Wicked Heart (Starcrossed #3)(39)

Mary turns to me. “Elissa, can you make sure you stay on top of their filming schedule? You have the list of the setups they need, right?”

“Yes. All fine.”

“Marco will rely on you and Josh to ensure rehearsal disruption is kept to a minimum.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

We’ve known for a couple of weeks this reality show would intersect with our rehearsals, and even though Marco hates the idea, he’s grudgingly agreed it’s great publicity. Unlike most reality shows, which are produced months in advance, this one is televised the weekend after it’s shot. I suspect that’s why the producer looks so frazzled. Piecing together dozens of hours of footage into some sort of interesting narrative must be a nightmare.

Amidst all the mayhem, Liam and Angel chat quietly in the corner, arms around each other. How they can look so natural and unaffected when there are cameras two feet away, I’ll never know.

I hear Angel say, “I love you, baby, and I can’t wait to finally be Mrs. Quinn.” Liam gives her an adoring smile, then kisses her gently. The part of me that still loves him swoons. I remember what it was like to be kissed like that.

“Elissa?” Mary says.

“Hmmm?”

“I also need you to make sure everyone in the rehearsal room has signed the release forms. That includes you guys.”

Beside me, Marco groans. As flamboyant as he is, he has no desire to be on TV. I know how he feels. Josh, on the other hand, can’t wait. He believes his natural charisma and winning personality (his words) are going to make him a fan favorite. Knowing Josh, he’s probably right.

As soon as everyone has signed in, I round up the cast so Marco can start. For the most part, the TV crew stays out of the way, but whenever we have breaks, they follow Angel and Liam around like shadows.

At lunchtime, I’m pinning the shooting schedule to the notice board when I feel a presence behind me. I turn to see Angel there, smiling sweetly. A film crew hovers beside her.

“Hey, Elissa.”

I glance at the camera. God, this feels weird. We’ve all been told to ignore the camera and act natural, but that’s easier said than done. “Uh . . . yes, Miss Bell. Can I help you?”

She glances over her shoulder. “Sorry about the tagalong. You get used to it after a while.”

“I’m going to take your word on that. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, nothing, really. I just came over to say hi. Yesterday was such a blur, I didn’t get to talk to anyone. But I figure we’re all in this together for the next few months, so we should at least try to get to know each other.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Liam standing near the water cooler. He looks concerned. I’ve already reassured him I’m not going to tell her about us. What does he have to be worried about?

I plaster on a smile. “Of course. Feel free to ask me anything, Miss Bell.”

“Oh, please. It’s Angel. Well, it’s Angela, but only my father calls me that. So tell me, what exactly does a stage manager do?”

“She runs the whole show,” Liam says as he walks over to us with his own camera crew in tow. “Every single stage direction, costume change, set piece, prop, lighting cue, sound cue—all of it is overseen by the stage manager. After Marco finishes directing the show, it’s going to be up to Elissa to make it happen every night.”

Angel links her arm through Liam’s but keeps her eyes on me. “Wow, sounds like a lot of responsibility. You must have to work under a lot of pressure.”

I nod. “I don’t mind pressure.”

“Don’t be modest,” Liam says. “Elissa thrives under pressure. I’ve never seen someone become so focused while everyone else loses their minds.”

Angel puts a hand on his bicep. “Sweetie, we should take Elissa out for dinner one night, yes? You two probably have some amazing stories from the show you did together. I’d love to hear about your early days. You never talk about them.”

Before Liam can say anything, Angel turns to me. “What do you say, Elissa? It’d be fun, right? Plus, any friend of Liam’s is a friend of mine.”

I open my mouth to say that Liam and I have never been friends, but the look on his face stops me. Instead I say, “Sure. That would be great.”

Considering Marco’s directive to keep our leads happy no matter what, I figure I have no choice but to agree.

“Mr. Quinn?” Josh steps beside me. “Marco is ready for you.” His tone is less friendly than usual, but if Liam notices, he doesn’t let it show. Josh turns to Angel. “Miss Bell, I’ll be back to collect you in a few minutes.”

Angel beams at him. “Thanks, Josh.”

Josh’s ears turn pink. I wonder if that’s going to happen every time he talks to her.

Liam starts to leave, but before he can, Angel grabs his arm and pulls him over. “See you soon, honey.” She stands on her toes to give him a light kiss. The camera crews jostle to get the best shot of the lip-lock.

When Liam pulls back, he looks over at me for a millisecond before returning his attention to her. “See you soon.”

Josh escorts Liam and his entourage into the rehearsal room, leaving me and Angel alone. “So, Elissa, how long have you and Josh been together?”

“Ten years.”