Instead of thinking about what her birthday wouldn’t include, she let her mind drift back to Beau. Before long, she lost herself in her chores. Not even folding laundry could wipe the smile off her face when Beau Mckay had kissed her there.
Chapter 8
The rest of the weekend crawled by for Beau. He paced his living room, going over every moment and wondering what he’d done to chase Cindy off. Maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her so soon. They hadn’t known each other long—hadn’t even been on one date. Although it wasn’t for a lack of trying on his part.
And he had to go and kiss her in the front seat of his car too. Could he have shown her any less respect?
He’d never worried about where he kissed women before. In fact, he’d never really thought much about the women he was kissing. If she was pretty and willing, so was he.
Kissing Cindy was a whole new ball game. He’d known that from the moment his lips touched hers at the furniture store. The contact wasn’t long enough to be seen as more than a friendly peck, and yet his vision shifted.
For so long, he had painted himself as Atlanta’s playboy. He dated as many women as he could and never let them get under his skin. He didn’t have that option with Cindy. She was already there; she was everywhere.
Those were the stairs he had used to take her up to his room—not that that had panned out either. Any other woman at the party would have thrown herself at him in his bedroom doorway, and Cindy walked away.
There was the envelopeEgypt’s Goldcame in; the very one she’d held close to her chest the whole walk through the house.
Her grapefruit scent was on his shirt, taunting him.
Sunday afternoon, Beau dragged himself through a shower and shave and plopped into his reserved seat at Mark’s theater in time for the curtain to go up. He thought Mark was an idiot to give up blockbuster paychecks for the quiet life of theater ownership with Allie and his daughter Chloe. But now, he understood the guy’s move. Not that he was ready to stop acting—that wasn’t a call he wanted to make.
However, a quiet life with Cindy would be full of everyday thrills. If shopping for a wedding gift with her was entertaining, imagine how fun setting up a joint cell phone account or browsing a bookstore could be. He wanted those everyday boring moments with her. He wanted to know which book she’d pull off the shelf and put back and which one she’d tuck under her arm to take home.
By the time Monday morning rolled around, he was excited for the read-through. Whatever had happened with Cindy, he’d find a way to make it right. But first, he had to find her.
On a whim, he swung into Dunkin’ and picked up five dozen doughnuts. He used to do that for read-throughs—before he got big. He’d hold a box and circle the room, introducing himself to everyone from the executive director to the kid who made copies of the script.
Knight Studios personnel were as efficient as ever. Since he’d signed the contract, they’d cast Rubi Bergen as his co-star. They’d never worked together before, but he’d seen her films and respected her craft. With her shoulder-length blond hair, brown soulful eyes, thin frame, and adventurous air, she was a good fit for the role.
Beau made the rounds in the lobby, working to remember names, before handing the doughnuts off to the grandmotherly woman at the receptionist desk. “There is a banana strawberry doughnut in this box—will you make sure it gets to Cindy?” He’d wanted to get her a smoothie as a joking reminder of their time together, but settled for the pastry. A pastry was less threatening than a smoothie anyway.
He mentally smacked himself for overthinking the situation.Be cool.
The woman did a double take and then pulled her shoulders up to her ears as she whispered, “I’ll see to it, Mr. Mckay.”
“Thanks.” He made his way to the conference room, where one long table took up the far end of the room, and three rows of chairs filled the rest of the space. A nametag told him he’d be at the table next to Rubi. People stood in small groups or on their own, perusing a copy of the script—there were copies on every seat.
The doughnut boxes were brought in, along with napkins, cups, coffee, and tea. He mingled, checking the door every few seconds for Cindy. She would be here. A woman didn’t crash a party to deliver a script and then not come to the reading.
“Everyone,” Patricia Knight called the room to attention. Her thin skin flapped as she waved her arms. “If you’ll settle down, we’ll get started.”
Beau pulled out Rubi’s chair before taking his own.
“Drusilla will be walking us through the script today.” Patricia motioned for her daughter to stand before the group. She rose majestically, winking at Beau before taking her spot off to the side of the table. She remained standing.
“Please turn to page twenty-five. Bobby, will you set the scene?”
Bobby put his glasses on top of his head. “We’re in a hotel room and there’s a lot of tension between our leads because they were almost killed in a street fight and Benjamin finds out she’s lied to him about having the map. Besides the anger, there needs to be a sense of sexual tension as well.”
Beau’s hands grew moist. He absently rubbed his palms against his pants. The kisses he’d shared with Cindy had been the most passionate, the most loving, of any kiss in his life. After experiencing the real thing, he didn’t know if he could fake it with someone else. For some reason, the confident playboy attitude had left him like a butterfly flitting through an open window. Lifting the manuscript up so he could see it better, he waited for a nod from Drusilla before jumping in. “You’re crazy if you think I’m going to chase after you. A pyramid is no playground, sweetheart.”
Rubi gestured as she spoke her line. “I know the treasure’s there. I’ve seen the map.”
He lifted one eyebrow. “A map that mysteriously disappeared with your fiancé.”
She glared at him. He leaned back in his chair, sinking into Benjamin’s confidence, letting it hold him up. “What’s in it for me?” Beau double-checked his line. He’d asked Cindy the same question. His head jerked up in surprise, and he caught her slipping in through the open door. Dropping his gaze, he struggled to find his place.
Bobby held up his hand and Rubi broke off. “Maybe a little more pleading. He’s the only one you know who could accomplish this …”
