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Authors: Cheris Hodges

Too Hot for TV (21 page)

BOOK: Too Hot for TV
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Imani hated cabs because every time she took one, she got stuck in traffic, just like today. She looked at the street sign and decided even in three-inch red pumps, she'd have a better chance on foot of making it to Edward's office on time for her meeting.
“Just let me out here,” she said, stuffing two twenty-dollar bills in the driver's hand and jumping out of the car. Imani knew she overpaid for her cab ride and it actually felt good to be able to do that. She ran down the sidewalk, sidestepping Starbuckssipping stockbrokers, tourists who were gawking at the sites, and New Yorkers who were just in a hurry to get to the subway. She loved this city. But what she loved more than anything else was the way Raymond made her feel, not just in bed, but when he'd told her how beautiful she looked with her hair matted to her head and dressed in his shirt. She never knew that love was this easy, this blissful and dynamic.
Now, if she could get her career going. It was funny to her that now she didn't just want success in her career, she wanted to make things work with Raymond. Maybe she could do something to have a fund-raiser for his clinic. As she walked into Edward's office building, she decided that she would suggest that some of his more successful clients could take part in a telethon or some kind of benefit for the Marion G. Palmer Clinic.
Knocking on his office door, Imani was all smiles when she entered. “Here I am,” she said, looking from him to Brock.
“Well, hello,” Brock said as he rose from his seat and shook Imani's hand, then kissed it. “You're even more stunning in person than you are on TV or in Times Square.”
“Right on time,” Edward said, then muttered under his breath, “Thank God.”
“Mr. Harrison, it is a great honor to meet you,” she said after taking her hand out of his grasp. Imani prayed that he was serious about casting her for this role and not just angling to get her on the casting couch. She'd been here before and wasn't ever going to deal with sleazy types again. But with the reputation Brock Harrison had, Imani should've been more confident. However, she didn't want to get her hopes up.
“I have to tell you, you have screen presence and I want you to screen test with Will Smith in Los Angeles.”
“Really?” she asked, urging herself to calm down, but she smiled widely. “When?”
“I'm leaving for the Left Coast in three days and I can fly you out there. We've been looking for the right actress to play Will's leading lady. Even though
Fearless Diva
was the worst piece of cinema I've seen in years, you have the physical ability that role requires.” He reached into his messenger bag and pulled out the script. “I think you will be perfect for LeAnna. Read the script and if you like it, the ticket to LA is there for you to use.” Imani saw the first-class ticket and smiled. This was for real.
“Wow,” she said quietly.
“My card is in there and I need you to call me tomorrow and let me know if you're interested in the role. I think you're going to love her. She's sexy, strong, and she has a heart. It's going to be almost like playing yourself,” Brock said. “You were the highlight of that show. It was hard to tell when you were acting and when you were being serious. I just want to know, what was the secret you told the doctor?”
Imani folded her arms across her chest and smirked at Brock. “Now, if I tell you that, then it won't be a secret.”
He clasped his hands together. “I love it! You are LeAnna. That was something she would say.”
Edward cleared his throat. “You're taking care of travel, but what about accommodations for my client? Willing to pay for loss of wages?”
Brock faced Edward and folded his arms across his chest. “Accommodations, sure. But you're asking too much with the lost wages, especially since I think Ms. Imani is going to win the role.”
Imani beamed, as she'd never seen Edward work before. She had definitely underestimated her agent and she owed him a huge apology.
“We're going to go over the script and you should hear from us tomorrow, Brock,” Edward said as he shook hands with the casting director. “I've heard that this project is a star maker, and I'm certain Imani is the next big star.”
Brock winked at her as he and Edward headed for the door. “I'm with you there.”
When Imani heard the elevator chime, she broke out into her version of the happy dance.
“Whatever you do, don't do that at the screen test,” Edward said with a laugh when he returned to his office.
Imani rushed into his arms and hugged him. “Can you believe this?”
“Actually,” he said, “I can. I knew you had this level of talent. Now admit that I was right about doing the reality show.”
She closed her eyes as images of naked Raymond danced in her head. “Yes,” she said when she opened her eyes. “You were right.”
“How's the good doctor and what do you think his reaction to your movie role will be? And don't be one of those women who gives up on acting because she's in love.”
“First of all, I've worked too hard to get here. And Raymond has already given me his support. He knows what acting means to me.”
“So, is this the real deal between you two?” Edward asked.
Imani smiled. “Yes.”
“I'm happy for you,” he said. “But don't get distracted. Read that script and get back to me. Brock likes you and since you already think you're a star, I know you won't be tongue-tied when you read with Will Smith.”
“Not at all. He should be in awe of me,” Imani said as she turned toward the door. She looked back at Edward. “What about the Gina Prince-Bythewood movie?”
He shook his head. “Haven't heard back yet, but you do realize this is bigger, right?”
“It's not always about bigger,” she said. “I just want options.”
“You will have plenty.”
Imani waved to him and headed out the door. She called Raymond and told him she was on her way to the clinic. Rather than waste more money on a cab, she hopped on the subway and headed to the clinic. As she rode the train, Imani found herself taken in by the script. Brock was right, LeAnna was her kind of character. Tough, chic, and more than anything else, smart. When the train stopped at 125th Street, Imani had finished reading the script and couldn't wait to land this part. She smiled all the way across the platform, ready to share her good news with Raymond.
Chapter 20
Finding the clinic had been easy, after the way Raymond had talked about how the community depended on it. The building, on 125th Street, was unassuming, but the artwork on the door captured what Imani imagined was the spirit of Marion Palmer. A tall brown-skinned woman with a thick black afro and a halo was painted on the front of the office building. When Imani walked in, all eyes focused on her.
“Oh my gosh,” one of the little old ladies at the desk said. “It's her.” A murmur rippled through the waiting room and the nurse behind the desk crossed over to Imani with a smile on her face.
“Hi. Dr. Thomas is in with a patient, but you can either wait for him in the waiting room,” she said while shaking her head, “or I can take you to the break room and let him know you're here.”
“I'll wait out here,” Imani said.
The nurse shook her head again. “I don't think you want to do that. Those old ladies are going to grill you. I know two of them have tried to set him up with a granddaughter or a daughter.”
“Good thing they failed,” Imani quipped.
“By the way, I'm Maria Emerson and I loved
Fearless Diva.
”
“That's sweet, but you don't have to say that,” Imani said, still finding it hard to believe that people actually liked that movie.
“Oh, if I didn't like it, I would've—”
“All right, Maria, who's . . .” Raymond stopped talking when he saw his nurse and his woman laughing. “Imani.” He crossed over to her and kissed her cheek. The women in the waiting room watched them intently, as if they were still viewing the couple on TV. “Hold up one second,” Raymond said as he headed into the waiting room. “Now, ladies,” he said to his group of patients, “why is it that when you have appointments with me, I can't get you here. But today, none of you have appointments and here you are.”
One older lady stood up and walked over to Raymond. “Well, maybe we missed you,” she said.
Raymond gave the woman a hug. “I missed you too, Mrs. Wentworth,” he said.
“And,” Mrs. Wentworth said, “we wanted to see if you two were still together. Because if she had broken your heart, we were going to get her.”
“That's right,” another lady called out. “Because Leslie is still available.”
Imani looked from Raymond to his patients trying to decide how she felt about the little old ladies.
He held his hands up. “Imani and I are together and she's the best thing—other than you ladies—that has ever happened to me.”
Imani beamed and said, “And he's the best man I've ever met.”
The women clapped and then Mrs. Wentworth turned to Imani and pointed her finger at her. “Don't make us come get you. We love this man like he's our son. He takes such good care of us and you're going to have to take care of him.”
“I plan on taking very good care of him,” Imani said. Raymond winked at her.
Mrs. Wentworth nodded and gave Imani a slight smile. “Got my eye on you, girl.”
“Ladies,” Raymond said. “Since none of you has an appointment, serious illnesses, or needs refills on your prescriptions”—he reached into his pocket and handed Mrs. Wentworth a prescription for cholesterol medicine—“I'm going to take my lady to lunch.”
“You just make sure we all get invitations to the wedding,” Mrs. Wentworth said. “Come on, ladies, let's go.”
The women left the clinic and Imani turned to Raymond. “Okay, I see why you love your job. You have ten grandmothers,” she joked.
“Yes. But they're hardheaded when they want to be,” he said.
“They love you, though, and that's special. Where are we going for lunch because I have some news?”
“Let's go see Keith and then we can go eat,” Raymond said. “You can tell me your news on the way.”
“All right,” Imani said, smiling happily.
Raymond cupped her face and kissed her petalsoft lips. “I don't know what's putting this smile on your face, but I'm about to be jealous,” he said.
“I have a chance to screen test for a role in Will Smith's new movie,” she said as they walked to the curb to hail a cab.
“Congratulations, baby,” he said excitedly. “When did this happen?”
“Today, right after you left, Edward called me and told me that Brock Harrison wanted to meet me.
Me!
”
“Okay,” Raymond said. “Who is Brock Harrison?”
“One of Hollywood's premiere casting directors,” she said. “And the script he gave me was wonderful. LeAnna is the right fit for me. She's smart, she kicks ass and she gets to go toe to toe with Will Smith!”
“That's great, baby.”
“I'm going to LA to do a screen test this week.”
“What? Wow, this moves fast. So, what happens after the screen test?”
Imani shrugged. “Hopefully I will blow them away and they will offer me the role and I'll be on my way to being the leading lady that I deserve to be.”
“Then we celebrate tonight. My lady, the superstar.” Although Raymond was happy for Imani's chance to star in a movie, he didn't want her across the country. Not when he was getting used to having her in his arms when he went to sleep and woke up.
“I've been waiting for a role like this since
Fearless Diva
wrapped.” Imani tilted her head to the side. “I guess I have to thank you for this.”
Raymond raised his eyebrow. “How so?”
“Because you tested the full range of my emotions when we first met on the show and then you accepted me for who I am and I got to be real with you. Who really knew that someone like Brock Harrison was watching? But more than anything else, you have my back and you're rooting for me.”
“You're right about that,” he replied as he kissed her on the cheek. A cab finally stopped for them. “When are you going to Los Angeles?”
Imani slipped in the car as Raymond held the door for her. “Possibly, in two days.” He nodded as he climbed into the car. “Come on,” she said. “You still have to be excited for me.”
“I am, but it doesn't mean that I have to like not having you in my arms when I go to sleep in three days.”
Imani leaned against his shoulder. “I'm going to miss that as well.”
“Then we're going to have to make some great memories tonight,” he said, then told the driver to take them to Beth Israel Medical Center. They rode to the hospital in a comfortable silence, holding each other close. She felt so right in his arms and so blessed to have Raymond in her life.
When they arrived at the hospital, they headed straight for the fourth floor. “Keith is doing a lot better, but he looks a lot worse for the wear,” Raymond said as they stepped off the elevator.
Raymond slowly opened the door to Keith's room and saw Celeste sitting in the chair beside the bed with her head resting on the edge of the bed. Raymond looked at Keith, happy to see that the bandages had been removed from his head and some of the machines that had been helping him breathe were gone.
Keith glanced at Imani as she slipped quietly into the room. “Please tell me you're my new nurse,” he joked.
Imani smiled nervously. “No, I'm here with Raymond.”
Celeste began to stir on the bed and sat up at the sound of voices. She looked around the room and smiled when she saw Raymond. “Ray, I'm glad you're here,” she said as she sat up.
Raymond walked over to her and hugged his friend. “Are you getting enough rest? You know you don't have to stay here twenty-four hours a day. They're not going to toss this bum out yet,” he joked.
Celeste nodded and placed her hand on Keith's shoulder. “Thank God the doctors are expecting him to make a full recovery,” she said. “I just can't go home. You never know what's going to happen.” Celeste smiled as she locked eyes with Imani. “Well, hello. Glad to see you.”
“Hi,” Imani replied.
Celeste smirked at Raymond. “I see you made up for being an ass.”
“Ouch!” Raymond said, clutching his chest. “That's just mean.”
Imani laughed, immediately deciding that she liked Celeste.
Keith laughed as well. “Get him, baby,” he said.
Celeste turned to Imani. “Welcome to our wacky family,” she said. “We watched the two of you falling in love on that show and this one was miserable the other day when he came in here without you.”
Imani smiled. They were in love and she had no idea that everyone could see it. “That won't happen again. He's got his act together now.”
“Oh, do I?” he questioned as he squeezed her bottom. “Guess who's going to meet with Will Smith this week?”
“Not you,” Keith said. “Congrats, Imani. Now we can all say we knew you when.”
“So, are you auditioning for a movie?” Celeste asked.
“Yes, and I'm so excited. But it's bittersweet,” Imani said as she cast a glance at Raymond. “I don't want to leave this guy.”
“Aww,” Celeste exclaimed. “This is so sweet. Raymond, she's a keeper.”
“You think?” he joked as he kissed Imani's cheek. Then he turned to Keith. “What have they said about when you're getting out of here?”
“More good news. I'm probably getting out of here tomorrow and will be able to go home and get waited on hand and foot by my fiancée and my mother.”
Raymond shook his head. “You'd better watch how you act before you end up like that dude in
Misery.
”
“Thank you, Raymond!” Celeste said.
“I got something that will end this argument,” Raymond said as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a blue Tiffany box. For a split second, Imani thought the ring was hers and covered her mouth with her hand. She felt a twinge of disappointment when Raymond handed the box to Keith.
Imani, stop being silly. Raymond isn't trying to get married,
she chided herself as she watched Keith struggle to open the box. Beaming, he showed the pear-shaped diamond ring to Celeste.
“Keith, it's beautiful,” she said as she slipped the ring on her finger.
Keith pointed at Raymond and Imani. “You two are next,” he said. “America is waiting for your wedding.”
Raymond laughed nervously, and Imani said, “It may be a little too soon to talk about that.” She squeezed Raymond's hand as if she was telling him that he was off the hook and she understood that this was Keith and Celeste's moment. Imani felt as if she had to say that, but she did want to marry Raymond, when the time was right. In that moment, she wanted his wedding band as much as she wanted an Academy Award. But she didn't want to seem desperate like Lucy. They hadn't known each other long, but how could you put a time table on love?
“Is that so?” Keith asked, “Because . . .”
Celeste placed her hand over her fiancé's mouth. “Imani, ignore him,” she said.
Raymond wrapped his arm around Imani's waist and brought his lips to her ear. “We're going to have to talk about that,” he whispered. Then Raymond turned to Celeste and Keith. “All right, guys, we're gonna bounce. Try not to piss your fiancée off, Keith.”
“Come on,” Keith said as Imani and Raymond headed out the door. “If I behave, how will she know that I'm ready to go home?”
Raymond wished he could read minds as he and Imani walked out of the hospital. What did she mean by saying it was too early to talk about marriage? He was sure she was the woman he wanted to marry and he would ask her tomorrow if he knew that was what she wanted. Raymond was certain no other woman would ever touch him as deeply as Imani had. There was something about her that got under his skin. She was the perfect mix of minx and pussycat. She was sexy, innocent, and beautiful. He glanced at her as they walked to the corner to hail a cab.
Imani caught his gaze and raised her sculpted eyebrow. “What's wrong?” she asked. “You've been quiet since we left Keith's room.”
“Nothing,” he replied. Raymond waved his arm at the yellow cab that approached them.
“Don't say nothing when it's something. I know you better than that,” she said. “Keith is on the mend, I'm going to read for a plumb role in LA and we get to spend the night together.”
The cab stopped in front of them and they climbed into the car. “I wonder,” Raymond said, “you going to Los Angeles and doing this screen test . . . Does this change what we have? Are you back to the Imani I met at the airport?”
“What? How can you even ask me that? You think that I can't have my career and be with you too?” Imani asked as Raymond closed the door and gave the driver the address where they were going.
BOOK: Too Hot for TV
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