Chapter 14
14
After the women prepared their plates and got comfortable, Michelle pressed play for the movie to begin. As the opening credits scrolled, Jackie asked. “You said watching this was faster than reading the book. How often do you read it?”
Michelle smiled. “I used to read it around Valentine’s each year.”
“What? Every single one?”
She shrugged. “Yeah, a true love story full of miscommunication and mischief, etiquette and mores. I loved that Mr. Darcy defied customary practices to follow his heart.”
“You’re a true romantic, my friend.”
The women giggled as two horsemen rode across the screen.
An empty pizza box and a bottle of wine later, Michelle arched her back. “It’s late. Why don’t you just stay in a guest room?”
“Are you sure?” Jackie looked at her phone. “It’s a little after eleven.”
“We’ve been drinking. Just stay. I think there’s a new toothbrush in one of the drawers in the vanity, along with toothpaste.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
The women hugged and Jackie went upstairs. Michelle lay in bed dreaming of a love gone by but hoped of finding love in the future. Would it be as great as the love she and Bill had? Could she hope for a love affair as grand as Ms. Bennett’s and Mr. Darcy’s? Times have most certainly changed, but do they ever change that much? Had she changed enough to be open to a real relationship?
Keith received a copy of the screenplay for his upcoming film in North Carolina. Wanting to get into the head of his character, he sat in the oversized leather chair clad in a fitted Henley shirt and soft jeans hugging his hips. He stretched out with his feet resting on the matching leather ottoman and crossed his feet at his ankles. The wood in the fireplace crackled as he flipped open the cover. The smell of the first fire of the season mixed with the neat bourbon resting in the glass beside him on a metal table conjured the image of a relaxed man. Keith was anything but. He wanted to see his boys before leaving, but Samantha interfered at every turn.
He resigned himself to returning to California before flying back east. The deadline for the divorce had come and gone with no signed document. Simon had attended a hearing regarding the prenup that Keith elected to skip. He didn’t trust himself to be in the same room with Samantha. Simon reported that the judge upheld the prenup and ordered Samantha out of the house by the end of the coming week. Maybe he should be there to ensure she respected their agreement.
He took a sip of the bourbon and savored the burn all the way to his gut. Using the time to refocus on his task at hand, he began to read. It had been a while since he’d done a romantic movie and Saved by Love seemed to be just what he needed. As jaded as he currently felt about love and relationships, could he pull this off? It would certainly be a testament to his acting skills if he could.
Halfway through the screenplay, he chuckled out loud. “If only there was a woman out there who didn’t want him for his money and fame. This poor schmuck needs to figure out this woman’s game and beat her to the punch before he loses everything. Don’t kiss her... don’t kiss her. That’ll be the end of you. She’ll have your balls in a vice,” he said to himself, but a pair of piercing blue eyes came to the forefront of his mind. Keith slammed the script closed and stood. He ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe he should back out of this role before it was too late. What did the contract say? Can he quit? How much would it cost to buy himself out of the contract? He wasn’t in a good mental place for this role.