Page 72 of Off Script
Carrying the tray, I stride into the room, ready to reassure Carlisle. Looking up, Willa notices me. “There you are! It’s about time. I was beginning to wonder if you’d gone to Italy to get our wine.”
“Nope. Just to Oregon’s Willamette Valley." I hand them their wine glasses and sit on the couch next to Carlisle, looping my arm around her shoulder. She nestles into my side, and I drop a kiss on her cheek before rubbing my nose along her jawline. I thread a finger around her chin and kiss her quickly on the mouth, barely able to suppress a groan when her lips hit mine.
“That seems like my sign to head out.” Willa sets her undrunk wine onto the coffee table and stands to leave. “I have an early audition tomorrow, so I’ll leave you kids to it. It was nice to meet you, Carlisle, and I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”
“Wait, Willa. Stay. Drink your wine.” I hadn’t intended for my display of affection to run Willa off. “I have an idea I’d like to run by you both.” Curious, Willa settles back onto the couch. “Willa,why don’t you sleep in one of my guest rooms tonight? We can ask Becky to have a paparazzo outside my house tomorrow morning when you leave. Once the photos get published, everyone will assume we’re sleeping together. That should provide more than enough fodder for the press to satisfy the studio.”
“Benji! That is a great idea.” Willa’s face lights up excitedly as she turns her attention to Carlisle. “Up to this point, the studio has been orchestrating each date, but what if the three of us do it instead? That might make you feel like you have some degree of control over the situation, Carlisle.”
Nodding, Carlisle agrees. “It would make me feel better knowing what to expect.”
Willa rubs her hands together eagerly. “Let’s get started,” she says, pulling out her phone to look at her schedule. “We’re supposed to have dinner at Horses in two days.” She shoots me a glance. “Thoughts?”
“Cancel it.” Scrolling through my schedule, I spy a meeting that theCaptain Commandermain cast has to attend later in the week. “What if we meet before our meeting on Wednesday? Something quick and casual, like a coffee date.” I shift my gaze from Willa to Carlisle to see if that idea meets with her approval. I’m rewarded with a shy nod.
“Works for me.” Willa turns off her phone and places it onto the coffee table. “I think that’s enough. We had dinner on Friday, dinner tonight, we’ll get photographs of me leaving your house tomorrow morning, and then a coffee date. Plus, we have the premiere next weekend. Too much, too soon, and it will look fake.”
Once that’s settled, the talk turns away from work. I lead the conversation, helping Willa and Carlisle to get better acquainted, and I put in every effort to make Carlisle as comfortable as she can be. My gaze rarely strays from hers and I touch her often. About an hour and a bottle of wine later, Willa yawns and stretches. “I’m heading to bednow. I really do have an early meeting tomorrow.” She stands from the couch and leans down to give Carlisle a hug before briefly kissing my cheek. “I’ll see myself out in the morning, and I’ll call Becky now to update her on our plans. Goodnight.”
Shifting in my seat, I lean against the arm of the sectional and pull Carlisle’s back into my chest. Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her close. “You doing okay with all of this?” I inquire.
“I feel better after having met Willa.” She reaches up, wrapping her small hands around my forearm. “How are you?”
“Willa and I can handle it fine. We’ve been friends for long enough that it’s no big deal for me to go to dinner and walk the red carpet with her. I worry about you though.”
Carlisle turns her head to look over her shoulder at me. “I can handle it too.”
“I know you can. You’re resilient. But I hate that youhaveto handle it.” I lace my fingers with hers and bring her knuckles to my mouth. “I really like you, Carlisle.”
She shoots me a wide smile.
Knowing my words brought out her dimples is like an arrow straight to my heart. My feelings for Carlisle run deep, probably deeper than I’m willing to admit, even to myself.
25
Ben
When I roll over the next morning, the space beside me is empty. Stretching my arms lazily above me, I take a moment to wake up before loping downstairs towards the smell of coffee and… something delicious. My stomach growls loudly in response to the aromas wafting from the kitchen. Carlisle is standing at the stove working her magic.
Walking up behind Carlisle, I slide my arms around her waist and rest my head on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck with a series of kisses. “Good morning, babe.”
Spinning in my arms to face me, with a spatula still in one hand, Carlisle smiles and gives me a proper good morning kiss.
“Hey, your sunburn looks so much better today.”
“I told you it would turn to tan.”
“Well, I’m glad it you were right.” Nodding towards the stove, I ask, “What are you making?”
“Breakfast.”
I snag a slice of turkey bacon off a paper-towel lined plate and pop it into my mouth. “I assumed as much, but what is it?”
Playfully slapping my hand when I reach for a second slice, she replies, “It’s a healthy spin on a savory breakfast bread pudding.” Shescowls slightly and rolls her eyes. “Hopefully it will turn out okay. I’ve never made it with turkey bacon or low carb bread before.”
“For what it’s worth, it smells delicious. Can I do anything to help?”
“No, just keep me company.”
