Page 20 of A Simple Love

“Nice to meet you.”

I didn’t want to be left out. “I’m Oliver.”

Quinn lifted her eyebrows slowly. “Ah,” she said. “The famous Oliver. I thought it was you, but I didn’t want to bother. Love your movies.”

“Thanks. Love your omelets.”

“A mutual admiration society,” another voice spoke, and I looked behind Quinn to the massive stranger I had spotted earlier. He held out his big paw. “Oliver, it’s been a long time.”

Seeing him up close, I recognized his face. “John Elliott.” I grabbed his hand and pumped it hard. “How the hell are you?”

“Good. I’m good. Just having breakfast before heading to the fields. No one beats my Quinn’s cooking.”

I introduced Davis to him, and Quinn grinned widely. “I hoped to be an extra. John too.”

Davis chuckled. “I’ll make sure you get in. I could probably use you as one of the hands, John. You look the part.”

“Oh yes,” Quinn said, looking pleased. “His muscles have muscles. He’d look so good on film.”

John laughed, draping a heavy arm around her waist and pulling her close, dropping a kiss to her head. “Enough, darlin’. Let them eat their breakfast. Kassie, I’ll get the other box from your car.”

“Thanks.”

Davis smiled at her, leaning his arm across the booth. “What about you, Kassie? You want to be an extra? I can put in a good word,” he teased.

“Oh, I’m not sure.”

A card appeared in his hand. “Call me if you change your mind.”

“Um, thanks.”

She slid into the booth behind us, and we started to eat our breakfast. John returned, sitting across from her, and Quinn joined them for brief intervals. Davis and I discussed the character and some of my thoughts. We talked about the shooting schedule. He pushed away his plate, waiting as I finished the stack of pancakes that had come with the meal. He leaned close, his voice low.

“I assume from the tension I’m feeling between you and your landlady and the way you keep staring at her, you no longer need another place to stay?”

“I’m not—” I cut myself off. I had stared at her a lot, although I thought I’d done it covertly. She was irresistible. Smiling and laughing one moment. Frowning and serious the next. Wrinkling her nose in distaste. Shaking her finger in mock severity at John, who ignored her. Scolding Quinn about working too hard. And meeting my stare more than once with a shy smile, her gaze often skidding away if our eyes held too long.

“No. I’m good.” I sipped my coffee. “And there is nothing between us. Old friends.”

“So if she chose to use that number and I asked her out, you would…”

My hands clenched into fists under the table, but I forced myself to remain calm. “She’s a grown woman. She can see or do anything she likes.”

He leaned back with a smirk. “I see. So, nothing there—just old friends.”

I glanced one more time at Kassie. Good God, she was effortlessly sexy. Simple. Stunning.

And she’d just caught the eye of a Hollywood director known for dating younger women. A decent enough guy—but the thought of her dating him twisted something in my gut. Even if I had no right to have those feelings. I picked up my coffee cup and took a drink to clear my throat. Even then, my voice sounded like gravel when I spoke.

“Friends. But don’t hurt her, or you’ll answer to me.”

He snorted as he drank the last of his coffee.

“Duly noted.”

9

KASSIE