32. Chapter Thirty-Two
And the entertainment reporter says, “Charles Malloy is at it again. There are whispers that his next movie will top the budget of his last one. You know what that means: more explosions, more car chases, and more love scenes.”
* * *
Loki’s barking probably worked better than if I’d rung my mother’s doorbell.
When she opens her front door and pushes open the screen, Loki takes off for her. Just as Christina had done earlier, my mother kneels to accept the love Loki is offering.
“Well, there’s my boys,” she says, nuzzling the dog, but looking up at me.
“I’m beginning to feel as if he loves everyone more than me,” I tease, unhooking his leash as he moves past my mother and into the house.
My mother stands and pulls me in for a hug. “He loves you most,” she assures me. “Do you have some time?”
I look at my watch. “I don’t have to be on set for a few hours. They’re doing Christina’s outside shots this morning.”
She nods, and I walk into the house. “I just made some coffee.”
I follow my mother into the kitchen, moving to the back door to let Loki out so he can run through the yard.
“How’s filming going?” she asks as she fills two mugs of coffee.
“It’s only the second day.”
“Oh, I lost track, I guess.”
I sit down at the island as she puts a mug in front of me and takes the stool next to me.
“And how are you and Christina?” She smiles over the rim of her mug as she sips her coffee.
I sip from my mug. “Interesting.”
“Things aren’t good?”
“I can’t say that. It’s just that we haven’t really clicked for years. I mean, we weren’t friendly before. Now that we’re into this, there are some hiccups getting on the same page.”
Her brows draw inward. “I would have thought you figured all of that out, and that’s why you were together.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek. I could confide in my mother. I could tell her all about what’s going on, but Christina can’t. I guess that’s not fair, so I don’t let my mother in on our secret.
“Attraction is strong,” I say, and my mother smiles. “So sometimes when we talk about things, it gets bumpy.”
With her mug between her hands, she watches Loki through the window, running through the yard. “But you’re trying to work on it? I mean, it’s not easy when you’re working together.”
“Yeah, we’re working on it.”
“And what does Loki think of her?”
That makes me laugh. “He loves her.”
“Well, he’s a good judge of character,” she says before she sips her coffee again.
I look out the window at the dog chasing a bird. She’s right. Loki is a good judge of character, and he does like Christina a lot.
I’m hoping that being alone tonight, we can explore these new feelings. I never expected this would be the outcome, that’s for sure. I just wanted the movie deal.
* * *
I was hoping to catch a few moments with Christina before we started filming, but by the time I get to the studio, I am whisked away to makeup and expected on set.
As I sit in the makeup chair, Sandra walks into the trailer, a large smile on her face.
I turn in the chair, the makeup artist following my moves to keep working.
“Hey,” I say. “I didn’t expect to see you.”
“Yeah, I need like five minutes of your time.”
I look up at the makeup artist as she applies powder to my face. She gives me a nod, removes the protective paper from my collar, and I stand and follow Sandra out of the trailer.
“So, what’s up?” I ask.
“First of all, I’m hearing great things about you and Christina. You both are really going all in, huh? I mean, it’s not news like it was a week ago, but there is still a happy buzz among your admirers.”
I look around to see who is close by. Luckily, we seem to be as alone as possible on a working set.
“We are actually seeing each other,” I say and watch as Sandra processes it.
The line between her brows deepens. “What do you mean, you’re actually seeing each other?”
“I mean, we’re dating. We’re a couple.”
Sandra bites down on her bottom lip. “You’re dating?”
“We are.”
“That wasn’t the plan, Graham. You just were supposed to take a few pictures, be seen in public, and not throw things at one another on set.”
“And in the meantime, we found out we really like one another. I mean, I like her—a lot.”
“Well, I didn’t see that coming,” she says. She looks down at the packet in her hands. “I was bringing this by for you.”
She hands me the packet and I look inside. Malibu Money / a Charles Malloy Production.
I lift my eyes to Sandra. “Seriously?”
“He wants to meet with you on Saturday at the club.”
“At the club?”
She rolls her eyes. “His country club.”
“Oh,” I say as I look back down at the packet.
“All of the information is in the packet. This is what you wanted, Graham. This is what you’ve been working for. And this is what this little game has gotten for you.”
I purse my lips. “It’s not a little game.”
“This is her dad, Graham. Do you really want to be dating her and working for her father?”
“There are millions of couples out there where one of them works for their partner’s parents.”
“Partner?” she asks, and I eye her coolly. Sandra shakes her head. “Just meet with him. Don’t bring up the dating his daughter thing. I’m sure if there’s something to it, he’ll talk to you. Just talk business.”
“And what about Christina? Can I share this with her?”
Now Sandra’s eyes go wide. “Nondisclosure form, top of the packet.”
I nod. “What if her father tells her about it?”
Sandra shrugs. “Graham...”
“Seriously. What if Christina comes to me and tells me about this?”
She worries her lip. “Then you go to her father and ask them to cancel the nondisclosure or rewrite it.”
“I’m not going to stop seeing her,” I say, because all the sudden I feel as if tables are turning. Though I know it’s just my insecurities.
“Not for me to decide,” Sandra says.
I look toward the set and see Christina receiving notes from Jean-Claude.
I hand Sandra the packet. “Will you drop this into my safe in my trailer?” I ask.
She nods. “I really thought you’d be more excited about this.”
“I’m excited,” I say, but there’s more at stake here. I don’t want to keep secrets from Christina. I want her to be excited for me too.