CHAPTER EIGHT
They ended up not signing the contract, deciding a handshake was good enough. Helen was thrilled when Paige told her the news, but Carrie was a bit more subdued, withholding judgment for awhile. Her assistant was the careful, methodical type.
Paige still thought the idea was slightly ridiculous and no one was going to believe it but Nate’s assurances had her saying yes. All Nate wanted in exchange was an acting role and to direct, which wasn’t an outlandish request. He was a great actor and he did have the enthusiasm to bring Flynn into existence. He didn’t have much directorial experience – just a few short films – but she didn’t want a director that might be experienced but who was determined to do it his or her own way, her vision be damned.
All she had to do was keep a safe distance from him. Not get too close. Don’t get attached. Keep things light and casual. He’d said they might become friends and that was fine with her, although she’d quickly found that he could annoy her. Like today, for instance. He was following her like a puppy and she wasn’t used to having company wherever she went. She’d been alone a long time even before Noah’s death and had learned to do things on her own. Because she had to.
Paige still had some business to complete in the city and Nate had agreed to stay on as well. After she was done she would fly to London with him for a few weeks.
To get to know one another.
“I don’t need your help with this.”
Paige checked her phone for messages as they walked down the crowded New York City street, the sun shining and the air warm. Just her kind of weather.
“As your new boyfriend it’s my duty to help you pick out some new clothes. Afterwards we’ll have some lunch. If you’re a good girl, I’ll buy you some ice cream.”
Boyfriend. I may never get used to this. Damn.
She shot him a glare that only made him laugh in response. “I’m forty years old and I think I can pick out a few dresses by myself.”
“Are you sure?”
Annoyed, she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk making the pedestrians go around them, muttering a few not so nice words under their breath. “I’m sure. Really, go back to the hotel and do whatever it is that famous movie stars do. Go to the gym. Read a script. Seduce a groupie. Just let me try on clothes in peace.”
He shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. “Frankly, darling, I’m not sure I can leave you on your own. You might never make it back to the hotel.”
That was an insult.
She placed her hand on her hip and gave him her best evil look. “Why do you think that?”
That smile became a shit-eating grin. “Because you passed our destination a block and a half ago. I was waiting to see if you’d notice.”
Son of a bitch. The British bastard was right.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, she turned and without a word strode back the way they came, Nate easily keeping up with her short legs, chuckling softly to himself. Asshole.
To his credit he didn’t say much as she introduced him to the stylist. Julie giggled and gushed but Paige would bet he was used to the female attention and took it as his due. He settled himself into a comfortable chair and pulled out his phone as she was swept back into a changing room to begin trying on a rack full of clothes.
Julie, however, had taken an instant shine to Nate and she wasn’t going to leave him to play Angry Birds on his cell. As soon as Paige was in the first dress, Julie was dragging her out of the changing room so she could show off for Nate. Ugh. She didn’t need his approval or opinion or whatever. But Julie was adamant. They needed a man’s opinion.
He looked up from his phone and smiled warmly, his warm gaze taking her in head to toe. The dress was a dark purple with a halter top bodice and a flirty skirt that ended mid-thigh. Julie had shoved her feet into sky-high heels and Paige felt distinctly wobbly, as if she might topple over any moment.
“Now that, darling, is quite lovely. That color brings out your eyes.”
What was it about his voice that made everything sound so fucking sexy?
“The dress is fine but these shoes are a hazard. I need something with a shorter heel, Julie.”
The stylist’s eyes went wide and her gaze darted to Nate and then back again. “It’s just…he’s so tall and you’re…”
“So freaking short,” Paige finished for her. “Yep, I’m a shrimp and even in high heels I’m not fooling anyone.”
Nate was laughing and shaking his head. “I think Paige has a good point. We don’t want any broken ankles.”
Julie reluctantly relented and brought out a pair of gold sandals that Nate instantly approved of, which only made the stylist more enthusiastic to please him.
Him. Not me. You know, the person paying her.
The next two hours were excruciating as Julie and Nate turned Paige into a life-size dress up doll. The one saving grace of the morning was the admiring way he looked at her whenever she came out of the changing room. He liked what he was seeing and she’d become progressively weak-kneed as the appointment had gone on. It had been a long time since she’d seen that look in anyone’s eyes and she hated to admit it but she missed it.
She was relieved when it was finally over and she was back in her own clothes – jeans and a cotton shirt. Nate tucked his phone in his pocket and handed Paige her handbag. The charmer had held her purse without complaint. “Julie, can you arrange for those clothes to be delivered?”
Paige had already done that and opened her mouth to tell him so but Julie beat her to it. “Of course, Nate. I’ll have them packed up and shipped after the alterations are finished. It’s been wonderful to meet you today and let’s get together and talk about some outfits for that photo shoot you have coming up.”
Julie gave Paige a big hug and wished her luck and then gave Nate a long, lingering look as they made their way to the door and down the stairs to the street.
Paige shook her head, amused at the play by play between her fake boyfriend and her stylist. It was as if he was walking, talking catnip and all the women were…felines.
“You conquered another one, Treetop. It’s actually sort of fascinating watching you in action. You’re good at it.”
His brow quirked but he simply took her arm in his and led them down the street. “She was only being nice to me because she wants the work. Didn’t you hear her at the end? She wants to dress me for a photo shoot. This didn’t have anything to do with my manly attributes.”
Of which he had many.
Paige snorted derisively. “Right. I beg to differ. She was looking at you like you were chocolate ice cream with fudge sauce.”
He didn’t take the bait.
“And what is this Treetop? Is that some sort of American endearment? How sweet, my sweet.”
“It’s a nickname because you’re so damn tall. There’s a whole world up there I don’t even know about.” He was laughing again as she jumped up and waved her hand as high as she could reach. “So glad I can make you laugh. At least one of us has had a fun morning.”
But she planned to shake him for the afternoon. Being this close to him made her…jittery, although she didn’t know why. Maybe it was simply his proximity. He was one tall man and he towered over her.
“Darling, you have no idea just how amusing you are. Now let’s have lunch. Are you hungry?”
They had a lot to learn about each other. Time to educate him.
“You have no idea, do you? If we’re going to hang out, you need to learn a few things about me and one of the most important? I’m always hungry. In fact, if I start to get grouchy and bitchy just feed me. I’ll be all smiles within minutes. I carry snacks in my purse just in case.”
His brows shot up in surprise. “Good to know. I think we need to put a smile on that face right away.”
* * *
For a tiny thing, Paige could really put away some food. Nate had taken her to his favorite Italian restaurant and so far she’d managed to eat every bite of her chicken parmesan plus three pieces of homemade bread dipped in olive oil and spices. Now she was eyeing the dessert menu.
She set the menu card down on the table. “You’re looking at me like I’m an alien from outer space. Is it weird being with a female that actually…you know…eats?”
Paige had a lovely smile, dimples in both cheeks. She’d been quite adorable this morning trying on all those dresses like she was Cinderella getting ready for the ball.
“Well, yes, as a matter of fact it is. Most women tell me they’re not hungry.”
Snickering, she took a sip of her iced tea. “Then they proceed to eat half of whatever you ordered, right?”
Not if he ate it first.
“Something like that.”
Paige shrugged. “I like to eat and I like to cook. I watch too much of the food channel. When I get writer’s block I like to try new recipes. About half of them turn out, and the other half is an inedible disaster.”
He liked finding out things about her that he hadn’t been able to dig up on his own.
“Feel free to try your experiments on me. I went to boarding school so I’ll pretty much eat anything.”
The waitress came and Paige ordered a slab of chocolate cake. Two forks. He’d just have to run a little farther tomorrow morning to work it off.
She was playing with the corner of the placemat and studiously avoiding his gaze. He was coming to know this was when she wanted to say something but she didn’t know how to say it.
“Something on your mind, love?”
Raising her head, she nodded but still didn’t speak, instead pressing her lips together for a long moment. “Why me?”
He let out a relieved breath. That was a question he was happy to answer.
“It all started during a visit to my mum’s house. She was reading one of your books and raving about it. She’s a big fan and is going to be excited to meet you. Anyway, I couldn’t sleep that night so I picked it up and well…let’s just say I didn’t get any rest until I’d finished it. I couldn’t put it down and I was intrigued with Flynn. I’ve read every book in that series and I want to play that character. I also want to try my hand at directing. Build a resume behind the camera. My management tells me that I’m aging too quickly.”
They’d actually been much more brutal, telling him his window of opportunity for leading man roles was quickly closing. He needed to do something fast.
Her smile was lopsided. “This seems like you’re going to an awful lot of trouble just for a role.”
“I couldn’t take any chances,” he said simply.
She seemed to think about his answer before posing another question. “Is the role that important to you? You probably turn down jobs every day.”
The conversation had taken an unexpected turn. Normally he wouldn’t dream of telling her the truth, giving her that sort of power over him but there was something about her. Something trustworthy. She wasn’t someone who was going to go for the jugular.
“Sadly since last year and… all that happened… the offers are slower in coming. Especially the bigger roles. The kind that change the direction of an actor’s career.” Their gazes met and he found himself admitting to her what he barely admitted to himself. “The fact is other than the Thunder commitments, I don’t have anything else but a London play on the horizon.”
Her mouth fell open and her eyes were soft with sympathy. “I’m sorry. You’re too talented to have that happen to you. It’s not fair.”
Nate shook his head. He’d been over and over this in his brain and she was wrong. “Actually it’s completely fair. I fucked up and Hollywood is punishing me, but they love a comeback story even more. That’s why I need to make something happen for myself. A reinvention, if you will. I want to show Hollywood I can do more than ride a motorcycle and be the bad boy. Succinctly put, I need you and Flynn. I need this project to revive my career.”
She blinked and sucked in a breath. “Jesus, no pressure there. Your whole entire career and livelihood are riding on some words I’ve written. Yep, no stress at all.”
He smiled at her nervousness. He was used to people who were as self-absorbed as he was. Yet here he sat with a lovely woman who was taking the responsibility for his future onto her own shoulders.
He couldn’t allow that.
“It’s all going to be fine,” he assured her, although he wasn’t as confident as he sounded. He was an actor, after all. “If this doesn’t work I’ll find another way. I’ve made enough money that I don’t have to work anymore. That is if I don’t buy an island or something.”
She smiled, one of the few genuine smiles he’d been gifted with since they’d met. It transformed her face from pretty to breathtakingly beautiful. “You do it because you love it. Because it’s a calling.”
It felt wonderful to be understood. She got him, at least this part of him. “You feel the same way, yes? Writing is more than a profession?”
“It’s who I am,” she said softly. “I can’t not do it. It’s as necessary as breathing.”
They had more in common than he’d thought.