Page 35 of 7 Dirty Lies

Chapter10

The castand crew had a dinner that night to celebrate the beginning of filming.Despite Landry Ranch having a massive dining hall that could comfortably seat fifty, we were spilling into the adjacentballroom.

Yes, I saidballroom.

I only thought the house looked big from the outside.Over the last three hours I’d gotten a tour and discovered it was really more of amansion.

Colt’s mansion, to be specific.I did not see that coming.In the six months since I left him I’d imagined all sorts of scenarios.At some point I’d decided Colt owned a large farm in Iowa.For some reason California didn’t even occur to me.It was too close.Tooreal.

I learned Colt’s mother and sister also lived there during parts of the year, based on their own schedules.I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but I got the feeling his sister, at the very least, was pretty busy with whatever it was she did for a living, and that something wasn’t part of the LandryRanch.

“Have you tried the potatoes?Oh my god.So good,” Charley gushed through a mouthful of said potatoes.She was eating for two and the spawn of Ted, so I let the talking with a mouthfulslide.

“No potatoes for me.But the turkey is the best I’veeverhad.”

She shoved another spoonful into her mouth and shot me a look that said she didn’t trust people who didn’t eatpotatoes.

“What?”I shrugged.“I’m eating.I’m just avoiding things that upset my stomach.Potatoes upset mystomach.”

“Whatever,” shemuttered.

Someone began clanging a glass with their fork and the crowd slowly but surely, eventually, fellsilent.

“We’re about to launch the best movie of the year!”Ted called from the head of the massivetable.

The groupcheered.

“With the best cast,” he continued.“Tonight I want to introduce you to the people who will be makingThe Price of Lovescript come to life.We’ll start withVickyLu!”

The crowd cheered as she stood at her seat and waved.Ted rattled off her list of accomplishments, where she trained, and a few fun facts.Apparently Vicky lovedcarrotcake.

He continued down the cast list, working his way up to me.He was about halfway through when Charley touched my arm.“Look who’s here.”She cocked her head toward the alcove between the dining room and thekitchen.

Colt stood in the shadows in the same suit he’d been wearing when he tore out of here hoursearlier.

Charley leaned closer and whispered, “He was watching you aminuteago.”

Fuck.My heartsqueezed.

Was he watching and dreaming of ways to torch my clothes?Watching and wondering what would happen if we kissedagain?

God I hoped it wasoptiontwo.

I in no way blamed him for being upset.I didn’t even mind the way he stormed off.He was hurt.I got it.But I really hoped he could find a way to cool down enough to at least have a reasonableconversation.

“You knew,didn’tyou?”

Charley looked away and shoved another forkful of potatoes in her mouth.Well thatansweredthat.

“We thought it was serendipity,” she said with a shrug.“A chance to meet in real life and see what happened with real names and reallives.”

I could understand the logic, but not the lies.“But why withhold thatfromme?”

“Because Colt doesn’t want us here as it is.Plus we couldn’t afford to lose our leading lady.We didn’t want either of you tospook.”

“And you thought putting us in an impossible situation would solve it all?”I hissed under my breath.“Youtwosuck.”

She looked away.“It might not have been fair but it also wasn’t a purely business decision.Ted thinks Colt is good for you.He wants youtogether.”

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