“Take your notebook.” Powder held it out. Her purple painted lips matched her nails today.

Ashley was grateful for the idea. She’d hyperventilate if she had to sit in the fake waiting room with nothing to do except think about how stupid she looked. Opening the familiar book, she propped the back against the torn card table and sketched. Time spent drawing was her favorite time of the day, so she relaxed, quite happy to wait as long as necessary, though the wig was hot under the lights, and she’d be happier when she could remove it until they were ready for her.

The table jerked, making her pencil skid across the page.

Ashley said, “Earthquake,” and slid under the desk.

Chapter 9

The nearby crew and cast laughed.

Boomer said, “False alarm, Texas. I added a table and accidently hit your desk.”

Olive arrived back in time to witness Ashley’s fear. Hands tucked into her new black overalls, she laughed longer and louder than any of the others. Ashley could see their mirth clearly from her position under the desk, but she couldn’t think of anything to say.

Caz put a hand on the edge and leaned down with a smile. “You can come out now.”

She didn’t know what he saw on her face, but his smile faded and he straightened. “I need a break.”

The AD said, “Take fifteen, everybody.”

Caz leaned down and offered his hand. “Walk with me to the tea kiosk.” Ashley didn’t move for a second. Caz said in a low voice only she could hear, “Come with me, Ashley.” She took his hand and let him pull her out.

Cutter came over. “What about the—?”

Caz said, “Not now, I need a break.”

Instead of the tea kiosk, he led her out the back door to his trailer.

Ashley sat on his sofa and curled her hands around her knees. “Sorry, I—” Her voice trailed off, and she heard him moving around the kitchenette. Water streamed from the faucet. China clinked against a tray. Minutes later Caz arrived with tea on a full service tray.

He poured a cup of the hot brew, added sugar and milk, and put the warm cup in her hands. “Drink.”

Ashley wanted to apologize, say she was fine and being silly. Instead, she sipped the bracing tea. After a minute, she felt better, and with that came the rush of embarrassment. “Sorry, I didn’t realize they hit the table. I was just keyed up.”

Caz shrugged and drank his tea. “So you don’t like earthquakes. It’s not the stupidest fear to have.”

“They bother you?”

“I’ve never been in one, but I’m sure it would.”

He looked so calm, she doubted it. Ashley drank the rest of her tea then fiddled with the porcelain.

Caz put a script in her hands. “I’ll read the lines. You read Lorene’s part with me?”

“Okay.”

***

The AD said, “Places. Picture is up.” Next, they said information about the shot, “Roll camera,” then “Speed.” The clapper guy called out, “Marker” and clicked the clapperboard shut. “Action.”

Ashley set her notebook down and walked over to where Caz sat at a fake desk, stopping on her mark, feeling stupid and awkward. She held out the cup. Caz put his hand over hers and brushed his thumb over the back. Ashley’s shoulders relaxed; she smiled.

“Cut. Got it.”

***

Petra held the latest tabloid in her ringed fingers, scouring the pages. “Where am I? Where am I?” She made a delighted squeal and swung the glossy image toward the onlookers. There was a sizable shot of a bikini-clad Petra on the beach experiencing a wardrobe malfunction. Her delight ended when Petra flipped to the next page.

Caz made the tabloid also, with a picture taken from the doorway of his trailer. The picture contained a girl with blonde hair leaning over a smiling Caz. His hands rested on the fly of his unbuttoned jeans. Someone must have been behind Olive and the AD with a camera.

Petra read the caption aloud. “Caz and his mysterious blonde companion take time off on the set of Eternal Loss, Eternal Revenge.” Petra narrowed her eyes and stared harder at the picture.

Powder turned with raised eyebrows. Ashley widened her eyes innocently and stepped forward to fake interest in the photo. Her shoulders relaxed when she got a closer look.

She felt enormous gratitude for her long hair. Its messy length obscured her features just as it had in the limo.

Dad didn’t like her going out with guys who picked her up at the front door and met him. He’d be furious to see her featured in a tabloid, especially while rolling around on top of a couch with a guy—then throw in the fact that he was an actor: Armageddon.

Petra tossed the magazine aside, exchanging it for her laptop. After going online, she typed with the tips of her nails. Click, click.

The Tween In ‘Trinity of Stars’interview downloaded. In addition to the chopped-up and spliced Q&A, the reporter gave a brief wrap-up. “My Trinity of Starsinterview almost turned into a Duo of Stars. Where is the missing Lorene? Well, you didn’t hear it here, but buzz on the set says poor Lorene can’t face being around the power couple Caspian and Petra. Or, as we call them, CasPet. So what do you think, viewers? CasPet or are you holding out for CasLore? Vote on our website.”

Olive said, “CasPet.”

Petra grinned and clicked on another news link. This one featured Caz’s impromptu signature signing at the tea shack. Nine times out of ten, studio regulars and out-of-state tourists filled the tea shack, but not that day. Caz had happened to greet the tour on a day that a member of the press was visiting incognito with his family. Caz’s joke about needing tea, which had gone over well with the kiosk crowd, played just as well when repeated on national television.

Petra flicked through some more screens. “I need to interact more with my fans. I should upload more news about my day. What I’m doing, where we are with the filming. They’d love that.”

“They would,” Olive said.

***

“Let me see it.” Caz put down the book he was reading.

Ashley checked out the cover: Le Misanthrope ou l’Atrabilaire amoureux. “ The Misanthrope.I’m reading that too, for school.”

Caz nodded. “Let me see.”

“Huh?”

He lifted the hem of her T-shirt. Ashley looked around quickly, but no one was watching, so she let him. Several splotchy purple bruises marred the skin around her waist. He frowned and ran the back of his hand along them. “Do they hurt?”

Ashley didn’t answer, distracted by the sensation caused by his hand.

No, it didn’t hurt.She didn’t know what he saw in her eyes, but he smiled and slid his warm palm around her back. Pulling her closer, he leaned forward to murmur in her ear about the movies playing at a nearby theater.

“What are you guys doing?” Petra asked. “I was going to tell you about my new armlet.”

Caz looked at Petra in annoyance, and it took a moment for Ashley to snap out of the fuzzy sensation that had ensnared her. When her head cleared, she deliberately stepped away from Caz, frowning at him in confusion. What was he doing? What was she letting him do?

Caz said, “We were talking about what movie we’re going to see tonight.”

Petra blew out a breath.

Ashley felt torn, confused. Olive chose that moment to join them. She dragged a large laundry bag overflowing with envelopes behind her, and pushed the bulk against Ashley’s leg. “You’re going to have to help with this fan mail like the rest of us do. You have to do your share of the work. I’m not going to ask again.”

Ashley had never seen the bag. She lifted an envelope and peeped inside. “Snail mail?”

“Fan mail.”

“Sorry, Caz, looks like I’ll be busy tonight with this.” Ashley tipped the envelope to the side and a slim piece of elasticized fabric fell out. They all looked down at the red lace thong. Ashley read, “Dear Caspian…”