Please stop torturing me?” Marshall begged.
“We really should get going,” Blake prompted .
“Okay,” she relented. “I’ll say yes on one condition. I want to see it.”
Blake laughed.
Marshall gaped at her. “I can’t do that.”
“Show me or show the world, your choice,” she said and gave an I-don’t-care-one-way-or-the-other shrug.
“If he does, I’m out of the deal with Drama Queen,” Blake said quickly.
“Right. You’re either both out or both in. So to speak.” Piper waited.
Marshall stood up, looking mortified. “This is so not fair.”
“Yes or no, Marshall. We have to go in five minutes.” Piper tapped her invisible wristwatch. “Tick tock.”
Marshall stood up and turned around. “Can’t believe I’m doing this,” he grumbled.
Then he unzipped his pants and pulled them down far enough that Piper could see a palm-sized, bright-red birthmark in the shape of a heart in the middle of his left butt cheek.
Piper covered her mouth and tried not to giggle. “Oh, Marshall. That’s so cute!”
“Yeah, see, that’s not what a man wants to hear a woman say,” Marshall said as he pulled his pants up. “Especially when referring to the lower parts of his anatomy.”
“I’ve told him for years that chicks would dig that mark,” Blake said. “Don’t know what your problem is.”
“You should be proud to show that off,” Piper agreed through giggles. “Seriously, the world really needs to see that.”
“No, they really don’t. We have a deal.” Marshall pointed at both of them. “We’re even, now. No Rachel, no bare butt.”
“He’s right,” Blake said. “You did make the deal. Can’t back out now.”
“How will you do the scene if he’s not naked?” Piper asked.
“We have a stand-in,” Blake said .
“Who?” She couldn’t remember anyone on set who seemed like a good fit for a guy Marshall’s size.
Blake’s broad grin was answer enough.
She couldn’t help looking down Blake’s body. “Oh. Well then. I think I’d rather see that than his birthmark. No offense, Marshall.”
“Believe me, in this case, none taken.” He picked up the keys. “See you kids over there.”
After Marshall left, Piper peeled off her sweater on her way to the bedroom to get changed. They were going to be late if she didn’t speed up.
“I’ll be ready in just a minute.”
Blake caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her tight against him. “It’s going to take longer than that.”
“We don’t have time,” she muttered as his hands moved over her breasts and down her stomach.
“They’ll wait.”