Idolized (Hollywood Stardust Book 3) (34 page)

Thank you for letting me stay here.

STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER

You’re always welcome here, you know you’re one of my own.

(She grabs ROXY’S hand.)

ROXY

(Looks down)

I always wanted it to be official.

STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER

Who says it’s not official?  I know what I feel and that’s all I need to make it official.

ROXY

I just feel like no one ever wants to claim me.

STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER

Love, you have always searched for someone else to take care of you and give you the answers, when you have to take care of yourself.

ROXY

(Shrugs)

I don’t know how, I don’t even know where I’d start.

STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER

Instead of asking for what you want, demand it, and if it doesn’t work, then move on.

ROXY

(Turns to STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER)

Are you telling me to move on?

STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER

(Pulls ROXY in for a hug)

No, I’m telling you to be with someone who will claim you.

Chapter Sixteen

AN ORGASM WAS MOST definitely the way Ryder preferred to wake up. It cleansed him, relaxed him, and helped him focus mentally. In fact, as he reclined on his couch in his trailer reviewing the few minutes of test footage they shot the day before in front of the Hollywood Stardust façade first thing in the morning, he decided that filming or not, he and Cora should start every day with an orgasm.

Yes, as he told Cora at the beach last night, he craved her. Craved her in that way where even if he made love to her before going to bed, he had to have her first thing in morning. Part of the issue with yesterday was he couldn’t stop thinking about her. In a small consolation prize, she did say she would be coming by the set. Maybe they could take a break here in the trailer. After all, He did have a king size bed with high-end natural fiber bed sheets that needed to be tested.

A quick glance at the time told him he had to get to going. They needed to make up for lost time yesterday. He stood, stretched, and made his way out. As the first real shooting day, there was already a barrage of people on set. But that didn’t include the parade that began the moment he neared the scene of the crime. Well, in this case, the scene of the scene, and he didn’t remember casting any roles for this part.

By parade, he meant seriously, it was a parade.

The fanfare started with the baton twirler, in this case, Rodger carrying what appeared to be an iced coffee and a briefcase.

Behind him came a coordinated dance of various people he didn’t know who set up a desk, equipment he didn’t recognize, but it looked pretty space age, some chairs and even a little canopy.

What he would call the marching band came in the form of Viktor, who inspected the space set up by those who came before him. He nodded and set up a director’s chair with the name Caine silkscreened on the fabric.

Then everyone, and he meant everyone, from the stars, to the extras, to the woman manning the catering table, turned to watch the Grand Marshal herself make her entrance.

In an impeccably tailored black business suit with a crisp white shirt, her hair flowing behind her and Spike by her side, Cora marched down the line, nodded at her public, practically waved, then bowed and took her seat in the chair with her name.

The grand finale came when one of the workers hurried over and set up a little dog bed with Spike’s name on it. When Spike took his spot, Ryder wondered if he should get the little guy a crown or something. Instead, another person came over, put a silver bowl down, poured some bottled water into the bowl, and handed the dog something to chew on. Ryder figured that was better than a crown, for a dog anyway.

The set took on a silence normally reserved for active filming. He turned behind him toward the crew and then back to Cora. Since he was the one sleeping with her, technically, he needed to be the one to figure out what the hell was going on, and he approached. “Baby?”

“I suppose since the world knows we live together, it’s all right you call me baby.” She took a sip of her coffee, opened her laptop and stared up at his hair.

“Cora.” He tried again.

She continued to stare at his hair. “Yes.”

“What’s with the set up?” Her absolute fixed gaze on the top of his head made him shift his weight from one foot to the other.

“Last night when I was called to Dane Ellis’ office, I told the studio I would be on set, but I have to work, so we brought my office here.” She narrowed her eyes as if staring his hair down. “Go on and film and maybe we can go to lunch.”

With her whole job thing looming over him, he nodded. The situation seemed reasonable enough, and he got his wish to have her here. Deciding not to tell her they were in for at least twelve hour days on the set, he just needed to know one thing. “Is something wrong with my hair?”

“I don’t like it.” Now she wrinkled her nose.

“Why not?” He leaned down and lowered his voice.

“It doesn’t look like you. I like it how you wear it, that’s rock star enough. Maybe we can get someone to fix it.” She merely lifted a finger and Rodger ran over.

“Yes, Cora.” Since her secretary always had to be doing something, Rodger straightened out her pens.

“Would you mind fixing Ryder’s hair? You know how I prefer it.” As if it were some disturbance, she motioned toward his hair and refocused her attention on her computer.

Without skipping a beat, Rodger put his briefcase on the table and opened it to reveal not papers or work things, but a whole host of bizarre items, including tools for hairstyling. “Mr. Scott, if you don’t mind sitting down, I’ll have this fixed for Cora in just a moment.”

In addition to the questions of why Rodger walked around with what appeared to be a soldering iron as well as a can of peaches, was also why did this man know how Cora liked his hair?

“What’s the hold up?” Logan came over and gave Cora a kiss on the cheek.

Ryder shook his head, now Logan germs were on his girl. Maybe Rodger had a cleansing wipe.

“Is there a reason that you get to have your hairstyle, but Ryder must have some molded thing that makes him look like a doll?” she asked.

Well, if nothing else, this conversation was doing wonders for Ryder’s ego. The second he got home, he was washing his hair. For future movies, he would have to have a hair clause in his contract. A few years ago he did a movie where he had to shave his head, what would have Cora done then?

“Cora, it’s my goal to keep this movie on time and on budget for you. Now I know you are used to seeing Ryder look a certain way, but I can assure you that on camera it will transform him into William.” As if he were teaching a class, Logan spoke slowly. “Plus, all the workers are union workers and we have to have them do their jobs or there could be issues.”

“Oh, I understand.” She sat up. “Thank you for the education. Don’t let me hold you up. Go film. Ryder and I have a lunch date.”

Instead of contradicting her, Logan turned, shot him a look and walked back to set.

“I better get to work.” Ryder gave Cora a kiss on the lips and followed Logan, reminding himself to ask Rodger for that wipe.

He joined the rest of the cast.

“Let’s see if we can make up for lost time from yesterday.” Logan stepped back and took in the set done up like the backstage of an outdoor concert park.

They spent the next two hours blocking the scene, getting the lighting and the props correct. Since Ryder’s scene with Roxy was first, Logan would take the lead on the direction, and they mapped out some strategies.

He glanced back at Cora. The few times he checked on her, her head was buried in her computer, but now she was standing and talking to Viktor and Rodger. She paced around, shook her head, pointed to that blasted computer she was always glued to, and put her hand over her eyes. A master of body language, he knew something was definitely wrong and tensed.