Page 30 of California Sunsets

She laughed. “I never saw you as a geeky guy, but I think maybe you’ve just hidden that side of yourself pretty well.” She gave him a smile that was almost coy. “A master of disguise. You were born for the movie business.”

Jay smiled back. “Hey, I’m sorry if I was out of line earlier. Who you date is none of my business.”

Did he imagine it, or did Erin look disappointed?

But she only shrugged. “You’re not wrong.” And then she changed the subject. “So, what are you going to do with the movie camera?”

“I might make a silent movie. For fun. I bet Arch and Smith would be up for it.”

She shook her head, laughing. “I can just see Archer hamming it up.”

“Not just Archer. We should get your dad involved, too. Can’t you imagine him all big and showoffy? In fact, all your family would love it.”

“Not me.”

He shook his head. She was telling the truth. “No, you’d be behind the scenes. Probably the screenwriter.”

She smiled, as though she was pleased he understood her that way. “Definitely.”

And then he had a thought. “Have you ever considered writing a screenplay?”

She tilted her head. “It would be impossible to say I’d never thought about it, since obviously there’s an actor in the family, and he talks a lot about scripts. But I’ve never pursued it.”

He didn’t comment, just nodded, because Clark was arriving with the coffee and he didn’t want to embarrass Erin any more than he already had today.

As the three of them talked, Jay could see that Clark was hopelessly in love with Erin. But his earlier instinct about the two of them had been right: She didn’t return that love. Even though she and Clark were close friends, it would never be more. Frankly, he was relieved, mostly because he didn’t want her wasting herself on somebody like Clark.

It flashed through his mind that he would make a better match for her, but obviously they could never be more than friends.

* * *

Erin did what she did best: She sat back and watched Jay and Clark converse. She’d noticed before that Jay could get along with just about anyone. He was naturally charming, and though he was opinionated and talked a lot, he had a way of making other people feel at ease. Now that she observed him with Clark, who was his polar opposite, she realized just how much he did to make other people feel comfortable with him. She was beginning to wonder if that was what he’d done with her all those years ago when they’d first met. Had he made sure that as a big male, he wasn’t at all threatening? Had he deliberately put her into the little-sister role because that would make things easier for her, and for him too? There were a lot of things to think about now that had never before entered her head.

Jay asked, “So, Clark, what are you interested in, apart from vintage cameras?”

Erin groaned inwardly. Jay was about to get Clark started on his favorite subject.

“I loveallcameras,” Clark said, pushing his glasses up his nose, as he did when he was enthused about something. “Not just vintage cameras.” He leaned forward. “I’d love to be a camera operator for the movies, but I’ve never had enough money for film school.”

Jay made a noise like a snort. “I never went to film school either. LA is all about appearances and connections.”

Clark looked rather deflated. “Which I don’t have.”

“What have you done toward becoming a cameraman? I mean, apart from taking photographs for theSea Shell, obviously.”

“I just do that for money.”

Erin took a sip of her cappuccino. Clark was kind of endearing, especially when he let his enthusiasm rip. She hadsometimes wondered if part of her appeal for him was that her brother was Archer Davenport. Not that Clark would ever take advantage of the connection; maybe it was more that he felt she brought a little stardust into the room just by being the sister of a movie star. Clark told Jay about the short movies he made for fun.

And then to Clark’s shock and her surprise, Jay said, “Why don’t you send me a couple of your shorts? I can’t make any promises, but I know of an entry-level position that might be opening up at one of the studios.”

Into the stunned silence, Clark said, “Are you kidding me?”

“No. But it would mean moving to LA.”

“It would be my dream job.”

Jay smiled. “Well, let me see your stuff, and if I like it, I’ll put in a good word for you.”

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