“You did?”
He dug around in the plastic bag and pulled out a smaller paper bag. “Pain au chocolat,” he said, a little gruffly. “And a banana.”
Bee abruptly flung her arms around Teddy, and after a minute, he patted her awkwardly on the back.
“Thanks,” Bee said, sounding brighter. “You know I like bananas when I’m on set.”
“Yeah, but usually it’s to prevent leg cramps because someone’s folding you into a kinky pretzel.No kinky pretzels in Christmas Notch.”
“Iknow,” Bee said. “Now let me get changed in peace. I promise I won’t miss my horse date.”
Teddy narrowed his eyes at her, his mustache still moving with some deep Teddy emotion, and then with a chuff, he turned on his heel and made to leave the room.
“Bye, Uncle Ray,” she called as he walked through the door. He gave her a middle finger without looking back, and then the door slammed shut behind him.
Uncle Ray. Uncle Ray. Where have I heard that before—
Ohhhh.
Oh shit.
No wonder Bee and Teddy knew each other.
Uncle Ray-Ray’s was the traditional studio Bee worked with most, and it was presumably owned by the titular Uncle Ray. And if Uncle Ray wasTeddy Fletcher, that meantDuke the Hallswas being produced by the same person who’d madeTrapped on Co-Ed Island 17andSpider-Peen: Homecoming.
I didn’t even want to think about what would happen if Steph found out, but even worse was the possibility of the media finding out. Of Dominic Diamond finding out. If he learned that Nolan Shaw was filming a movie produced by a porn mogul... and if he learned that Nolan Shaw was starring in that porn mogul’s movie with a bona fide porn star...
That couldn’t happen. No matter what, that couldn’t happen.
Bee sank down onto the bed after the door shut, clutchingher pain au chocolat with both hands. “Holy shit,” she whispered. “We almost got caught. We almost got caught.”
“But we didn’t,” I said, trying to reassure her and myself at the same time, wiggling like a worm until I was free of the duvet and then getting to my feet. “We’re all good, Bee. It’s okay. We’ll just be more careful is all.”
She looked up at me.
Too late I realized what my words implied. That there would be more sneaking around. That there would bemore, period.
I should have taken it back right away; I should have explained. Because we couldn’t do more, we absolutely couldn’t. Not with the stakes this high. Not with her and Teddy’s pasts at play, and not with my future at risk.
But I didn’t take it back.
And she didn’t ask me to.
Later that day, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.
Steph:Coming to Christmas Notch tonight.
Steph:Want to make sure things are going well.
That was surprisingly thoughtful from Steph, and I was about to text her back and say so, when she added:
Steph:If they’re *not* going well, I will personally remove your eyeballs and string them onto a cranberry-and-popcorn garland for my tree.
Steph:♥
With a sigh, I texted back a thumbs-up and was sliding my phone into the inner pocket of the Duke of Frostmere’s riding jacket when I got another text.
Mads:Whatever you did with the insurance people worked! They filled Mom’s prescription and she was able to pick it up this morning! We’re going to the craft store after my half-day at school is over. There’s a sale on Christmas tree stands. Or something.
