Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 104820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
“Okay, let’s agree that you almost cleared it. Let’s also agree that you almost died when you didn’t clear it.”
How easily Jay had gotten him to break his silence. They really had known each other too long. He scowled. “The director loves the new footage,” he reminded Jay.
“Sure he does.” Jay nodded, finally sitting back in his seat. “At least you and Smith stayed in character. They’re cutting out Smith’s last line, ending the scene where he shows you the flattened hat and reminds everybody, including you, that you could have been killed.”
Arch leaned forward and then immediately groaned. His leg ached unbearably. “Wait, you’ve already seen the rushes?”
Jay didn’t grin, but came as close to a smile as he’d managed all morning. “I’m not happy I nearly lost one of my best clients, but I’m not going to lie and say it isn’t a great scene.”
Arch was relieved. Jay’s taste never wavered. It was good, it was instinctive, it was dependable.
Nonetheless, Arch was not to be distracted from the point at hand. “That’s great news. But I’m still not having a caregiver coming into my private sanctum to baby me.”
Jay shook his head. Arch couldn’t tell if he’d won this battle or not. He waited for a sign. But if Jay was going to concede, he wasn’t about to admit it. “If you hadn’t aggravated me so much, Arch, I would already have told you the other reason for my visit. I actually came with good news.”
Arch smiled. “Go ahead. Clearly, I could use some good news.”
“You’ve been offered the lead in a huge action movie that starts shooting in ten weeks. It’s going to be major, with a paycheck to match. It’s called Shock Tactics.”
Now that was great news. Their petty disagreement about an in-home caregiver disappeared. “Seriously? The futuristic action-hero pic?” He’d heard something about Shock Tactics, but he’d been too busy shooting the buddy movie with Smith Sullivan to think about it too much.
“That’s right. You can be the next big action hero with no audition and a huge paycheck. Or you can be the hero in the nice little romantic comedy you’ve also been offered, where you can sit down for most of it. If you’re not going to do everything you can to heal properly, maybe we should take the rom-com offer.” Jay paused a beat. Then two. Finally, he shrugged and said, “Unless you’re willing to have a live-in caregiver for a few weeks. Up to you.”
And that was it. Jay had played his power card. Arch had to hand it to him—the man knew how to strike a deal. Obviously, Arch wanted the action movie. If it went well, it could be the beginning of something huge. He knew how important these franchises were. The news that he’d been offered an action role somewhat mollified him, but he was still really unhappy about the idea of being stuck in a cast with a caregiver helping him get around inside his own home.
Giving Arch a few moments to think things through, his agent got up and went to the window. “I sure love this view. Must be one of the finest in the world.” Then he grinned over his shoulder at Arch. “You keep doing the big movies I get for you and with the money I make off you, I might buy one myself.”
Arch laughed. Jay had already made plenty of money from his string of A-listers. Peace had been made between them. And he had to admit, life was always better when it was peaceful.
While Jay turned back to take in the view once more, Arch suddenly had a brilliant idea. Now that he’d thought of it, he couldn’t believe it had taken him all this time to come up with it. If he had to have a full-time, live-in caregiver, there was only one person he’d consider.
Tessa Taylor.
She’d been on his mind ever since they’d met, and this would be the perfect opportunity to get to know her better. He would just have to think of a way to convince her to split her time between him and Margaret. He was sure Margaret would thank him, given that she liked being taken care of even less than he did. He smiled to himself, remembering how gorgeous Tessa had looked when they first met on the beach and then again at his dad’s birthday party.
The warmth in Tessa’s eyes had captivated him. It had been a long time since he’d felt sparks like that. Sparks that fizzed and crackled with all the heat of a late-night campfire.
So he said to Jay, “If I have to have a caregiver, there’s only one I want. Her name is Tessa Taylor.”
Chapter Six
“You’re not ready,” Tessa said, placing both hands on her hips to show Margaret she meant business. “I can’t leave you.”