“I look forward to invisibly adjusting your scenes,” AJ said.
Now Toni was genuinely smiling. Then her eyes went large. “Age—is that—”
Noah Drew was making his way down the steep stone steps from the main house into their courtyard. He wore black head to toe, a large canvas duffel slung over his shoulder.
Fuck, fuck,fuck.
AJ had assumed Noah would be staying at the main house with Ian and Em, if not elsewhere in L.A.—only the poor, working comedians had been lodged on the guest terrace. AJ had known she and Noah would be in close proximity, but she hadn’t realized they’d beliving together.
AJ went rigid as his boots landed in the courtyard. She could feelToni eyeing her as Noah lowered his bag and reached down to pet a chestnut-colored dog at his ankles.
AJ’s heart constricted. Was thatBud?
At that moment, the dog sprinted for her, tugging her leash and owner. AJ’s cheeks warmed as Noah’s pace increased to keep up; he did not let the dog go free.
“Noah, hey,” said Toni, that edge back in her voice. Bud jumped up onto AJ’s shoulders to kiss her ears. She lookedjust likeHortense. “Aww, what a cutie.”
When Noah didn’t respond, AJ looked up to find him watching her and Bud without expression.
Toni tried again. “You staying down here?”
Noah cleared his throat. “Yep,” he said, glancing at Toni. “It’s better for the character to be away from the house and all of that.”
Away from Em and his celebrity cadre, he meant.
“Right on,” said Toni, and AJ loved her for not fawning.
As Bud trotted back to Noah’s side, Noah’s eyes flicked to AJ’s then dropped.
“I should get her settled,” he said abruptly.
They wished him well and made a show of opening their bibles as he turned to go.
The instant he was out of earshot, Toni said, “Right. I’m taking off my bra. It’sbetter for the character.”
AJ laughed, pretending not to watch Noah lead Bud to a door on the other side of the quad.
Right across from hers.
The next day, AJclustered with Toni, Dave, and Xiaobo inside a dimly lit soundstage. It was freezing, cold air blasting in to keep the large three-story metal structure at the center of the room from overheating.
“Sothisis a space whale,” said Toni, staring at the set.
“Crale,” corrected Dave.
“Her name is Gilamede,” said Ian, stepping forward. “Waittill you see inside.”
As if on cue, a ground-level panel began to lower like a drawbridge. A cloud of steam billowed forth, and the unmistakable form of Em Tyner appeared.
He had earned his nickname: King of the Nerds. The nerd part was covered by the unassuming cargo shorts, polo shirt, and glasses. The king part was evident in the power stance, the eyes that missed nothing, and the Mephistophelian brows, ever arched, waiting to be impressed.
“All aboard,” he said dryly, then turned and walked back into the set.
Toni and AJ exchanged a look, then followed.
Noah had yet to join them. He’d barely left his room the night before, while AJ and her friends had stayed out late under the fig trees. Which somehow made AJ feel like she was winning.
Thoughts of Noah dissipated as AJ stepped into the crale’s mouth—a massive parcel-paper-brown space that doubled as the cargo bay, with metal balconies on three floors.
