Page 57 of Words I Couldn't Say
My eyebrows rose. “You are?”
Leo sighed. “Yep. The real story goes a little like this… Mom and Dad have a few drinks and decide to watch Titanic. Mom gets a wee bit upset over Jack’s death. And, by wee, I mean she was nearly hysterical—as my dad tells it. So, to calm her down, he kisses her senseless, and the rest, well, is history.”
I nearly choked on my laughter. “You’re telling me…you were conceived during Titanic?”
He shuddered before hanging his head in shame. “I wish I never knew that story. To this day, I can’t watch it. I can’t admire Kate Winslet’s phenomenal breasts like the rest of the American male population.”
I laughed. “And what would Layla say?” I asked in mock admonishment.
“Layla would argue that the reason I fell for my spit-fire, redheaded wife was because of Kate Winslet and tell me to get over it.”
“I think I’ll like Layla.”
He grinned. “She’ll like you, too.”
Leo and I fell into easy conversation as we traded stories of our time in the business. His were obviously much more glamorous than mine, but it was nice talking shop. It was like getting to know a coworker and immediately clicking.
When the cab dropped him at the hotel, Leo turned to me and smiled. “Ava Banks, I believe this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” he said, giving me a shoulder squeeze.
I smiled in return. “Agreed. And, now, maybe I won’t be so nervous when we start filming.”
“I’ve seen your work. You’re a natural. Jonathan chose you for a reason. Plus, now that we’re friends, we’ll make sure to have fun on set. Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Before I could respond, he slid out of the cab and shut the door. The entire ride back to my Tucker’s place was a blur. I was lost in my head, elated that Leo and I had an easy chemistry and that he was in a committed relationship. The last thing I needed when trying to work on my relationship with Tucker was the studio trying to create a fake romance between their costars.
The thought instantly gave me pause. Had Tucker also chosen Leo like he’d chosen me? Had it been a calculated decision on his part, knowing I wouldn’t be pushed into a forced relationship, or run the risk of me finding romance on the set?
No, I told myself. Tucker wouldn’t play games like that. But, when I found myself standing in front of his house, seeing the midnight oil burning from his kitchen window, I knew I had to find out.
