Page 30 of By The Book
Someone called the scene via a bullhorn and people slowly began streaming their way.
“Give me your number and I’ll text you her info,” Denz said, ignoring Tom’s fatherly stare.
Claire recited it while people began forming a line and placing orders, and Denz took a step back to give them room. “Okay, sent. Text me if you need anything.”
Denz met Tom’s gaze once more and nodded.
He lifted his hand and backed away, knowing he hadn’t heard the last from his landlord when it came to his daughter.
Out of the crowd and over by the tents once more, he spotted Oliver talking to another member of Guardian Group. The man was built like a tank and stood out like a sore thumb, especially since he was dressed in slacks and a long-sleeved shirt, his gun in the shoulder strap he wore. Thankfully Bruce had removed the matching suit jacket considering it was an eighty-five-degree beach day.
Bruce spotted Denz and lifted his chin in greeting. Oliver turned and looked relieved.
“Oh, thank God. Perfect timing,” Oliver said.
“What’s going on?”
Oliver eyed Denz like a specimen under a microscope. “Something going on, Mr. Beck?”
Oliver ignored Denz’s question and turned to look at the woman standing several feet away wearing a headset and hugging a clipboard to her chest.
“What do you think?” Oliver asked.
“Perfect height, size is off, but from a distance it won’t matter. Looks are a great match, though,” she said. “Yeah, he works.”
“And the female lead?” Oliver asked.
“Now that we have him and we’re down to the wire, I think I know the perfect one,” the woman said. “I saw her earlier. Give me ten minutes. Twenty if she argues.”
That said, the woman took off out of the tent and left Denz and Oliver alone. “What’s going on?”
Denz glanced at Bruce and found the sweating man struggling to control his laughter.
“Our stars currently share a stomach bug.” Oliver moved toward him and clapped a hand over Denz’s shoulder. “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be infrontof the camera?”
“Can’t say that I have,” Denz said wryly.
“Well, let’s try it and see what happens. Get him to wardrobe and makeup.”
Shock rolled through him. “Uh, Mr. Beck, I’m not sure—”
“I am. Denz, you’re about to be a hero of another sort.”
Chapter 14
Everything happened so fast Claire wasn’t sure what to make of it. One minute she’d been inside the van and the next some woman had yelped triumphantly and nearly shoved Tom out the pass-through in order to get to Claire.
“You. I have been looking everywhere for you. Come with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“We need you and you’reperfect. Come on,” she said, grabbing Claire’s hand. “Trust me, you’ll be well compensated.”
“I-I don’t… Who are you?”
“We don’t have time for that, hon.”
“But—”
