34. An Estate?
34
AN ESTATE?
Ford
“Is this dress okay?” Mara asked when I picked her up at her apartment on Friday. “I can change.”
I took in her simple dress, with its image of Spiderman swinging on his web, and thought she looked adorable. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect. My dad will love you.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t BS a BSer. You can’t know that.”
“I can. You’re a sure thing. He’ll like you because you live in Sewickley.”
“Why does where I live make a difference?” Her tongue flicked across her lips, distracting me for a second.
It took a moment for me to regain the thread of the conversation. “Since you live here, he’ll think dating you will make me stay want to here.”
Her eyes flashed with a knowing gleam. She knew exactly what the sight of her tongue always did to me, and she was pleased with herself. “Interesting. That will score me extra points?” At least she didn’t seem nervous anymore.
“Absolutely. Double bonus.”
“That feels like using a cheat code—up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start—but who am I to argue? I’ll take it.”
I smiled indulgently at hearing her rattle off that old Nintendo cheat code. Her adorable nerditude was endearing as hell.
As we drove towards my dad’s house in Sewickley Heights, I couldn’t help but admire the stunning scenery that surrounded us. Rolling hills and lush greenery surrounded us, while the occasional grand estate punctuated the landscape. “The magnates who built their estates up here in the 1800s knew what they were doing,” I commented.
Mara tilted her head back and shielded her eyes to peer skyward. “I can’t believe how blue the sky is today. Not a cloud in sight. And the air smells so fresh.”
I couldn’t agree more. “Yeah, it’s amazing up here.”
As we turned onto a street lined with grand houses, Mara pointed out a large property on the corner. “Did you see the hockey rink the owners built behind that place? They must really love winter.”
“A pro hockey player lives there. My dad knows him,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Of course, he does.” Mara let out a nervous sigh as she smoothed her palms down her skirt.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Just a little nervous about meeting the fam. It’ll pass.”
I glanced at her as I drove up dad’s long driveway. “Like I said, he’ll love you.” We rounded a bend and crested a hill, and the enormous gray stone estate rose before us. As usual, the rolling green grass surrounding it was perfectly manicured, and I spotted the groundskeeper trimming a dead branch from a tree.
I continued along the looping driveway and stopped so Mara’s door lined up next to the path to the front door.
I walked around the front of the car, but Mara didn’t move to open her door. She simply sat, staring up at the house with her eyes wide and eyebrows raised in exaggerated surprise.
“You grew up here ? Holy mother of pearl! This house is flipping huge!” She held up her pointer finger. “Wait. That’s not the right word. This isn’t a house. It’s an estate.”
I never thought about it much, but Mara was right. Dad’s place was pretty damned opulent. I’d forgotten the kind of effect it could have on people when they saw it for the first time.
I opened the passenger door and stepped to one side as she unfolded those gorgeous legs and exited the car. “A steel baron built this as a summer place.”
“Steel baron. Right.” She grabbed my arm to steady her wobbly legs. “This is a far cry from the suburban house where I grew up. I thought we were well off, but this is a completely different level of wealth. I wasn’t expecting it.”
I shrugged. “You’ll get used to it. This was a great place to grow up. Lots of woods to explore. The country club is nearby, so Hailey and my brothers and I could walk to the pool, grab lunch, or play duckpin bowling. There’s even a creek at the bottom of that hill where I used to hunt salamanders.”
She cocked one eyebrow, the hint of a smile on her lips. “Country clubs and salamanders? I caught salamanders when I was growing up, too, but lunch was usually a peanut butter sandwich.”
“We’ll always share our love of amphibians,” I intoned wistfully.
She ran her hands down her dress, then started smoothing her hair. “There’s that.” She glanced at her clothes. “You’re sure this dress is okay? Not too nerdy?”
“It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
“Thanks, but I don’t feel perfect. I feel like I’m about to be judged.”
I captured one of her fluttering hands to calm it and pressed a quick kiss to the back of it. “He’ll love you. I promise.”
The front door suddenly swung open, and Dad stood there, beaming at us.
“You’re here.” His eyes locked on Mara, and he held out his hand to her. “It’s great to meet you, Mara. I’m Don Ross. Call me Don.”
“Pleased to meet you, Don.” Her eyes were wide as she shook his hand.
Dad gave her an approving nod. “Your dress is perfect. Very fitting. But as much as I love Spiderman, we really need to get you a Ghost version.”
“Thanks,” she said, brightening. “I love that idea.” The tension in her shoulders eased. “Ford speaks of you often. I can see where he inherited those amazing blue eyes.” Her brow furrowed slightly. “Yours might even be bluer than his.”
Dad clapped me on the back. “I like her already.”
“Dibs,” I told him.
Dad chuckled. “Possessive much?” He grinned at Mara. “Thanks for coming to celebrate starting a new project together. If not for your brother, none of this would be happening. You must be proud of him.”
Mara blinked rapidly. “I am. Thank you.”
“Let’s go to the kitchen,” Dad said. “I have a surprise.”
As he led us down a central hallway to the back of the house, Mara’s eyes grew wider and wider as she took in everything. The enormous great room with its stained-glass windows and the fireplace big enough for a horse to stand in seemed to almost push her over the edge.
I took her hand and squeezed it. She held it in a death grip.
“Your house is amazing,” Mara said as she looked around the kitchen. “Your kitchen alone is bigger than my apartment.”
“Thanks. Lots of space to rattle around in,” Dad said. “It was great when all the kids still lived here, but it’s a bit much just for me.”
“It must hold lots of great memories,” she said, meeting Dad’s gaze.
“Absolutely. Some of the best.” Dad glanced away uncomfortably and then gestured toward the champagne and glasses sitting on the island with a flourish. “I bought a bottle of Ice Impérial to celebrate our new partnership.”
I raised one eyebrow, intrigued. “Ice Impérial? I’ve never tried it.”
“You’ll love it. You serve it over ice... can you believe it? Your grandfather would turn over in his grave. The idea of serving wine over ice would kill him all over again. He was a real wine snob,” he explained to Mara.
Dad snatched up the white bottle and tore off the foil wrapper. “Do me a favor and put one ice cube in each of the wine glasses.”
I did as he asked and put one cube in each glass.
“See those bowls with raspberries, mint, and orange peels?” Dad asked. “Choose which one you’d like to have in your champagne.”
Mara looked intrigued, finally beginning to relax. “For reals? That’s different. I’ll try raspberry.”
Dad dropped a couple of berries onto the ice cubes in her glass.
As I reached for a raspberry to pop into my mouth, my hand grazed against Mara’s, so I paused to stroke the side of her hand with my fingertip before snatching the berry.
Mara stopped breathing and then moved closer to me so that our arms were now touching.
God, she was something else.
“I’ll try mint in mine,” I said.
“Let me do the honors with the mint,” Dad said. “Check this out.” He selected a large mint leaf, placed it on the palm of his hand, and then slapped his other hand against it. “Here.” He held it out. “Smell.”
The pungent aroma of mint filled the air.
“Bruising it releases the oil.” Dad dropped the leaf into a second glass, added a couple of raspberries to a third one, and then added champagne. He handed us our drinks, then raised his own in a toast.
“Mara, your brother’s comics are gonna look great on the big screen,” Dad said. “That young man had a cinematic eye. Here’s to the three of us making an amazing movie together.” He tipped his head toward Mara. “Ross, Ross, and Stellar.”
We clinked glasses and drank.
“What do you think?” Dad asked. “Like it?”
Mara blinked. “I love it. It’s light and crisp.”
“Delicious,” I said. Grandad would have approved, even with the ice.”
“I like to think so,” Dad said.
As Mara’s gaze took in the huge kitchen once again, Dad and I exchanged glances, and he let me know he realized Mara was nervous.
“Dinner should be ready in about a half hour,” Dad said.
“Is it okay if we talk about the film?” I asked. “We need to work on casting. Chris Pitt is in town shooting a film. I want him as the lead, so I’m trying to arrange a meeting with him later this week. I want to bounce some ideas off you for the role of his love interest.”
Both Dad and Mara frowned, but Mara was the first to speak. “I thought Chris Pitt was more of a comic actor.”
Dad cleared his throat. “I’m not convinced Pitt’s the right choice.”
Dad’s comment took me by surprise. I have to admit, it set me on edge a bit too. “No? Why not?”
“Like Mara said, he’s more of a comic actor.”
“I like comic actors,” I said. “They have excellent timing and delivery.”
“But they also have to overcome audience expectations,” Dad said. “I’m not sure Pitt’s up to it.”
I hesitated, surprised to have him resist one of my first big decisions. This was only the first of a million I’d be making. Did he really not trust me enough to make this call? It stung more than I wanted to admit. Would I have to fight him every step of the way? Maybe, but that didn’t mean I should cave right away.
My gut told me Chris Pitt was the right choice. His talent and timing would bring something unique to the role, even if his background was comedic. The audience might see it as unexpected—maybe even refreshing. But then again, Dad had a point. Expectations are powerful. Pitt might not be able to shake his comic image, and the audience could struggle to take him seriously. Was it worth digging my heels in this early?
I didn’t want to set a precedent of fighting Dad on every decision, especially not right out of the gate. But I couldn’t let this turn into him dictating every move, either. Picking my battles would be key. This one? Maybe I could meet him halfway.
I exhaled slowly, deciding on a compromise. “I’ll bring him in so you can see him in a screen test. Something informal, just to see if you’re more comfortable with my choice.”
Dad beamed. “That’s an excellent idea.”
I gave a tight nod. “I’ll tell him I want to see how he and the co-star interact on screen. Which brings us back to my original question. Any thoughts about co-stars?”
Dad rubbed his chin, but just shook his head.
Mara cleared her throat.
I glanced at her. “Did you have someone in mind?”
She licked her lips nervously. “My brother used to talk about making Ghost into a movie. Daydreaming, I guess. Anyway, he always thought Kim Curry would be perfect as Ghost’s nemesis and love interest.”
I stared at her blankly for a moment, then grinned broadly. I could definitely see Kim in that role. “Excellent suggestion. She’d be perfect.”
She grinned with pleasure, but I could still sense her underlying tension.
I turned to Dad. “You have a good relationship with Kim. Can you approach her about it?”
He tilted his head from side to side like a clock pendulum. “I bet Chris and Kim would have great chemistry. She could even carry him if his acting isn’t up to par. I wonder if she can keep from overshadowing him...she’s a powerful actress. I’ll tell you what. Let’s see how they do in a screen test, and we’ll go from there.”
I gave a tight smile. “Sounds like a plan.” Dad’s skepticism was getting to me. He really didn’t think much of Chris. “We’ll have to work around his current shooting schedule. After I get him to agree, I’ll send you his available dates and times. I’d like to get the test done within the next week. Two at the most. Let’s keep my casting choices between the three of us for now. I don’t want any of this getting out.”
Dad nodded and made a quick note on his phone.
Mara raised her champagne glass. “May I offer another toast? To new connections, new ventures, and new friends.”
“Hear, hear,” Dad said as we clinked glasses. “You know, your brother Max took on a lot of responsibility after my heart attack. I’ve really enjoyed having him as my right-hand man. His official title is Executive VP of Marketing and Development, but he does more than that. He’s involved in all my films. We’ve worked closely these past few years, and now I get to work with you too. Wouldn’t it be great if Sean could do some of the stunt work on the film? Just imagine it. We could have the entire family working on this movie. I bet we could even convince Hailey to help.”
“We’re on the same page,” I said. “Sean and I have already started bouncing around ideas for the action scenes.”
“Excellent,” Dad said, rubbing his hands together. “There’s a great location up on Mount Washington we should use to film that kiss scene. It has a spectacular view of the city. I also have some ideas about how we can orchestrate filming the tunnel scene.”
I let out a low chuckle. “I can tell you’ve studied the script.”
“Did you expect anything less?” Dad asked.
“Never.” I popped another raspberry into my mouth, biting gently as I released its sweet, tart, summery tang. “You and the screenwriter have a lot of ideas in common.”
“I made some script notes,” Dad said. “I want to discuss a few changes with you.”
Mara frowned. “Changes?” Her entire body grew tense.
I arched my brows at my dad as I stroked my hand down Mara’s back. “I’m happy to discuss things,” I told him, “but you need to remember whose movie this is. I don’t want a repeat of my seventh grade English project.”
Dad hesitated for a moment as he seemed to try to recall what I was talking about, and then he cracked a wry smile. “What? You didn’t like the professional musicians and the backup dancers?”
“It was an extra credit project for English class. Even you have to admit you went too far. I’m lucky the video didn’t get out on YouTube or something. What if the whole thing had gone viral?”
“I might have let things get a little out of hand,” Dad replied, “but the band was working on another project with me. When they found out about your project, they wanted to help. You have to admit you learned a lot.”
“I did. I learned not to let anyone take over my project.”
“A lesson that’s served you well over the years,” Dad said with a wink.
Mara touched my arm and I glanced at her.
“Where can I find a bathroom?”
“Head straight back down that hallway,” I said, pointing to the ornate wooden archway we’d entered. “Go past those double doors leading to Dad’s office. You can’t miss it.”
I kept my gaze on her as she walked away. It was something I’d become fond of over these past few weeks—watching her walk away. That woman had a knack for it. Something about her graceful yet unselfconscious way of moving made it impossible not to look. When she disappeared from sight, I was finally able to drag my attention away from her.
I found Dad watching me. He shot me a “gotcha” sort of grin as he set an antipasto tray on the counter. “You’re smitten with her.”
“I guess so. She’s nothing like the other women I’ve met.”
“Those Hollywood types? I know what you mean. Hollywood is a different world. It’s why I prefer living here.” Dad’s phone let out a chirp indicating that someone was calling. “Pittsburgh people are more genuine. Like I always say—” he broke off as he glanced at the phone screen. “Sorry, but I need to take this. It’s an investor for Ghost . He’s new to the industry and needs some hand holding. I need to reassure him that just because my son is the director, that doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with budget overruns.” He shot me a wink and then strode toward the door. “Nepotism can be scary. I’ll take this in my office, so you don’t have to listen to me talk about you.”