Take Two (30 page)

“I don’t think he wants to be totally sold on it,” Maddie said finally. “But yes, he is.”

“Well, that’s a load of shit. People in Hollywood date all the fucking time.”

“You’re preaching to the choir.” This wasn’t anything Maddie hadn’t thought about a hundred times. But she’d also considered Micah’s point of view. “You have to admit, though, this town has a higher rate of failed relationships than most places.”

“I don’t have to admit shit. You’re talking about Micah being all self-fulfilling prophecy with his viewpoint and all, but what about you? You sound as convinced that it isn’t going to work out as he is.” She shook her head in frustration. “If you really loved him, you think you’d have a little more faith.”

“I’m kinda all out of faith, Bree. This whole biz has jaded me.”

“I get it. But I just have to ask…” Bree reached over and tapped Maddie on the nose. “What if he loves you too?”

Maddie traced the bowl of her wineglass with her index finger. “He could have told me during those three weeks.”

“Did it ever occur to you that he might be just as stupid at this type of thing as you are?”

Maddie thought back to the hot air balloon ride, when Micah had taken her hand in his.
I’m scared.
That had only been a day and a half ago. Maybe she was short-changing him. Maybe he really wanted to give her more. Maybe he just needed more time.

But that was a lot of maybes, a lot of opportunities for Maddie to get hurt.
Yeah, that’s right, Micah, I’m scared, too. Too scared.

She was done with Micah. She looked at her watch. “Your five minutes are up.”

“Madalyn Rae Bauers!”

She threw her head back and groaned at the use of her full name. Maddie knew her friend. If she didn’t give something, Bree would harp on her all night. “All right, if I see him again, I’ll talk to him.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.” But Maddie didn’t plan on seeing Micah again. Seven years had passed between their first and second meetings. It couldn’t be that hard to pass another seven before she saw him again. Now it was time to move on.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Ms. Bauers, right this way please. The team is waiting in the private conference room.”

Maddie grabbed Bree’s hand to steady her shaky knees as they followed the receptionist to the conference room at Three Spot Films. She still couldn’t believe that Bree had gotten her a meeting with potential investors only two weeks after her return from Colorado. It had to be a record in the movie biz.

The receptionist, a petite Asian woman, led them toward a small room with glass walls. Inside, Maddie could make out three men and a woman sitting around a table. Two of them had their backs to her. Something about the scene triggered a feeling of familiarity, but before she could analyze it further, Bree put a hand on her shoulder.

“Maddie, hang on a sec.”

“Take your time,” the receptionist said, stepping aside so they could talk privately.

Maddie took a deep breath, preparing herself for the pep talk she was certain Bree was about to give her.

Instead, Bree turned Maddie so she was no longer facing the conference room and took both her friend’s hands in her own. “Um, don’t be mad, okay?”

“About…”

Normally confident and self-assured, Bree seemed flustered. “See, here’s the thing. I have names of people that Beaumont works with, of course I do, but none of them care what I have to say about an unknown filmmaker. And, Maddie, the people Beaumont works with are the ones who’ve heard shit about you from him. They don’t want to work with you. I could shop your movie all day long for the rest of my life and still not get a single meeting. Producers need a name attached, someone who is in the biz who’s willing to go to bat for you.”

Maddie’s stomach dropped. “What did you do?”

“He contacted me, Maddie.”

Maddie pulled away and looked back over her shoulder, not wanting to confirm her suspicion, but needing to all the same. Yes, the familiar feeling about the people in the conference room—one of them was Micah. She felt faint.

She hadn’t talked to Micah since the airport. He had called at least once a day even though she never answered. His text messages were more frequent, but those she deleted right away without fully reading. Because if she didn’t, who knew what she’d read into them?

Nights were the hardest. Her queen-size bed felt large and cold. She’d toss and turn for hours. Finally, she’d pull out her laptop and Google his name, reading every article ever written about him, watching every YouTube interview. She always ended staring at the photos of him and her together. Then she’d cry and eventually fall asleep.

She so wasn’t over him yet. There was no way she could see him now. All he had to do was smile at her and she’d be putty in his hands. “I’m not going in there.”

Bree gripped Maddie’s arms at the shoulders. “Yes, you are. This is your dream. Don’t be stupid about it.” Here was the pep talk. Just not the one Maddie had expected. “It’s good business, Maddie. He recognizes your talent and he’s been looking for a project to invest in. And it’s not just him. Three Spots wouldn’t be on board if they didn’t think it was good. Take the meeting. Decide then.”

“I can’t work with him. I can’t see him all the time.”

“They’re just investors. You can demand complete creative control. If you don’t want to see him, then kick him off the team. Take the meeting.”

Her career, her dreams. Micah had said that every day was a choice—career or not career. If she didn’t go in that room, she might never have the chance to choose career again. If he could be so single-minded, so could she. She took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“Good. Now go get ’em.”

Maddie shook her arms out, took another deep breath, and nodded at the receptionist.

“Right this way,” the receptionist said, taking them the rest of the way to the conference room. She opened the door and announced them. “Ms. Bauers and Ms. Weber.”

One of them, a tall salt-and-pepper-haired gentleman dressed in a light gray suit, stood and crossed to her, extending his hand to Maddie. “Hi, Ms. Bauers, I’m Richard Thurgood. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She shook his hand. “Maddie, please. This is my, uh, associate, Bree.”

Richard shook Bree’s hand then gestured to the other man, a younger version of himself. “This is my brother and partner Lance, and the third spot in the Three Spots is our good friend Kelsey Grey.”

Maddie shook hands with Lance and Kelsey.

Then she faced Micah. God, oh, God, he was hotter than she wanted to remember. He still hadn’t shaved his scruff, but it was trimmed and more groomed than he had worn it for the film. His eyes were bluer and deeper, was it possible? And his lips, curved down slightly, taunted her with memories of sweet kisses. Just being near him made her heart pound faster and her eyes misty.

“Of course you already know Micah,” Richard said.

Micah took her hand in greeting. The familiar electric spark from his contact surged through Maddie’s body, and her knees buckled. Thankfully she had her other hand on the back of a chair so that he wouldn’t notice. Though something in his expression said he knew anyway.

“I met Micah quite some time ago,” Richard said, pulling Maddie from the thick haze of Micah to the reason for their meeting. “And told him we were looking for something just like your film. I was surprised when he brought us your project.”

“I have to admit,” Maddie said, “I was surprised too.”

Micah pulled out a chair for her and she nodded politely as she moved to sit. He leaned in as he pushed her in to the table. “I would have told you if you’d answered my calls,” he whispered in her ear.

Maddie shuddered at the feel of his breath on her skin. “Voice mail works for more than just pining,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Touché.” He sat next to her, then leaned in again, a broad smile on his face. “You’re going to be awesome,” he whispered. “This is your moment to shine. Enjoy it.” He squeezed her knee under the table, which turned her belly to molten and made goose bumps run up her arms. But it also gave her the confidence she needed. He believed in her. He was there because he believed in her.

Richard ran the meeting. He expressed the elements of her film that he and his partners liked the most as well as concerns they had going forward. He worked through all of her budget items, suggesting adjustments and additions. Then he asked Maddie about her vision and ideas for the movie. Occasionally, Kelsey and Lance interjected, adding their own thoughts. When Beaumont had invested in her film, he just handed her a check and expected her to deliver. Maybe, with their guidance, she could actually pull this off.

Micah sat quietly, only speaking when directly addressed. His presence was never forgotten by Maddie, though. The hair on the right side of her body, the side closest to him, stood on end. She wondered if he might touch her again, perhaps bump her under the table. After his knee squeeze, however, he kept his hands to himself.

When the meeting ended, nearly two hours later, Richard announced that they would commit seventy-five percent of her needed funds and would leave all creative control to her. “Don’t think that means we wouldn’t like to give input. Please come to us often. We want to build this with you, if you’d let us.”

“Yes!” Maddie almost squealed. “Yes. Thank you and yes.”

Micah cleared his throat. “Maddie, you know I love your film, and I understand if you don’t want me on the team—” He paused, making sure she knew exactly what he was saying, letting her know she didn’t have to include him on the project. Then to the rest of the room he said, “Since I’m only a silly actor, after all.” Richard and Lance chuckled. “I certainly couldn’t add the production expertise that Richard and Lance and Kelsey could. But I’m more than committed to providing the additional twenty-five percent.”

He met Maddie’s eyes. “I’d even be a silent partner, if you prefer.”

No, she didn’t prefer. She loved his thoughts about film and the ideas he’d given her over the last several weeks had been amazing. He’d been invaluable, stimulating her creatively, inspiring her daily. For a moment, she let herself fantasize about working with him again.

But working with him would only make her want him. And she didn’t need to revisit the list of reasons why that would end in heartache. The heartache she was feeling was already worse than she could ever imagine. Spending more time with him could only make it worse.

She put on a smile, mostly for the rest of the room. “I want you on the team,” she said to Micah. “But could I think about the silent partner part?”

“Of course.” But she saw Micah’s eye twitch as he spoke and knew her response hurt him.

Well, too bad. She hurt too.

“Great!” Richard exclaimed. “I’ll have the papers drawn up and a check ready for you by the end of next week.”

Maddie exchanged an excited glance with Bree. It was happening—really happening. A real company was making her movie.

Her mind was dizzy as Richard wrapped the meeting up. Goodbyes were said and next thing Maddie knew, she and Bree were stepping in the elevator with Micah.

Then there was a whole other reason to feel dizzy. Because now she was in a tight space with Micah with only Bree as her safeguard. And Bree had already sold her out with Micah once that week. She braced herself for awkward to set in.

The minute the doors shut, he turned to her. “We need to talk.”

No, not here, not now.
She chose to divert him. “Yes, we do. Thank you, Micah. I’m so incredibly grateful that you hooked me up with Thr—”

“That’s not what we have to talk about.”

“Micah…” She didn’t know how to handle him, particularly with Bree there.

“I’m not letting you out of this elevator until you agree to talk.” He moved toward the electrical panel. “I’ll pull the emergency button if I have to.”

She put her hand out to stop him. “No, don’t do that.”

“Then you’ll talk?”

“I—” She wanted to talk, she did. She missed him. She had so much she wanted to say to him. She just didn’t know if she could bear what he’d say in return.

“You promised, Maddie,” Bree hissed at her. “You promised if you had the chance—”

If Maddie didn’t agree, Bree would tell Micah all her thoughts and feelings for her. “Fine. We can talk in the valet lounge. Bree, I’ll meet you at the car.”

“I’ll drive her home,” Micah said.

“No, I’ll meet you at the car,” Maddie growled, making sure Bree understood and didn’t drive off without her.

Bree nodded as the elevator doors opened to the parking garage. “Take your time,” she said over her shoulder as she walked toward her car.

Micah pulled Maddie by the elbow into the small lounge next to the elevator, a waiting area for when valet was available. Her skin burned under his grip, but too soon, he let her go, depositing her on an upholstered bench. He sat on the bench perpendicular to her and met her eyes.

He stared at her for several long seconds. Finally he spoke. “You’re mad at me.”

Maddie pursed her lips. “I’m not mad at you.”

He cocked his head. “Then why are you avoiding me?”