Starstruck In Seattle (2 page)

Lulu rubbed her hands together as her red laptop hummed softly. Bringing soulmates together would be so rewarding and she was excited about her first day on the job. Even more excited knowing that one day, if she proved herself capable; she'd join the graduates on Cloud Nine and be responsible for saving people's lives when death tried to take them before their time. For now, though, she needed to practice her skills and do her best to help destiny get things right in the love department.

Ooh, this is going to be fun!

She closed her laptop and slid it inside its protective satchel, placing it next to her ‘ready-to-go-at-a-moment's-notice' suitcase. With a quick breath she snuffed the flames on the dining table candles and picked up Spark, her snow-colored Maltese terrier, from his curled-up position on the sofa. He moaned at the intrusion, but promptly fell back to sleep after Lulu guided him inside the doggie carry-case. “Time for a little trip, Spark.” Lulu crouched, her long brown curls coiling on the floor as she secured the clasp on the carry case. “You and I are off to Seattle.”

“L.A.?” Anna paused by the fountain in Westlake Park, iPhone against her ear. “I'd prefer something closer to Seattle, but I guess. . .” She considered her agent's proposition that it was time to try out for bigger roles in Los Angeles. Any aspiring actress would jump at an opportunity to work in L.A., but this held two problems for Anna:

1. Rachel lived in L.A. She'd barely been in contact with her sister in ten years, and the thought of bringing up the past was almost as bad as the second reason for not wanting to go to L.A.

2. Karl was a hot favorite for the lead role in a new show about a family law firm, set in Seattle. Which meant he'd be staying put.

Besides, L.A. was saturated with wannabe stars and there was no guarantee she'd make it big. She didn't even know if she
wanted
to make it big. The media would be forever comparing her to her Oscar-nominated sister and she wasn't sure she could live up to the great Rachel Hilford. But Lulu's response on her website two days ago had advised Anna to put herself out there. She craved a new acting challenge, and couldn't put her life on hold for some guy, even if he
was
potentially the love of her life.

Anna chewed her bottom lip and pondered the options. “Okay. Put me down for anything.” She could always decline an audition or offer if necessary, nothing was set in stone yet. “But if there's anything closer let me know. Thanks, Jean.”

Anna walked through Westlake, scooted across 4
^th
Avenue, and right into Pike Street where pedestrians moved faster than traffic. Ten minutes later the elevator dinged and doors opened to Milton Tower's third floor. Thanks to convenient family connections, the production company had gained permission to lease it for the
New Lives
set.

Vera waved from across the hall and Charlie flashed his trademark glowing smile, tapping his watch and playfully shaking his head at her ‘almost-lateness'. Anna was always last to arrive on set. She hated waiting around, sitting still and twiddling her thumbs. Did enough of that in between scenes. Besides, Karl shared her propensity for arriving
just-in-time
and if she was lucky they'd chat briefly on the way up in the elevator.

Unfortunately, her phone call this morning had made her later than usual and Karl was already deep in conversation with Jake the Jerk by the coffee stand. Butterflies flapped and collided in her belly as she approached, Karl looking gorgeous with his brow furrowed in concentration. Jake motioned with his hands, demonstrating a certain action for a scene.

“Here you go, Anna.” A woman with extremely long curly hair thrust a cardboard cup into Anna's hands. “Enjoy!”

Warmth ran through her fingers as she curved them around the cup. “Oh. But I haven't ordered yet.” She slid the cup across the counter toward the woman, whose eyes sparkled.
She must be a new member of the catering team
. “I usually have a –”

“Soy hot chocolate,” the woman said. “Hot, frothy, and just for you.” She slid the cup back to Anna and smiled. Her super-white teeth gave Charlie a run for his money.

“How did you. . .” Anna picked up the drink. “Never mind. Thank you.” She raised the cup in appreciation and smiled. One of the other caterers must have told her what she liked, unless. . .could it have been Karl? Or was that wishful thinking? He knew she drank soy, because his hot chocolate had been mixed up with hers once and he'd spluttered at the difference in taste.

“Here's your second helping.” The woman handed a cup to Jake who tossed his old one in the trash before accepting the new one. “Black with three sugars.”

Anna chewed her bottom lip again, this time in curiosity as she thought she'd seen the woman do some kind of strange hand gesture over Jake's coffee before handing it to him – like a magician would do over his hat before pulling out a rabbit. Strange. Then again, maybe she was simply waving away a bug or a fallen strand of hair.

Anna sipped her drink and went to walk toward Charlie and Vera, but a hand grasped her arm. She turned to face Jake.

“I have an idea,” he said. “And you're going to be a part of it.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later Anna stood close to Charlie in the makeshift hospital corridor, following Jake's direction to act like lovers. The idea was that the ex-girlfriend of Karl's character would see them canoodling and wish she had what they had. This would – according to the updated script – cause her to consider giving her relationship with Dr. Harper another shot. The producers wanted the doctor couple reunited by the end of the series, ending it on a high note. Their on-screen relationship had been the ‘Ross and Rachel' of the hospital drama, always on-again, off-again.

“Action!” the director called.

Charlie slipped his arms around Anna's waist as the camera followed Dr. Harper's ex along the corridor toward the lovesick couple. The doctor paused and smiled longingly at them, and another camera closed in on Anna and Charlie.

“I can't wait till our shifts are over,” Charlie whispered, tracing Anna's hairline with his finger, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Is that right?” Anna replied seductively, trailing her hand up and down his back. The thin cotton of his nurse's top held no secrets about the firm muscles that lay beneath.

He smiled and nodded, clasping her cheeks with his palms. “Only one hour to go.”

Warmth spread throughout Anna's face and her belly fluttered.
God, he's a good actor, making me feel like this!

“And then what?” she whispered, eyes fixed on his.

Charlie dipped his head and his lips approached hers. Anna tilted her head slightly. . .

“Cut!”

His lips retracted and hands slipped away, warmth draining from Anna's cheeks.

“Not bad, guys,” Jake said. “But I've got a better idea!”

Oh man, Jake and his ideas. He was always causing the writers grief with his last minute script changes.

“Yeah?” Charlie ran a palm over his black buzz cut. Anna smiled at the memory of Charlie showing her a photo of himself as a teenager when he'd let his natural afro grow.
Never again
, he'd promised, and always kept it closely-shaven.

Jake nodded. “But it doesn't involve you, sorry man.” He curved his finger to Anna, drawing her to him. “I still want you for this scene, and. . .” He glanced around. “Hey, Karl! I need you here, buddy. Pronto!”

Anna's heart flip-flopped as Karl strode over.

“Sure, what's the deal?” he asked.

“I think it would be more powerful to make your ex jealous rather than simply having her longing for love again. If she sees you getting friendly with another woman, a nurse at that, she's bound to realize she still has feelings for you.” Jake gestured for Dr. Harper's ex to return to her starting position then took Anna by the shoulders. “Stand here and twirl your hair as Dr. Harper approaches.”

Okay, stand, twirl hair. Right. I can do that. Except my straight-as-hell hair doesn't twirl. Trying to command my hair is like trying to pick up a bar of soap with wet hands.

Focus, Anna! Breathe.

And twirl.

Jake gave directions to Karl, and Anna hooked her finger around a slippery strand of hair. It slid from her grasp, but she persisted. Twirl, slip, twirl, slip.

“Action!”

Doctor Ex strolled down the corridor again, but Anna's focus was on Karl, er – Dr. Harper – who, on realizing his beloved ex would soon pass by had sidled up next to her to initiate Mission Jealousy. His hand caressed her shoulder and his eyes held a fierce longing. It was all an act of course, but for this brief moment she was his and he was hers.

“I've been waiting a long time for this,” he whispered, the warmth of his deep throaty voice erasing all memory of Charlie's convincing performance from before.

Anna almost whispered ‘me too,' but it wasn't in the script and she wouldn't have had time, because no sooner had those words left Karl's lips than his lips were on hers, pressing tightly; warm, moist lips, lifting and squeezing, pulling and enveloping her own. Anna's eyes closed as she savored his delicious, spicy scent. . .

“Cut!”

Karl pulled away and Anna's face flushed as Jake's intrusion brought her back to reality.

“Great work, Karl, but I think you should glance over your shoulder before you kiss her. When your ex is getting close, then kiss. Okay, let's go again, people!”

This was one scene Anna was happy to do over again. She even considered messing things up on purpose so the kiss could be repeated, but thought better of it. A crappy performance wouldn't endear her to Karl.

Karl repeated his line then glanced over his shoulder. On turning back he leaned forward and pressed his lips urgently to hers. A lightning bolt of bliss shot from her lips to her toes and she barely heard the director's voice as he wrapped up the scene. Karl seemed lost in the moment too, his lips lingering.

“I said ‘cut', guys. Perfect. No need for another take.”

Damn.

Anna's lips eased off Karl's and he smiled. “Good job, Anna. I think we work well together, don't you?”

She nodded, her voice box paralyzed, unable to string any words together.

“Okay, Karl, we need you at the nurses' station now.” Jake gave Karl's back a friendly slap and ushered him away from Anna's now most favorite area on set.

A soft smile floated around Anna's lips, then fell a little on glancing toward Charlie chatting to the new woman at the coffee stand. Poor Charlie. Shame his scene wouldn't be aired. He really deserved a bigger role with his top acting skills. It didn't seem to faze him though, he seemed happy just to be on set. He never moped around on his own, always kept busy, chatting to the nearest person in between scenes.

Her smile floated back when Charlie pretended to dance and the coffee woman applauded, both of them exploding into laughter. Anna chuckled, and before she realized what she was doing, hooked a finger around a strand of hair and twirled it.

* * *

At the day's end, Anna emerged from the women's dressing room at the same time Karl was about to enter his.

“Oh, hey,” she said.

“Hey, yourself.” He smiled and went to push open the door, then paused with one eyebrow cocked. “Do you, ah, want to grab a drink?”

“At the coffee stand?”

A smile crawled up the side of his mouth. “At a bar.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” The heat that had coursed through her body during their scene returned and she tilted her gaze to the floor.

“No need to say sorry,” he said. “Just say yes.”

Anna lifted her gaze to meet his and remembered what Lulu had told her:

I believe a proposition is coming your way very soon.

Man, she was good. So long as this was the proposition she'd meant. Though, he was only asking her out for a simple drink, it wasn't like he was proposing marriage.

“Yes,” she said. “I'm very thirsty, so that would be good.”

Oh, why did I say that? Geez!

Karl's crawling smile appeared to grow legs and walk across his face, clearly amused by her nervousness. “Well, we can't have you suffering from dehydration now, can we? I'll get changed, wash this gunk off my face, and meet you in a sec, yeah?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Sounds good.” Anna nodded, wondering whether to sneak back into the dressing room to remove some of her own excess make-up that'd been applied on set. No, she'd use this time to calm her nerves.

She leaned against the wall.

Inhale. . .

She'd chatted with Karl many times, but never outside work.

Exhale. . .

Part of her wanted to run home and hide, scared of making a fool of herself. The other part wanted to barge into the dressing room and kiss him again, preferably while he was half undressed.

Inhale. . .

His lips were like heaven, so soft and. . .

“Hey there, nursey.” Charlie appeared.

Anna straightened. “Who are you calling nursey, huh? I'm officially off the clock now, but you. . .” she eyed his blue scrubs, “you're the only nursey I see around here.” She smiled.

“You got me.” Charlie held up his hands in defeat, then ran a hand over his head like he'd done earlier. He shifted his weight to one foot and leaned a hand against the wall. “So, ah. . .I was wondering. . .”

“Ready?” Karl re-emerged, along with a fresh spritz of his spicy cologne.

“Yep.” Anna hitched her handbag higher on her shoulder. Not that it had slipped but because she always did that when she was nervous. Before an audition – hitch. Screen test – hitch. Before flying – hitch. Imminent date with hot actor – hitch, hitch.

Charlie removed his hand from the wall and shifted to the other foot.