Текст книги "The Accidental Movie Star "

Автор книги: Emily Evans

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Chapter 8

Oh. That was not going to go over well. Ashley sucked in a breath and bit her lip.

Caz stared at the reporter a long moment then ignored her question. “I’m really enjoying my stay in California. The weather is lovely.” Caz sat a little straighter.

Ashley thought, good save, a British fallback to the weather.

“Brunettes or redheads?” the reporter asked, undeterred. She was clearly hinting for him to say which costar he liked best: the brunette Petra or the redheaded Lorene. Tabloid rumors were running rampant about his dating each of them.

Putting his teacup down, Caz said, “Blondes.”

“That’s so cute, but a reputable source says you’ve been smooching on set with the redheaded Lorene. So spill the juicy details.”

Caz glanced at his watch, the door, and the AD. “Lorene Dailer hasn’t arrived on set, so that makes that rumor highly improbable.”

“What’s your favorite color?”

Caz maintained his smile. “The director is doing amazing things with this script and the juxtaposition of the characters.”

The reporter stiffened and spoke slowly, “This is very important. Do you tweet?”

“No.”

“You don’t mind if I touch that famous jaw, do you?” The reporter lifted a hand toward Caz’s face. Caz stiffened and lost his smile, but stayed still while the reporter ran her manicured fingers over his square chin and along his jaws.

Ashley winced.

Eyeing Caz uneasily, the AD pointed at his watch and spun his index finger, a signal to the reporter to wrap up the interview.

“One last question, Caspian. We know who your character loves. But who would Caspian himself most like to marry—sweet and true or the sultry vixen?” The reporter drew out the last two words and wiggled her eyebrows.

Caz pursed his lips. He shot a quick glance over at Ashley then back to the reporter. “My PA. She’s a great cook.”

Ashley rolled her eyes in the background. Way to set the women’s movement back fifty years, Caz.

“There you have it, tweens. Caspian wants a blonde who can cook. I know I’ll be going out to buy peroxide and sign up for cooking lessons. See you in class. Signing off from the set of Eternal Loss, Eternal Revenge, I’m Karla Quintos and you’re in the know.” The reporter shook Caz’s hand, and he smiled a polite smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Putting her hand on his arm, the reporter stepped closer. “That was great, Caspian, thank you.”

Caz murmured something she couldn’t hear.

“Lots of fans are going through what you’re going through. With the divorce. It would really help them if you’d open up and share your story. I’d be honored to give you that platform. So you can give back.”

Caz didn’t respond, just stared at the reporter, his arms crossed over his chest.

The reporter never lost her cool. “Let me know.” She turned to the AD. “How about Lorene next?”

The AD’s face tensed. “Unfortunately, Lorene’s not here, so we’ll have to schedule that one later in the week. Petra’s here, though. I’ve sent for her. You can finish up with Caz.”

Caz said, “We’re done.”

The AD clapped his hands together. “I know. Garrett can be your third interview. Garrett.”

In response to his name, Garrett trotted over. “You need me?”

“Yeah, can you fill in for Lorene for a brief interview? While we get Petra ready?”

“Sure.” A look of dislike crossed Garrett’s face as he recognized the reporter.

Caz leaned near him and said in a low tone, “Watch your mouth.”

Garrett shoved his big frame into one of the cozy nook chairs. “Or what? You’ll kick me off my land and refuse to let me speak Gaelic?”

Caz’s lips twitched, but he didn’t respond.

Ashley handed Caz a script. “Want to run lines?” She’d never offered before, but it seemed prudent to put a lid on this situation.

Caz took the script, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at the nook. “Later.”

Garrett poured himself a cup of tea and pushed the sugar cubes aside. His expression fell. “No shortbread? No biscuits?”

Karla ignored him and did her intro. “We’re here with Garrett Campbell on set of his latest film. Tell us, what’s it really like to work with your best friend?”

“Great fun.” Garrett dug around the tray and popped a sugar cube in his mouth. The dish was emptying fast.

“Now you can tell us, who’s he really seeing? Lorene or Petra?”

Caz stayed focused on the interview.

Garrett relaxed back in the chair and his accent got heavier than normal. “I’m as free as the rain in Scotland.”

“All these beautiful actresses on set, and there’s no romance going on?”

“’Tis a sad, sad state, and difficult to believe, I know.”

The reporter leaned forward and rubbed Garrett’s kilt between her fingers. “So, you know me, I have to touch that famous kilt.” She growled. “Rough, what’s it made of?”

If you looked close enough, you could see the distaste in his mint-green eyes. Garrett said, “Highland heather soaked in the waters of Loch Ness, stolen from the hooves of a Kelpie by a Cailleach Bheur.” He settled back further into his chair, forcing the reporter’s hand to fall away.

Caz leaned toward Ashley’s ear and whispered, “This is a long story. I’ve heard it before.” He nodded his head toward the back exit.

Taking the hint, Ashley followed him out of the warehouse and down the crunchy path to his trailer. Caz unlocked the door and stepped inside. His trailer smelled like the clean, ocean fragrance of his soap. Ashley closed the door behind her.

Red pages of the script flew through the air as Caz flung himself on his couch and put one arm over his eyes. “Ergh, what rubbish.”

Ashley perched on the sofa’s armrest, silent.

Caz frowned. “Going to spin this? Going to tell me some nice, homespun tale about the Fry Hut? To make that crap interview seem better?”

“No. No. I’m here to console you. How awful was that? You poor thing. Why, I didn’t know how you’d bear the interview a moment longer.” Ashley let the full force of her talent for sarcasm fly.

Quickly sitting up, Caz snagged her arm and yanked her down on top of him.

“Oomph.” His hard chest didn’t provide a soft landing.

“I suffered.”

Ashley laughed. “I suffered too. I had to hear her.” She put her hands against the couch cushion and pushed up.

“Your pain wasn’t as deep as mine.”

Ashley laughed harder. “But I have to live without knowing.”

Caz raised his eyebrows.

“Your favorite color or, more importantly, boxers or briefs, you man beast.” Her laughter caused her to collapse against him.

Caz smiled wickedly and put his hands on the top button of his jeans, and unbuttoned them.

Laughing harder, Ashley grabbed his wrist to stop him.

There was a quick knock on the door. Caz didn’t have time to respond as it was immediately flung open.

The AD stood there, his mouth ajar to the point that his goatee touched his chest. Olive hung out next to him with shiny eyes and a prissy grin. “We’re looking for Petra.” She crooked her head inside and looked around.

The AD yanked her elbow backwards. “Oh, uh, excuse us.” The trailer door slammed shut.

Ashley was suddenly amused. She slid off Caz’s lap and onto the floor beside the couch, laughing. “That is so not going to play well,” Ashley said. “ Unidentified blonde saves Caz from overdose while putting out a fire in his trailer.”

“ During the birth of their half human baby,”Caz said, offering her a hand up.

***

The AD paced, glaring at his tablet. Ashley knew why he was mad. Lorene hadn’t shown all week. Today, he’d scheduled her to shoot a minor stunt. Because the stunt used special effects, Lorene was supposed to perform it without a stunt double. However, Lorene was not here.

The AD said, “PA.”

“Yes?” Olive shoved in front of her. Because Olive stood a half foot shorter, Ashley still had a clear view of the AD’s annoyed eyes. He looked from Ashley to Olive with a dismissive gaze, and his eyes landed back on Ashley. “You’re about Lorene’s height. Get dressed and help.” The AD turned to the costume area and yelled with an annoyed edge in his voice, “Cutter, Powder, dress Ashley in Lorene’s costume so she can perform the stunt.”

“Uh, okay,” Ashley said, as if her agreement mattered. She went to makeup first, and Powder did the works: base, lip stain, false eyelashes. Next came the red wig, and last a trip to the costume area, where Cutter handed her a feminine, dreamy sundress with a tight bodice. Over the sundress, he clipped on a suspension harness. The green straps circled her waist and hung over her shoulders like suspenders. At each shoulder and the front and back of her waist hung metal clamps that would attach to wires once she got to the set.

This was Ashley’s first visit to the green screen studio. The AD, who’d walked her over, said, “Once you’re in place, you’ll pull backwards, lift two feet off the ground, then lower to the floor. We’ll do the action slowly and make the cut look fast on film.” The AD eyed her sundress. “Cutter wants to go with a dress, but we may have to switch to pants if you need a full body harness.”

Ashley wasn’t worried about the harness; she just hoped the dress didn’t fly up. She moved onto the center stage and a stunt coordinator’s assistant joined her.

He said, “The cameraman will fill you in front of this green screen. Later we’ll digitally remove the ropes, straps, and wires, then edit in background shots of an exploding car.” He explained each detail as he hooked her up to the wires. “Walk forward and when you hit your mark, we’ll lift you up backwards and down.”

“Picture is up.”

Next, she heard some information about the shot, “Roll camera,” and then “Speed.”

The clapper guy called out, “Marker” and clicked the clapperboard shut.

“Action.”

Ashley took a step forward.

“One.”

Ashley neared the mark. Suddenly the harness jerked and lifted her backwards into the air. The straps dug into her waist, pressing the little pearl buttons that ran along the front of her sundress into her skin. Once in the air, the harness suspended her there for a few minutes then lowered her to the ground, where she lay flat out.

“Cut.”

“Good, good expression. The shock then the pain was perfect. Let’s go again.”

Grabbing hold of the green wires, Ashley pulled up. When she was upright, Powder got beside her, touched up her makeup, and ran a hairbrush through parts of the red wig. During each touchup, Powder described a trapeze artist she used to date.

Ashley performed the stunt several times and the lying AD never went on the count of three. She couldn’t blame him, though; if she knew the lift was coming she’d tense and not give him the right expression. Appearing to be in pain became easier with each take. The straps hurt and she hoped the filming would end soon. The restraints had become creepy and the waist kept tightening, threatening to cut off her ability to breathe.

“Okay, good job, that’s a wrap,” the AD said. “Powder, they need you on stage B.”

Powder waved and headed out.

Ashley smiled and tilted her head against the strap, relieved. She’d needed a break but hadn’t wanted to ask. This experience would make it much harder for her to mock actors in the future; some of their work was hard, and she definitely understood why Petra refused to do wirework. The stunt coordinators were ruthless.

She hung from the air while the wire guy did something technical over by the wall. The harness jolted, digging the pearl buttons deeper. Torn between the desire to screech at the technician to get her down and the desire to not sound like a diva, Ashley didn’t know what to do. She wiggled and tried to shift the strap that pinched the most.

The pain lessened when she used her arms to pull her weight up, but her arms weren’t strong enough to hold the pose consistently. She’d opened her mouth to give in and call the technician for help when Caz walked on set. Thank God. “Caz, come here.”

After murmuring something to another actor, Caz joined her. He eyed the equipment. “So this is where you’ve been. I was shooting with Petra, and I asked, but no one knew.”

“This thing hurts. See if you can move the strap or unhook the clasp.”

“Where?”

“Waist, that claw thingy and those pointy buttons.”

Caz slid a hand under the metal clasp and Ashley felt instant relief. She groaned. “Thanks.”

He frowned and jerked at the clasp, but the belt didn’t unlatch. One arm slid under the back of her thighs and he held her against him. The new position took all the weight off her waist. Heaven.“Ohhh, thanks.” Ashley lowered her hands to his shoulders and flexed her fingers against them. “Thank you, thank you. This makes up for all your random errands.”

Caz fiddled at the claw.

Ashley poked at one of the pearl buttons. “It’s these stupid buttons. Cutter will have to change them out for Lorene.” Tucking two fingers into the gap between buttons at her waist, Caz pulled the fabric apart. One button pinged to the floor.

He stared a moment, then yelled at the stunt coordinator who was jotting notes. “Get my assistant down, now.”

For once, she didn’t mind being called his assistant; not when his demands got someone to leap up and help her. Wanting to be free, she also didn’t correct Caz by pointing out that the coordinator had assistants who did tasks like latching and unlatching.

The stunt coordinator said, “Sure thing.” With a few jerks of his hands, the harness released and she fell against Caz. The straps dropped, dragged down by the clasps. They clanked against the floor.

“Oh, good.”

Caz lowered her to her feet.

“About the chase scene —” the stunt coordinator said.

“I need a minute.” Caz led Ashley to the side of the set. He hooked a finger in the waist of her dress and parted the fabric.

Ashley looked down curiously. Her skin had livid red marks from the straps, and small scratches from the pearl buttons. She’d be bruised tomorrow.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Caz brushed over the spot with his index finger.

Ashley shrugged and sucked in her abdomen in response to the electric sensation caused by his touch. Her reaction had nothing to do with pain.

A crew member called from across the set, “Hey, Caz, you ready?”

“Your turn,” Ashley said. Caz nodded, and she was sorry when he withdrew his fingers. She folded her arms over her waist and watched as they put him in a car suspended on a metal frame, the green screen behind him. His hands gripped the wheel and his expression became tense as he checked the mirrors and spoke in a cell phone. The mood intensified, and he shifted and jerked the wheel.

Caz was an amazing actor, exciting. Ashley had no doubt that his fake expressions were better than her real ones. Were all actors good at being expressive or did they actually feel things more intensely? She put her back against the wall and lowered herself to the floor so she could see the rest of the scene.

***

Shooting required careful camera positioning, microphone placement, and lighting adjustments. Today’s scene was set in a police headquarters, so they fitted the stage with desks, mug shots, and a number of extras.

Lorene’s character, Aurora, would drop by to see her true love at work. Caz’s reaction to Aurora would expose his weakness in front of the villain, giving him the idea of how to destroy Caz’s character—harm Aurora.

The AD paced and glared at his computer tablet, his nose close to the screen. Lorene hadn’t shown up. “Ash, get in costume so we can shoot this.”

Ashley’s head tilted and her mouth opened. Then she shook her head no.

The AD didn’t care. “Sit and wait for Caz then bring him a cup of tea. I’ve seen you do that every day, so I know you can handle it.” His words were slow and his tone was patronizing.

Ashley felt her face flush and palms sweat. She didn’t want to, but everyone was looking at her, and there were so many people standing around, ready to go. She swallowed and nodded. Powder and Cutter got her dressed in record time and she wished it had taken them longer. Taking a deep breath, she sat down and stared at the extras while winding her fingers together. Cutter had kitted them out like the dregs of society and they seemed quite comfortable with the role.

“Take your notebook.” Powder held it out. Her purple painted lips matched her nails today.

Ashley was grateful for the idea. She’d hyperventilate if she had to sit in the fake waiting room with nothing to do except think about how stupid she looked. Opening the familiar book, she propped the back against the torn card table and sketched. Time spent drawing was her favorite time of the day, so she relaxed, quite happy to wait as long as necessary, though the wig was hot under the lights, and she’d be happier when she could remove it until they were ready for her.

The table jerked, making her pencil skid across the page.

Ashley said, “Earthquake,” and slid under the desk.

Chapter 9

The nearby crew and cast laughed.

Boomer said, “False alarm, Texas. I added a table and accidently hit your desk.”

Olive arrived back in time to witness Ashley’s fear. Hands tucked into her new black overalls, she laughed longer and louder than any of the others. Ashley could see their mirth clearly from her position under the desk, but she couldn’t think of anything to say.

Caz put a hand on the edge and leaned down with a smile. “You can come out now.”

She didn’t know what he saw on her face, but his smile faded and he straightened. “I need a break.”

The AD said, “Take fifteen, everybody.”

Caz leaned down and offered his hand. “Walk with me to the tea kiosk.” Ashley didn’t move for a second. Caz said in a low voice only she could hear, “Come with me, Ashley.” She took his hand and let him pull her out.

Cutter came over. “What about the—?”

Caz said, “Not now, I need a break.”

Instead of the tea kiosk, he led her out the back door to his trailer.

Ashley sat on his sofa and curled her hands around her knees. “Sorry, I—” Her voice trailed off, and she heard him moving around the kitchenette. Water streamed from the faucet. China clinked against a tray. Minutes later Caz arrived with tea on a full service tray.

He poured a cup of the hot brew, added sugar and milk, and put the warm cup in her hands. “Drink.”

Ashley wanted to apologize, say she was fine and being silly. Instead, she sipped the bracing tea. After a minute, she felt better, and with that came the rush of embarrassment. “Sorry, I didn’t realize they hit the table. I was just keyed up.”

Caz shrugged and drank his tea. “So you don’t like earthquakes. It’s not the stupidest fear to have.”

“They bother you?”

“I’ve never been in one, but I’m sure it would.”

He looked so calm, she doubted it. Ashley drank the rest of her tea then fiddled with the porcelain.

Caz put a script in her hands. “I’ll read the lines. You read Lorene’s part with me?”

“Okay.”

***

The AD said, “Places. Picture is up.” Next, they said information about the shot, “Roll camera,” then “Speed.” The clapper guy called out, “Marker” and clicked the clapperboard shut. “Action.”

Ashley set her notebook down and walked over to where Caz sat at a fake desk, stopping on her mark, feeling stupid and awkward. She held out the cup. Caz put his hand over hers and brushed his thumb over the back. Ashley’s shoulders relaxed; she smiled.

“Cut. Got it.”

***

Petra held the latest tabloid in her ringed fingers, scouring the pages. “Where am I? Where am I?” She made a delighted squeal and swung the glossy image toward the onlookers. There was a sizable shot of a bikini-clad Petra on the beach experiencing a wardrobe malfunction. Her delight ended when Petra flipped to the next page.

Caz made the tabloid also, with a picture taken from the doorway of his trailer. The picture contained a girl with blonde hair leaning over a smiling Caz. His hands rested on the fly of his unbuttoned jeans. Someone must have been behind Olive and the AD with a camera.

Petra read the caption aloud. “Caz and his mysterious blonde companion take time off on the set of Eternal Loss, Eternal Revenge.” Petra narrowed her eyes and stared harder at the picture.

Powder turned with raised eyebrows. Ashley widened her eyes innocently and stepped forward to fake interest in the photo. Her shoulders relaxed when she got a closer look.

She felt enormous gratitude for her long hair. Its messy length obscured her features just as it had in the limo.

Dad didn’t like her going out with guys who picked her up at the front door and met him. He’d be furious to see her featured in a tabloid, especially while rolling around on top of a couch with a guy—then throw in the fact that he was an actor: Armageddon.

Petra tossed the magazine aside, exchanging it for her laptop. After going online, she typed with the tips of her nails. Click, click.

The Tween In ‘Trinity of Stars’interview downloaded. In addition to the chopped-up and spliced Q&A, the reporter gave a brief wrap-up. “My Trinity of Starsinterview almost turned into a Duo of Stars. Where is the missing Lorene? Well, you didn’t hear it here, but buzz on the set says poor Lorene can’t face being around the power couple Caspian and Petra. Or, as we call them, CasPet. So what do you think, viewers? CasPet or are you holding out for CasLore? Vote on our website.”

Olive said, “CasPet.”

Petra grinned and clicked on another news link. This one featured Caz’s impromptu signature signing at the tea shack. Nine times out of ten, studio regulars and out-of-state tourists filled the tea shack, but not that day. Caz had happened to greet the tour on a day that a member of the press was visiting incognito with his family. Caz’s joke about needing tea, which had gone over well with the kiosk crowd, played just as well when repeated on national television.

Petra flicked through some more screens. “I need to interact more with my fans. I should upload more news about my day. What I’m doing, where we are with the filming. They’d love that.”

“They would,” Olive said.

***

“Let me see it.” Caz put down the book he was reading.

Ashley checked out the cover: Le Misanthrope ou l’Atrabilaire amoureux. “ The Misanthrope.I’m reading that too, for school.”

Caz nodded. “Let me see.”

“Huh?”

He lifted the hem of her T-shirt. Ashley looked around quickly, but no one was watching, so she let him. Several splotchy purple bruises marred the skin around her waist. He frowned and ran the back of his hand along them. “Do they hurt?”

Ashley didn’t answer, distracted by the sensation caused by his hand.

No, it didn’t hurt.She didn’t know what he saw in her eyes, but he smiled and slid his warm palm around her back. Pulling her closer, he leaned forward to murmur in her ear about the movies playing at a nearby theater.

“What are you guys doing?” Petra asked. “I was going to tell you about my new armlet.”

Caz looked at Petra in annoyance, and it took a moment for Ashley to snap out of the fuzzy sensation that had ensnared her. When her head cleared, she deliberately stepped away from Caz, frowning at him in confusion. What was he doing? What was she letting him do?

Caz said, “We were talking about what movie we’re going to see tonight.”

Petra blew out a breath.

Ashley felt torn, confused. Olive chose that moment to join them. She dragged a large laundry bag overflowing with envelopes behind her, and pushed the bulk against Ashley’s leg. “You’re going to have to help with this fan mail like the rest of us do. You have to do your share of the work. I’m not going to ask again.”

Ashley had never seen the bag. She lifted an envelope and peeped inside. “Snail mail?”

“Fan mail.”

“Sorry, Caz, looks like I’ll be busy tonight with this.” Ashley tipped the envelope to the side and a slim piece of elasticized fabric fell out. They all looked down at the red lace thong. Ashley read, “Dear Caspian…”

***

“Who’s that?” Ashley asked Petra and pointed to a military-looking man dressed in loose black pants and tight black T-shirt. He was talking to Caz and his agent.

“Trainer. Nice ass. Tight abs.” Powder lined up her makeup brushes. “Where is number four? Olive better not have been in here again.” Her eyes took on a militant gleam that was in contrast to today’s bohemian dress.

“Trainer for what?”

“Caz’s next film. He’s going to be doing some martial arts training on his off-time.”

“Caz barely has any off-time.”

Powder shrugged.

Ashley walked over, blatantly eavesdropping.

Caz said to his agent, “If they want to start early, I can train in September during postproduction.”

“You’ve committed to this movie and a lot of people depend on you making it happen.” His agent crossed her arms over her chest and sent a longing look at the coffee cart.

“I said I’d do the movie.”

“Well, doing the movie means working on other people’s timelines, not just yours. They need you to do this.”

Caz frowned, his mouth tight.

The AD said, “People, gather round.”

Ashley joined the rest of the crew and cast. The AD said, “The studio has read the recent press, and requires me to make a formal announcement regarding cast hook-ups.”

The crew laughed.

The AD said, “There are to be none.” He finished his command and stroked his little goatee. He’d gotten the ends trimmed about an inch.

Several people turned to stare at Ashley, which she found offensive. She hadn’t had a date or even been kissed by any member of the movie crew. Their stares were so unfair.

Petra giggled wildly and tapped her index finger, heavy with layered rings, against Caz’s arm. “Okay, we’ll stop.”

Caz frowned and moved away from her, crossing his arms over his chest.

Powder ran a hand over her hair and looked back at someone in the crowd. Ashley followed her gaze. Four men stood behind her. Ashley couldn’t tell which one was Powder’s secret boyfriend. None wore a monitored ankle bracelet or any suspicious makeup smears. Surely, someone trysting with the makeup artist would have at least a lipstick smudge on his collar or a stray smear of mascara.

Petra’s need for attention interrupted Ashley’s investigation. She raised her hands straight in the air and clapped them. “Don’t forget my party tonight. The bash will be a blow-out. See you there.” Her eyelash extensions made big wink. “And no hooking up.” The crowd laughed.

Powder turned to Ashley. “I’ll see you at her party tonight?”

Ashley wrinkled her nose.

At her expression, Powder said, “The party’s for the whole crew. You’re going.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Feathers and teal makeup. Teal streaks in my hair if we break early enough tonight. Or maybe orange. You?”

Ashley looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. “Um.”

“Don’t,” Powder said. “You show up like that and I’ll take you to the car and redo your outfit and makeup with a pair of scissors and ebony night eyeliner.”

Ashley smiled, fully intending to wear something other than her usual jeans. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

***

Ash could hear music through the door of Petra’s apartment. She raised a painted pink nail and pressed the doorbell, wondering what Powder would think of her outfit. She wore a pink spaghetti-strapped top, black miniskirt, and black flats. Her makeup up was light except her eyes, which were smoky.

The stunt coordinator waved her in. The loft smelled a lot like Petra’s trailer, but the perfume wasn’t as overwhelming here in the larger space.

About thirty people stood inside, most of whom she knew. Glancing beyond them, she drew in a breath at the décor. Every wall glowed a different neon color, and against every color hung a dark-framed artistic shot of Petra. The images were completed in all mediums, oils, watercolors, charcoal, and film. When she tore her gaze from the ego extravaganza, she saw Cutter.

He wore a gold top loose over shiny gold skinny jeans. His brown hair was thick with mousse and stood straight up.

Cutter eyed her up and down with a hand clasped to his mouth. “O.M.G., it’s like you’re a girl. Who knew?”

“So says the guy wearing eyeliner. Where are—”

Cutter moved past her to greet someone else.

The eyes in the portrait hung on the lemon wall seemed to follow her steps. Creepy. The doorbell chimed and more people flowed in. Ashley spotted a wave, and was happy to see Powder. She was dressed in an orange leather jumpsuit and stood talking to a short, sturdy-looking guy in a pastel, button-down collar shirt over in the corner. What was his name? Ashley couldn’t remember, but it had something to do with sound. He worked in one of the offices.

Heading in their direction, she took a glass from one of the circulating waiters, and sipped the pale gold liquid infused with fizzy bubbles. Mid-path she ran into Petra holding court. “Hi, Petra, thanks for inviting me.”

Petra stared to the left and right of her, as if trying to see if Ashley brought a date. Spotting Ashley alone, she waved a dismissive hand weighed down by a sparkling emerald ring that matched her large emerald earrings. “Yeah, have fun.” She turned her focus back to her minions to continue her story. “I sat there.”

Olive said, “You’re kidding.”

“For at least an hour, in that wooden chair with its straight back.”

“No way.” Olive covered a mouth with her hand.

“Exactly. Only my dance training kept me sane. Having to hold my posture that long. You can’t imagine.”

Olive’s jaw dropped. “You know ballet?”

“Oh yes, I’ve studied all kinds of dance.”

Ashley left their group and continued toward the corner. After she reached them, she greeted Powder with a hug and the guy with a wave. Then she tried to be subtle about attempting to identify Powder’s date. She peered through the crowd. There were no chain-wearers in sight.

“Hey, I was about to tell Jason here about the kissing pentagon or maybe show him.”

Ashley’s eyes widened and her head swung back to pastel shirt. Jason? Powder was dating a guy who favored pastel and dressed like an accountant? Sipping her drink, she flushed a little and didn’t know what to say.

“Is the technique so secret only the Pentagon knows?” Jason’s gaze focused on Powder’s orange lipstick. He seemed half-scared and half-eager.

Powder smiled. “Probably, but that’s not what the name means.” She looked at Ashley. “Come on, architect, what’s pentagon mean?”

“Five-sided?”

“Right.” Powder proceeded to detail the five-step plan.

Ashley was embarrassed, but she totally wanted to know, so she stayed glued to her spot, trying to contain her amusement during the rendition.