“How many pairs of pants does this guyneed?”
“Right. I need to remember who I’m asking,” I say with a laugh. Blake has never cared much about fashion. He wears clothes that look good on him, sure (though honestly, he’s Blake Pless, a Hefty bag would look good on him), but his daily wear consists of a rotation through a handful of casual outfits, shorts and light button-downs or t-shirts, and that’s about it.
No matter how much money or fame he’s achieved, he’s still so down-to-earth, and I love that about him. I always have.
“Oh, hey, and there’s Kelsey,” Blake says, looking back over to where the actors are getting prepped for the next scene. Kelsey’s sewing a button on the cuff of the pitch-black suitcoat that Bertram is wearing for his next scene, while makeup artists are alternately applying more last minute white body powder to his shaved head and blotting off sweat. If there’s a better example of a Sisyphean task, I don’t know what it is.
“Fantastic. She’ll be so excited.” Blake and I exchange a grin. Reason two for the gift card involves Kelsey.
I wave her over when she starts heading back to the wardrobe trailer.
“Hey guys,” she says brightly, then frowns. “I heard about Comic-Con. Ugh. So sorry.”
Sadly, that sympathy could be in reference to any number of things. I don’t bother pressing. “Thanks,” I say. “But we’ve got something for you. Or better yet, something for you to give to Aaron.”
I hold out the card, and she raises an eyebrow.
“I’m giving him a gift card to a mall clothes store?”There’s a hint of snarky judgment in her tone that reminds me all too much of Ivy.
It occurs to me that Cassie, Blake’s assistant, is also in her mid-thirties. Maybe we should have picked someone younger to choose a gift card.
“You’re giving him the opportunity to spend the day with you at the mall,” Blake says. “While he gets new clothes, courtesy of us. And Costanza’s weak bladder.”
Blake’s spin on it works wonders; Kelsey gets a sly smile on her face. “Yeah, okay.This could work.” She chews her lower lip. “I think I even have the perfect line to use with this—I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“You’d better,” I say. After grievously wounding our daughter on a daily basis, drawing negative press to the film, and learning that we inadvertently threw our old nanny to the internet wolves, it would be really nice to be able to makesomeonehappy again.
Though I can think of lots of ways I could make Blake happy, given a few minutes alone in his trailer.
Since we’re on the middle of a bustling film set at the moment, though, I settle for slipping my arm around his waist. He pulls me closer, even though my shirt is plastered to my back with sweat, and I probably smell like a swamp.
“Awww,” Kelsey says, grinning at us. “You guys are the most adorable couple ever. And the best. Seriously.Thanks for this.” She waves the gift card at us and heads off, her curls bouncing with every step.
“Do you think it’ll work?” I ask.
Blake puts his other arm around me, so I’m pressed up against him. “Hopefully. If not, I guess we’ll have to give up our dreams of starting that matchmaking empire and stick with acting. And being the most adorable couple ever.”
“Mmmm.” I’m enjoying the feel of his arms around me so much, I don’t care that probably a dozen people are taking our picture right now. It can’t be worse than the filmed makeout-turned-dry humping session they all witnessed a few weeks ago.
“Have you metTanner yet?” I ask.
“Oh, the new kid. Yeah, I met him.” From his tone, I gather he’s not terribly impressed withTanner. “I haven’t seen him work yet. How is he?”
“He’s actually got good instincts.” I pause. “When it comes to acting.”
Blake studies my face. “Uh-oh. What are you planning?”
“Nothing!”
He raises an eyebrow and I sigh. Good to see we can still read some things about each other so well after all these years, I suppose.
“Fine. I just thought I’d talk to him a bit. You know, give him some tips on the business. And the importance of professionalism.”
He opens his mouth, but I cut him off before he can knock my plan.
“He seems like a nice enough kid. But he’s really new to this, and he got big fast. I’ve seen so many stars like him go off the rails at their first taste of fame, especially if they don’t have someone to guide them on how to handle it—”
“Like your parents, you mean.”There’s a sudden sharpness to his words that I know isn’t directed at me.
