Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss(73)

“They did?” Donavan asked. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. But maybe they’ll try again tomorrow night.”

“Why would they try again?” Grant asked.

“Because they succeeded. I was terrified, and they knew it. If I give them the opportunity to do the same thing tomorrow, I have a feeling they would. I’ll make a big deal about forgetting my light. I’ll ask you to walk me, Grant, and you’ll say no.”

“That would make me seem like a jerk,” he said.

“You are sometimes,” Amanda commented.

“Thanks,” he said.

“And then I’ll walk down the same path I did tonight and hopefully draw the person after me, and you’ll all surround them.”

“The three of us will surround them?” Donavan asked.

“You’re right. We need more recruits we can trust.” People not involved with this movie in any way. “I’ll take care of that part. You guys just get ready to catch the culprit.”

Amanda let out a low laugh.

“What?” I asked.

“Did you just use the word culprit?”

“Shut up.”

Grant stood and stretched. “This is like a real-life movie. Except that whole watching an hour’s worth of video on your computer would’ve been edited out.”

Amanda stood as well. “Good thing we have America’s favorite action hero, Heath Hall,” she said, taking Grant’s hand and leading him to the door.

“I’m not America’s favorite right now, but I will be soon.” He winked at me, and they both left my trailer.

I turned to Donavan. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He pulled me down onto his lap and into a hug. “Is this the exciting life I can hope to lead when dating an actress?”

“No, most of the time it will be really boring. Just me. And occasionally you needing to fake a British accent to help me with my lines.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”

“Give me one second. I need to text my friend, and then we are going to make out.”

He laughed. “I like how you give me warnings when we are going to make out as if I need to prepare myself.”

“You do.”

I grabbed my phone and texted Abby. Are you still coming to see me tomorrow?

She responded almost immediately. Yes!!

Will you bring Cooper?

I can see if he’s available. Why?

We’re taking down a bad guy.





Thirty-Six


We were on our dinner break the next day, and I had gathered my band of vigilantes in my trailer. I didn’t want too many people in on this or suspicions would arise, but I needed enough to trap the perpetrator. Hopefully five was the lucky number—Donavan, Abby, Cooper, Amanda, and Grant.

“Thanks, everyone, for coming. For believing me.”

Abby kept giving Grant sideways glances. I’d introduced both her and Cooper to him earlier, and both of them were beyond starstruck. Especially now, with him in full costume, leaning against the wall, hair perfectly coiffed, neck scarf neatly tied, and sword dangling from his waist.

“What’s the plan?” Grant asked.

“After our final scene of the day, I’m going to start walking back, just like yesterday. I’m going to say something about how I forgot a light again. I’ll pause and pretend like I’m going to turn back but change my mind. Donavan, Amanda, Abby, and Cooper will be hiding ready to intercept from the far side. Grant, you’ll come up from behind, since you’ll have been on set with me.”

“And if the person never shows up?” Amanda asked.

“Hopefully they will.”

“Let’s catch the bad guy!” Amanda said, standing up.

I smiled. “T minus two hours to take down.”

“Can I eat now?” Grant asked.

“Yes, go eat.”

Grant waved to the room as he left.

“Me too,” Amanda said. “I’ll see you later.” She shut the door behind her, and Abby let out a little squeal.

“I know I shouldn’t think this is cool, because someone has been screwing you over, but . . . ?”

“It’s fine, you can say it,” I said.

“I just met Grant James,” she said.

“You were right,” Cooper joined. “He is very attractive.”

I laughed. “You all okay to hang out here for the next two hours while I’m on set?”

“Yes, we have your boyfriend to grill,” Abby said.

I raised my eyebrows at Donavan, and he said, “I’ll survive.”

“Good. I need to go eat, and next time I see you, hopefully you’ll be surrounding my tormentor.”

I had stepped onto the gravel outside my trailer when Donavan said, “Hey.”

I turned.

“You okay?”

“A little nervous,” I admitted. As much as I wanted to figure out who had been sabotaging me, I also kind of didn’t want to know.

“You don’t think this person would hurt you, do you?”

“I don’t think so. . . .” Although I wasn’t sure. I hadn’t felt safe at all the night before.

“Be careful, okay?”