Fall

“We want her to play the role opposite you.”

I almost dropped the phone.

“Pardon?” I squeaked, pounding my chest like I’d just swallowed a bug. An unknown? They were going to give the part… to Pris?

“I’ve surprised you.” He chuckled. “Your agent poured himself a drink, I’m not sure if it was in celebration or stress. At any rate, it’s my movie, and I have full control of casting. The chemistry you both demonstrated was unlike anything I’ve seen in a very, very long time, son. Now, Peter has explained your situation in great detail. If we’re able to move a chunk of the movie to Oregon rather than Louisiana, and if your fiancée is okay with it, can I get a verbal agreement?”

“Yes.” This was happening. Holy shit. “Yes, I’ll do it.”

“Fantastic.” I heard a few claps. “We didn’t want to film in Louisiana anyway. It didn’t have the right feel. Oregon has some great tax breaks, so we’ll be saving money filming in that location anyways. Alright, pre-production’s set for two weeks. You may need to fly down with your fiancée a few times, but we’ll make it work.”

“Do you want me to tell her?” Please let me tell her.

“Of course! We’ll be in touch, Jaymeson.”

“Sir.”

I ended the conversation and stared at my phone for a good five minutes before mindlessly shuffling back into the suite.

“Everything alright?” Alec popped his gum and leaned back in the chair.

“Yeah.” I stuffed the phone back in my pocket. “Um, I got the part.”

“Awesome.” Demetri pumped his fist in the air. “I love happy endings. The whore discovers a heart and lives happily ever after in Oz under a rainbow of potted gold.”

“Uh…” Alec patted Demetri’s shoulder. “I think you’re mixing your fairy tales up with the great wizard and lucky charms.”

“Damn, I’m starving,” Demetri muttered.

“They’re offering the other lead to Pris.”

Demetri fell back in his chair. Alec caught him before he hit the ground. Both of them cursed then winced as Dani moaned in her sleep.

“How?” Alec asked while Demetri said. “Does she know?”

“We did the audition tape together. It was…” Hot. That’s what it was. It was amazing. The first time I’d said I love you out loud.

Alec clapped his hands. “Dude, stop spacing out. You’re worse than Demetri, and you don’t have the excuse of having no brain cells left from drug use.”

“I love my brother. I love my brother. I love my brother.” Demetri squeezed his eyes shut and repeated the mantra.

“Boys!” Nat entered the room lifting bags of food in the air. “We brought you food!”

We fell silent.

The girls stared at us.

We stared back.

Demetri coughed.

“Er, something wrong?” Alyssa asked with a weak smile in place.

“Priscilla’s going to be in a movie!” Demetri blurted then covered his mouth while Alec smacked him on the back of the head. “Sorry, I’m hungry. I can’t control myself when I’m hungry.”

Groaning, I looked back to Pris.

Her eyes narrowed. “What?” She shook her head and let out a nervous laugh. “That’s impossible.”

“They liked the audition video we did.” I smiled encouragingly. “Danny Erickson just called me. Not only does he want you to play opposite me, but they’re going to film here.”

“We have got to jump on that soundtrack.” Alec elbowed Demetri in the ribs. “Call Stan.”

“Are you serious?” All color drained from Pris’s face. “But what if I’m horrible?”

Everyone burst out laughing.

“You’ll be fine.” I took slow steps toward her. “I promise. You’ll be with me.”

“But—”

“Dude, she may need Demetri’s paper bag,” Alec interjected.

“Funny,” Demetri grumbled under his breath.

“Love.” By the time my fingers grazed her jaw, color was returning to her cheeks. “We’ll be together. I was all set to turn it down, and then he said your name. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than get to kiss my fiancée, and get her to fall in love with me all over again, scene by scene, line by line…”

Nat and Alyssa sighed.

Yeah, the guys were probably going to poison my cereal.

“Okay.” Pris’s brown eyes were wild with excitement. “But, if I suck, you have to make me better.”

“Oh, I’ll make it all better,” I murmured, kissing her.

“There he is!” Demetri announced. “Damn, I was worried for a second. It’s always hard, you know? Losing a whore.”

Chapter Forty-Five

Priscilla

It was a week before we were able to take Dani home. Jaymeson and I had spent countless hours in that suite with her. I still couldn’t believe that he’d gone to all that trouble just so we would be comfortable.

Dani was a lot more easy-going around the guys, but I could tell it still unnerved her.

There were also the nightmares.

At least once a night she woke up yelling for our dad. Every time, I held her and cried with her. My heart wasn’t healed, but I was trying so hard to be strong for her, and in turn, Jaymeson was strong for me.