The Sheikh's Virgin Bride(39)

She hadn’t wanted to stare. It was like gazing into the sun, the man was so stunningly good-looking. Now that she had an excuse, her eyes drank him in like an oasis in the desert.

“The less known you are, the better,” he added.

When Kaye’s eyes widened at that remark, he backtracked.

“It’s just that we’re really looking for new talent. We don’t want someone who is already established—we’re looking to make a career here, Miss Kearney.”

She pursed her lips skeptically.

“Last I heard, careers weren’t made on reality television.”

Amir lifted an eyebrow at her.

“I beg to differ. You might recognize quite a few very wealthy, very successful people around here that got their start in this realm.”

“I don’t see any of them carrying Oscars, do you?”

“There’s always someone who has to pave the way. Perhaps that person will be you.”

Kaye stared at him, not daring to hope. He was cheering her on, without even knowing her.

Merle cleared his throat, taking back control of the interview.

“Tell us a little about yourself, Kaye,” he said, finally looking up at her.

It felt more like he was deciding on a sofa to purchase, rather than an actress to hire. Kaye did her best to keep eye contact with Merle, when all she really wanted to do was talk to Amir again.

“Well, I’m 25…” she began, and Merle scoffed.

“That’s not something you want to share in a casting call, Miss Kearney.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I’m not in the business of lying, sir,” she said, realizing she didn’t even know Merle’s last name.

He chuckled.

“For an actress, that is an amusing thing to say. You have just contradicted yourself in every possible way. Anyway, do continue.”

She hesitated, her eyes darting to Amir. His slight smile encouraged her to continue, and if he hadn’t been there, Kaye would have been out of that room faster than all the other girls before her. Reluctantly, she looked back at Merle to answer his question.

“I’m from a small town in Indiana that no one has ever heard of. I’ve lived in L.A. since graduating from college, and I’m hopeful to get a job that can lead to a more stable acting career.”

“That’s great. What about your personal life, though? Marriage? Babies? Boyfriend? What’s going on with that?”

Kaye was deeply aware that these kinds of questions weren’t okay to ask in an interview of any kind. She blinked as she stared at him, weighing whether or not to answer.

“I am single right now. And actually, if you want the honest truth, I can barely afford to look after myself, never mind think about starting a family. I ate four saltine crackers for breakfast this morning, and I have no intention of bringing another person into my life until I get it together, which I’m hoping to do any day now.”

It was a cold, brutal truth, and she felt a little embarrassed admitting it. Still, Merle seemed to pride himself on his straight-talk, so she was happy to meet him where he was at. She watched as Merle and Amir put their heads together and had a whispered conversation before they both turned to look at her.

“Thank you for coming in today, Kaye,” Amir grinned. “We would very much like to offer you this job.”

Kaye stared at them in disbelief.

“Just like that? Are you sure this has nothing to do with the fact that every other girl walked out on you and I’m all that’s left?”

Merle snorted, and it was an extremely unpleasant sound.

“Amateurs. We need a seasoned actress that hasn’t yet been discovered. You are the perfect fit.”

“And the reason you asked about my family and relationship status is…”

She allowed the question to dangle. Merle didn’t take the bait.

“To be answered, all in good time. Yes, we’ve offered this position to several other women, but once they found out the details of the job, it became clear that they weren’t qualified to handle it.”

Kaye felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. How many other actresses had turned down this ominous position? What were they trying to pull here? Pressing down her uneasy feelings, she thought about her empty refrigerator back in her apartment, and nodded.

“I understand. I accept your offer.”

Merle and Amir both smiled at her response, and Merle turned around, pulling out a stack of papers.

“Fantastic! You’ll be the perfect counterpart to our leading man here,” Merle said, slapping Amir on the back.

“You’re going to be in the show?” Kaye asked, surprised.

Amir lifted an eyebrow.

“Wasn’t that obvious?”

“Merle said you’re here as executive producer.”

“Ah, yes. I am also starring in the show. You’ll learn more about it once you sign the contract and the non-disclosure agreement.”

Merle handed her the pile of papers, then, followed by a pen. Kaye stared down at the document, which was quite lengthy, before she looked back up at them.

“You expect me to sign this right now?”

“If you could, yes. We would like to get started right away,” the Sheikh explained.

“I hope you have some time, then, gentlemen, because I’m not signing anything before reading it.”