Six months earlier…
God, she was nervous.
Palms sweaty, Victoria gripped the steering wheel tighter as she pulled up to what she hoped was the correct studio gate. There were a lot of them, and she’d already stopped at two. Thank goodness, she’d been running ahead of schedule. The last thing she wanted was to be late for her first day of filming.
After a restless night’s sleep and waking before her alarm, she had time on her hands no matter how much she’d procrastinated while getting ready that morning. She’d even debated a full twenty minutes selecting the right outfit—something she usually never wasted time doing. Not wanting to appear too dressy or casual, she settled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a lightweight, V-neck, cashmere sweater for a mix of both. With nothing left to do and too anxious to sit around, she’d left early, and thankfully so, because she’d wasted valuable time looking for her correct destination.
A security guard stepped out of the booth, a smile on his face as he waited for her to roll down her window.
“Ma’am.” He tipped his head. “Name and ID.”
“Victoria Lee.” Her fingers fumbled through her purse, searching for her wallet.
He took her ID, scanning his clipboard. He gave her another smile when he handed her license back. “You’re in sound studio thirty-nine. Straight ahead then to the right.”
“Thank you.”
He pushed a button, and the gated bar rose, gaining her access. She drove slowly, watching the buildings, keeping her eye out for thirty-nine. She saw it up ahead, the large number stamped at the top of a big, boxy structure. A small, half-filled parking area to the right of the sound studio seemed the right place to park. At least, she hoped it was.
She hated first days—not knowing where to go and what to do. Surprisingly, for the career path she’d chosen, she was a bit shy and being in unknown situations and not knowing what to expect increased her anxiety. Which was why she liked being well prepared and the reason she had all her lines memorized. She might not always know what the heck she was doing in real life, but she had her roles down pat.
She was ready to live her dream. After countless debates with her parents on her career choice and a few bit parts here and there, she’d finally landed a role she could sink her teeth into. The female lead in the new romantic comedy starring alongside Nathan Reed.
She’d been over the moon when her manager had called with the news that the movie’s director, Simon Murphy, wanted her to come in for a screen test. Then an emotional mess when only a day later he’d called back to tell her she’d landed the part. And now, after almost two months of excited anticipation, she was more than ready to start filming.
Victoria walked through the large double doors of the hangar-like building, then stood in the entrance, looking around. There was a buzz of activity. People scurried to-and-fro, dodging equipment and random shouts could be heard over the drone of voices.
A young woman jogged up to her, blond ponytail bobbing. She was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt and a photo ID badge attached to a lanyard draped around her neck like a necklace.
She stopped a few feet away, greeting Victoria with an excited smile. “Hi, I’m Chrissy. You’re Victoria Lee, right? I was supposed to keep an eye out for you.” Victoria only had time for a quick nod as Chrissy hooked her arm with hers and started talking again. “There’s really not much you need to know right now. I’ll show you around, but filming won’t start ‘til this afternoon.”
Chrissy led Victoria to a small group of people who stood chatting. She instantly recognized Nathan Reed even though he had a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes and more than a five o’clock amount of scruff on his jaw. He was talking with Simon, their director, and they seemed in deep conversation, maybe even arguing, but Victoria couldn’t hear what was being said, to be sure. She halted out of earshot not wanting to intrude.
Though her intention was to give the men some privacy, Victoria couldn’t seem to pry her eyes from Nathan Reed. An unfamiliar tingle tickled the base of her neck and raced down her spine. Her reaction intrigued her. Having a famous actress for a mother, Victoria had been introduced to many movie stars while growing up, so she wasn’t one to fangirl. But something about Nathan Reed captured her attention, and she didn’t think it was the fact he was the most popular, in-demand movie star at the moment.
And she didn’t think it was his looks. Though she had to admit, he was even more beautiful in person than on screen or in photos. She knew his hair—though now mostly hidden by his cap—was a dark brown, as were his eyes. His features stood out—sharp cheekbones, long, straight nose, strong jaw—but somehow all blended well together. He was taller than she’d imagined—a good head taller than Simon, who she knew was a few inches taller than her own five-seven—and more muscular—with hidden muscles filling out his t-shirt and ones she could see, bulging on his crossed arms. His lower half, encased in worn blue jeans, was just as impressive.
No, it wasn’t his fame or his looks. Something about his presence drew her in. The way he held himself, the sharp glint in his eye, and the way his jaw flexed in agitation as he listened to whatever Simon was saying. The rapt command he had over everyone that surrounded him—including herself—even though he paid them no attention. Yes, Nathan Reed intrigued her, and she found that, in of itself, intriguing.
Nathan stopped mid-sentence when he caught her staring. Embarrassed, she was finally able to look away, landing her eyes on the back of Simon’s head.
Noticing he’d lost Nathan’s attention, Simon turned her direction, his eyes alighting when he realized who Nathan was staring at. “Ah, Victoria. Good, you’ve arrived. Come, let me introduce you to your fellow co-star.”
Victoria smiled, taking a step forward, and Simon took her hand, pulling her to his side. Her eyes flashed to Nathan and saw he still watched her. The tingle down her spine morphed into a shiver.
“I’m sure I don’t need to introduce you to Nathan Reed.” Simon turned back to Nathan. “Nate, Victoria Lee.”
Nate. Nathan Reed went by Nate.
Nate held out a hand, and she placed hers in it. His hand was warm, his grip firm but not to the point of pain. Calluses lined his palm and Victoria wondered what he did to create them.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Victoria.” His voice was the same deep, rich baritone as on the screen. Familiar. And, again, she felt that same shiver, but this time it was accompanied with a dusting of goose bumps trailing up her arms.
She parted her lips to reply but made the mistake of looking into his eyes. So close now, she could see under the brim of his cap, his dark orbs held her spellbound. She blinked, repeatedly, her mouth went dry, and her greeting lodged in her throat. Finding herself embarrassingly tongue-tied, she had no choice but to nod instead.
His grip on her hand tightened, and his lips parted as if he were about to fill her silence—save her from her embarrassment—but no further words came from him either.
Someone cleared their throat, and it took a moment for her to realize it was Simon. “Guess I don’t have to worry about on-screen chemistry.”
Victoria felt her face flame, and she took a step back, extracting her hand from Nate’s grip. She noticed he was reluctant to let it go, his fingers trailing along her palm as their hands disconnected. She shot him another glance, but while he still stared at her, his expression was masked, hiding his emotions.
Ignoring the awkward tension between his two co-stars, Simon glanced at his watch. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road. I want to start filming in two hours.”
Victoria felt a tug at her elbow. Chrissy returning to her side. “Come on. I’ll show you to your trailer then take you over to makeup.”
Working with a new director and cast of people, Victoria hadn’t been sure what to expect on her first day, but she definitely hadn’t been prepared for the easy camaraderie between her and Nate. Simon had been right; their chemistry was off the charts, and Victoria soon found herself relaxed and joking in Nate’s presence—something that usually took her weeks to achieve with people she’d just met.
The day flew by, progressing into night, and she soon found herself, bone-weary, in her trailer, washing layers of makeup from her face and shampooing the ton of hair products out of her hair. Stepping from the shower, she dried herself then slipped back into the clothes she’d started the day in.
As tired as she was, she could see herself crashing there for the night. On par with a single-wide mobile home, it had all the comforts of home but on a smaller scale—living space, kitchenette, bedroom. Even the bathroom had been fully stocked with shampoo, body wash, and a toothbrush. The only thing missing were some clothes. And while she could sleep in the nude—something she didn’t care to do in a strange place—she needed fresh clothes for the morning, even if she wouldn’t be in them for very long.
Resigned to go home but with a mental note to pack a bag for future use, she locked her trailer and headed to her car.
≈≈≈
It was late, almost midnight and most of the crew had packed up and left, so they’d be ready to start again early the next day. Nate stretched his arms over his head, releasing a yawn as he spied Simon making his way over to him from across the studio.
“It was a good day. Got a lot done. Put us ahead of schedule,” Simon said when he reached Nate.
Nate slipped his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. He was still in costume and makeup. Something he hoped to rectify shortly which meant he needed to make this conversation short—an art he’d perfected over the years.
He gave Simon a curt nod, agreeing but not adding more to the exchange.
Simon was observant—one of the reasons he was so good at his job—and Nate could tell by his next words that Simon picked up on his eagerness to wrap shit up. “I won’t keep you, but I did want to ask, after working with Victoria all day, what do you think of her?”
Nate wasn’t expecting the jolt that hit him at the mention of Victoria’s name. His previously tired brain jump-started into action, flashing images of his day through his head. Victoria was in every one.
He thought a moment before speaking. As he’d said, Simon was observant, and Nate didn’t want anything he said giving away his true feelings on the subject. Not that he knew what the fuck his true feelings were. Victoria Lee had knocked him for a loop.
Yes, she was beautiful—thick chestnut hair that fell in layers around an oval face, big, expressive eyes that didn’t know whether they wanted to be green or blue, and a pert nose atop ruby-red, full lips—but then most in the industry were, and Nate had found, in most, their beauty was only skin deep. And yes, her beauty was what he’d first been attracted to. One look, and fuck if his dick hadn’t grown harder than it had in a very long time. But after spending the day with her—a day in which they’d barely been apart—he realized he also liked her. She was sweet, albeit a little shy, but once she’d felt comfortable in his presence and opened up, she had a dry sense of humor that was funny as hell. He’d caught himself smiling or laughing on numerous occasions all day. Something he hadn’t done in what felt like forever.
But how to answer Simon’s question? “She’s smart, efficient, had all her lines memorized, and isn’t a bitch.” Nate shrugged. “Can’t really ask for more in a co-star.”
Simon chuckled. “You’re right about that.” He took a step to pass then stopped, laying a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “You look tired. Try to get some sleep. There’s only so much makeup can hide.”
He’d said the last with a smile and Nate shrugged off his hand, teasing back good-naturedly, “Dick. You wish you looked as good as me.”
Simon laughed outright at that before disappearing into the shadows.
Nate had to admit, Simon was right about one thing. He was tired. But it was a bone-deep fatigue. A weary with life kind of exhaustion. At thirty-five, one shouldn’t feel so drained. And he felt like an ass complaining, even to himself, because he knew there were at least a million people that would give their soul to be in his shoes.
Maybe he’d feel differently if he hadn’t started so young. He’d landed his first bit part at fifteen, and his first major role at twenty-two, and since then the offers had never stopped. And he was grateful—he really was—but the sixteen-to-eighteen-hour days, the late-night parties, and yes, even the women had become exhausting. To the point where he hadn’t been to a Hollywood party that hadn’t been mandatory in almost four years.
He didn’t see a way out of it, though. That was his life. Acting was all he knew, and he was damn good at it. Most days he was happy with the choices he’d made, but he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more he was missing. And spending the day with Victoria brought those feelings to the surface.
He stepped out of the building and spied the woman of his thoughts across the parking lot, getting into her car. He frowned, not liking the idea of her driving home alone so late at night. Then shook his head, wondering where the hell that thought had come from. He took a few hurried steps unable to fight the urge to try and stop her, but she was already driving away. A woman driving around the streets of LA in the dead of night was not safe. What if she had car trouble? Or got into an accident? He’d have a talk with her tomorrow.
Walking across the lot, he stopped at the steps to his trailer then looked toward Victoria’s parked not even a hundred feet away. He’d take a quick shower and catch a few hours of sleep in his current new home away from home.