CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Ben
I rubbed my eyes. I had been dumped, and then got the girl back in a matter of ten hours. I was completely exhausted and wiped out of every emotion. Fake breakups were challenging, especially when they mirrored my own life. I was ready to wrap for the day, but Art wanted one more take on the make-up scene. It had to be epic. It had to jump off the screen and tear at the audience’s heart.
I had never kissed someone so many times in a row. Well, other than Chelsea. It almost felt as if my lips would be black and blue. Rebecca didn’t hold anything back. At times, her lips were like a vicious tiger attacking me to save her life. Then in an instant they were tender and soft. She was all over the place.
There were moments when I thought I had tackled more in this role than any other in my life. The physicality of playing a spy wore me out, but it also invigorated me. This role took me somewhere I didn’t know I was capable of going. I could feel it. Reluctantly, I admitted I was growing as an actor alongside Rebecca. Julian Love was someone I was supposed to be, no matter how up and down this roller coaster had been.
I still hadn’t talked to Chelsea, and it had to be close to midnight in Texas by now. I prayed she had listened to all my voicemails, as much as I hated leaving excuses on a recording. Rebecca was ready to start again. I whispered to the makeup artist that I needed Chapstick before we started the scene. My lips might not survive another round against Becs.
I coated my lips and stepped in front of Rebecca, waiting to hear action.
“How do you think things are going today, babe?” She wrapped a cool palm around the base of my neck.
“Fine.”
“Fine? After all this, that’s what you have to say?” She pulled back to look at me. “We might as well be shooting a detergent commercial.”
“It’s better than fine, I guess. We’ll have to see it on playback.”
“You have got to be kidding me, Ben. We’ve spent an entire day together pouring our hearts out, and you want to see the playback? You don’t feel any of it?”
I felt eyes on me from the perimeter of the set.
“Becs.” I lowered my voice. “Come on, don’t make this about us. I think the scenes are great. You’ve really taken it to a new level today, ok?” I didn’t know how to satisfy her without saying what I knew she wanted to hear. I wasn’t about to go there.
“Really?” Her eyes raked over my lips as if she were about to devour them again.
“Yes, really. Those kisses are going to burn a hole right through any screen they’re played on. Ok?”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I haven’t been too much for you?”
I laughed. “At times, but keep it coming. I can take it.”
“We’ll see about that.” Her eyes gleamed. “We still have one more round.” Her hand slipped back to my neck.
I braced myself for what I was sure would be another stunning Rebecca performance.
“Action!” The set was silent and I looked into her eyes before leaning down to kiss her.
Once Art was satisfied that he had captured every possible angle of our lip lock, he called it quits for the day. I pulled the robe tightly around me and headed back to my trailer. I didn’t care about the clothes that were piled on the floor—those belonged to Julian. I had a pair of boots and jeans in my trailer I couldn’t wait to put on.
The door latched behind me and I slumped on the couch. What a damn long day. I quickly dialed Chelsea. Maybe I could catch her before she fell asleep.
Someone answered, but all I could hear were muffled sounds.
“Chelsea? Is that you? Where are you?”
I realized the muffles were actually sobs.
“Darlin’, what’s wrong? Where are you?” I sat forward on the couch.
“I-I can’t talk about it.”
I breathed. “At least you’re talking. Please tell me what’s going on. I can’t help if I don’t know what’s happening. Just tell me if you’re ok.” I wondered if I needed to hang up and call Bud.
“I’m ok,” she managed to mutter.
“Are you at the ranch? Do you need Bud?”
“I’m at the ranch. I’m fine.” She cleared her throat. “I have to go home tomorrow.”
“Home? North Carolina home?” Nothing made sense right now.
“Ben, it’s terrible. It’s so awful.” I heard the sobs start again.
I looked around the trailer, feeling completely helpless. “Do you need me to come out there?” I had no idea how I could swing something like that. But if this was serious, I would figure it out. I had to be there.
“No! No, I have to go be with my mom. I can’t stay here.”
“You’re scaring the hell out of me right now. Can you just tell me something?”
She sighed into the phone. “Derek called tonight. Everyone knows about my dad’s affair. Everyone, even Mom.”
“Oh, God. That sucks.” She had confided in me during the summer that she knew her father had been having an affair. For the most part, I thought Hayden Davis was a good man. But Chelsea had struggled with the affair and that put Hayden on my cautious list. It hadn’t been easy for her to keep the secret.
“What can I do to help? There has to be something.”
She sniffed a few times before answering. “I know it’s kind of a big favor, but can I borrow the jet? But if it’s too much trouble, I can just get a regular ticket.”
“Hell no, you take the jet. Whatever you need. It’s yours. I just wish I could go with you.” The trailer walls felt like they were closing in on me. I was trapped. The movie had cut off all my flexibility.
“Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I’m not there for you. Maybe I could fly out over the weekend.”
“No, the jet is enough. I know you would be here if you could, but I’m not sure how my mom would react. I haven’t even talked to her yet. She doesn’t know I’m coming.”
“Oh, wow. Do you think it’s the best idea, then? Maybe you should try to call her.”
“She needs me. I know she does. If I call, she’ll tell me to stay here and I can’t do that.”
For the first time since she answered the phone, she sounded like herself—confident and determined.
“All right. You know what she needs better than I do.”
“Thanks.”
There was a long silence, and I didn’t know what else to say. If she were here, I would know exactly what to say and do to make her feel better. But through the phone, my words seemed to fall flat. Maybe the emotion was so depleted from me that I didn’t have anything left to give her tonight. Evangeline had sapped my ability to do any more comforting, and Julian had all the lines.
“I guess I’ll let you get some rest. But you can call me if you need me. You know that, right?”
“I do.”
“All right, pretty girl. Be careful tomorrow and make sure you call me as soon as you get to North Carolina.”
“I will.”
I didn’t want to hang up, but I had to let her go.
“Good night, Chelsea.”
“Good night.”
An eeriness entered the trailer as soon as the phone was silent. As cold as it felt inside the metal walls, I didn’t think I could face the suite alone. I stretched out on the couch. It wouldn’t be the first time I had slept in a talent trailer. At least I wouldn’t be late in the morning.