Chapter 8
Pat
“Pat, are you ready?” The director shouted.
“Ready,” I said as I sat on the bed. Ready as I’d ever get — this was a scene where my character asserted herself as the sexy red-head femme fatale that she truly was. She was getting ready for a night of detective work in a club and put on sexy lingerie underneath her outfit. My character was a bombshell who’d always wear lace underneath her outfits for that sexy feeling. No matter no one would see her naked — she knew what she was wearing. I made a mental note to update my own lingerie section when I got back to L.A. — I wanted to feel just as sexy, even if I had a different sense of style than Victoria. I was an artist at heart, but I did like satin and lace, just a bit more…cute and quirky than the daring outfits Victoria went for.
I saw Jeff was in the background, doing something. I blushed. This was about Victoria, I reminded myself — nothing to do with Jeff.
“Camera rolling…and action!” The director yelled.
Slowly I rolled up the stocking. Adjusted the leather skirt. Tucked in the satin shirt. Then I stood, put on my heels and, finally, stuck the gun in the holster on my leg, underneath the skirt.
I was feeling Victoria — the woman who risked her life on a day-to-day basis to fight the bad guys. A woman who’d had to grow strong, steely, or she’d break. Almost numb to some things. But still, a woman who had a heart underneath the tough exterior.
I threw one look in the mirror, added some lip gloss and then headed for the door, grabbing a jacket on my way out.
“And cut! That was perfect. I like it. We really get to know her better here. Fine. It’s a wrap for today. We’re ahead of schedule today so make the most out of this evening as we have a ton to get through tomorrow.”
I looked towards the director and saw Jeff staring at me. His gaze was intense. I swore there was heat in those blue eyes of his…
This was just my character, I reminded myself. It was Victoria he had the hots for. Quickly I went to a room that had been set aside for me to change. We were filming most scenes on a small set that had been built in an abandoned factory. If the series was green lighted, I’d spend a lot of time in this place.
As I changed, I suddenly felt lonely. Maui was paradise, but there was no one to return to at the end of the night. Just an empty hotel room. I sighed. At least there wasn’t a cheating husband! I shook my head. I couldn’t believe Bill had looked for me in L.A.! He’d tried calling a few times when I first left, and sent several apologies, but then he went silent. I assumed he got the message, but apparently not. Maybe he thought I’d come crawling home and when I didn’t, he panicked?
There was no point wasting time thinking about it. It was over. I didn’t regret the first part of our marriage, but back when I was around thirty-nine, realized he was cheating and still had the chance of getting pregnant, I should have left. I frowned. Hadn’t I just decided not to think about it?
A knock on the door interrupted my reveries.
“Pat?” I heard Jeff’s voice call.
“Come in,” I replied.
“Hey,” Jeff said as he walked in. “Fancy some company? Shaun and Monica are on some all day, all evening excursion and I don’t feel like working tonight. It’s still light outside, so I thought I’d go for a bike ride. Wanna join?”
I lit up. I didn’t have to be alone, after all.
“Sure! I’m game. Where do you want to go?”
“How about you ride on my bike so we don’t have to drive at snail speed and I take you to this diner I know on a cliff, looking over the ocean?”
“Now that sounds like the kind of place I’d like,” I said.
“You will. It’s a diner, but it serves oysters and champagne. It’s a seafood diner with a very unique menu, let’s just put it that way.”
“I’m intrigued. Lead the way!”
We both got into our motorbiking gear and headed out to Jeff’s bike.
“I’m kinda glad you’re driving,” I said. “I could use a break from always thinking about what I’m doing. It’s not like driving a car yet, where I’m all relaxed.”
“It will be one day.”
“I know, especially if this series goes ahead, but for now, a break is nice!”
“I hear ya!”
Then we got on the bike, Jeff revved the engine and off we went.
