Caz told her stories, and she told him about her plans to major in architecture.

Beep. The alarm on her phone signaled time to depart. “Wow, okay, we gotta go.”

Caz glanced at his watch with a frown and nodded. When they reached the back exit, he leaned forward and pushed the metal bar in, holding the door for her.

They got back without incident and Ashley pulled the car as close as she could get to the warehouse entrance, and put on her hazard lights. “I’ll drop you here.”

“Go ahead and park. I’m British, we like to walk.”

Ashley shook her head. “They’ll kill me if you’re late. You should go in.”

Caz paused a moment, then got out.

Ashley clicked off the hazard lights and put the car in gear. “That was fun though, thanks for joining me.”

“It was quite good.”

“You’ll have to go back when you get your car.”

“We could go this weekend,” Caz said.

“Can’t. Mom’s in town for a long weekend. I’m so psyched. We’re going to check out some universities.”

Caz held onto the doorframe, and his eyes took on a distant expression. “Your mom’s staying with you and your dad?”

“They get along great.” Ashley softened her voice. “Not all divorces are bad.”

Caz tapped the side of his phone. His face blanked and he shut the door. “Tell that to my parents.”

***

Ashley went over to Powder when she finally got a break. Mondays were killer.

Powder said, “How was your weekend with your mom?”

“Normal. Fun. Dad even showed up for dinner two nights in a row.”

Powder shook her head and her giant hoop earrings swung, making tiny parrots do a 360-degree spin off the bottom of the hoops. “I don’t get divorced people who still like each other. I’ve had to get more than one restraining order against my exes. That’s passion.”

Ashley didn’t respond to that theory. “How’d your weekend go?”

“I got stood up. His buddies were in town and wanted to pull some all-night road trip to Vegas. But don’t worry; I’ll make him pay before I forgive him. ”

“You should try dating normal sometime.”

Ashley gestured to Boomer lugging a chair under each arm. He plopped them down side by side.

“What’s that?”

“A reporter’ll be here later,” Powder said.

Ashley raised her eyebrows.

“She’s going to interview Caz, Petra, and Lorene. They’re calling the segment Eternal Loss, Eternal Revenge’s Trinity of Stars.”

“Hmm. I haven’t met Lorene.” Lorene was the supporting actress booked to play Caz’s long-lost love. She hoped she liked Lorene more than she liked Petra. It wouldn’t take much.

“Me either.” Powder made a ticked sound when she found a cotton swab in with the lip liner brushes. For a wild person, she was crazy organized.

Powder put her hands on her hips. “I’m missing a frosted cream pencil in aquamarine and a ruby slush lip liner. That’s the last time Olive helps me.” She stomped toward the back exit. “Olive. Where are you?”

“Give me a hand here?” Boomer called. Ashley joined him. He shoved a coffee table in front of one of the chairs and frowned more. “It’s supposed to look cozy for the star’s interviews. What’s cozy?”

Cutter, walking by, frowned. “Not that.”

Ashley ignored Cutter and tugged one of the chairs around so that they faced the other.

Boomer centered the small coffee table between the two chairs.

Cutter returned carrying blankets. He tucked the throw over the back of the chair. “Lorene goes first.” He handed Ashley a blue and red blanket. “Then Caspian, and then Petra. Switch out the backdrops for each.” Cutter smoothed the fabric into place. “Green will complement Lorene’s peaches-and-cream coloring.”

Olive pounded over and plopped a tea tray on the coffee table. “When’s Lorene getting here?”

Cutter shrugged, and his gaze swiveled around the set. “She should be here. I need to fit her dress.” His left eye twitched and he snagged a sugar cube from the bowl.

Olive slapped at his hand. “Those are for Caspian.” She adjusted a tiny teapot and arched an eyebrow at Ashley.

“Ash.” The AD walked up, waving a roll of colored tape her way.

“I got the blocking done earlier,” Ashley said. The actors were blocking today, so she had come in early to stick tape on the floor, marking the actors’ spots, one color for Lorene, one color for Caz.

Olive ran to the AD. She snagged the tape from his hand and stomped over to the stage. She scoured the floor, putting slightly larger pieces of tape over the already marked spots.

Today was going to be a sixteen-hour day for sure. Ashley had typed up a text message warning Dad she’d be late, though he usually worked even later than she did. “Hey, Boomer,” Ashley said.

“Yeah?” Boomer sat on a crate threading the wire for a hidden microphone through a vase.

“The interviews are going to be over there, in a second.” Ashley gestured with her free hand toward the cozy nook he’d set up.

“You need mics?”

“No, but you should move your crate against that wall or hang that cable back there. Get seen on camera, maybe. You’re too out of the way over here.”

Color flooded his face and his buzzed head ducked. “Maybe.”

Ashley’s mouth dropped. She thought he’d love to invite a million viewers to the gun show. Who knew?

A new woman walked on set. Movie sets were a crazy rush of people all the time but since they worked such long hours, Ashley knew most of the crew. She recognized the new woman from her online interview with Garrett; and if she hadn’t, she’d have guessed she was a reporter by her shellacked hair, toothy grin, and navy suit.

Ashley frowned. Caz was expecting a professional newscast. Tween Inwas a show for teens and younger, one step up from a tabloid wanting to discuss his alien baby. What was his agent thinking? He was going to hate this interview. She peeked at the clock on her cell phone. Lorene was due, but no Lorene. She’d better get Caz ready to go early.

Caz stood by the tea tray. His hand reached for a teacup, an unsuspecting look on his face.

Stilling his hand, Ashley said, “Let me.” She gestured for him to take a seat and poured him a cup with milk and sugar.

Before handing the porcelain to him, she whispered, “You know about the interview, right?”

“Yes, an entertainment segment for a news program.” Caz took a sip and smiled at the cup. “I’m going to talk about my character’s descent from happiness to emptiness.”

Ashley nodded. “Powder said the director’s going to contrast the memories of your lost love’s sweetness against the vixen’s manipulations.”

Caz slumped and rested the cup on the arm of the chair. “It’s a change to have a good script to discuss. One that’s complete before we start shooting.”

She smiled. Dad had told her horror stories of unfinished scripts and impossible deadlines.

The reporter, her cameraman, and the AD joined them. Caz rose, and Ashley stepped out of the way while they exchanged greetings.

“I’m Karla Quintos from Tween In,online and on the air,” the reporter said without smudging her shiny pink lipstick.

Caz’s smile faltered for a second then returned.

The two sat down and Caz offered the reporter tea. She declined and got straight down to it. Facing her camera, she said, “We’re here on the set of Eternal Loss, Eternal Revengewith the hottest star on the planet, Caspian Thaymore. Caspian. Your fans are dying to know—boxers or briefs?”

Chapter 8

Oh. That was not going to go over well. Ashley sucked in a breath and bit her lip.

Caz stared at the reporter a long moment then ignored her question. “I’m really enjoying my stay in California. The weather is lovely.” Caz sat a little straighter.