Take Two

Chapter Twenty

Maddie took a sip of rosé wine as she scanned the doors of the Buell Theater lobby for the millionth time. Still no Micah. Who made up the stupid rule that actors were supposed to show up to charity functions so late anyway? Probably the same person who decided that the production crew had to show up on time.

God, she was nervous. She had thought about texting Micah to tell him she was coming, but she wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. At least she looked good. Even though she wasn’t a girly-girl, she could clean up. The silver organza baby-doll dress Bree had sent her hit mid-thigh and, thanks to running, she had nice legs. The sweetheart bodice embellished with rhinestones did awesome things for her boobs and matched the rhinestones that decorated her black stilettos. Yeah, she looked damn good.

“You have to try these crab cakes.” Joe balanced a handful of hors d’oeuvres he had swiped from one of the trays.

“I’m not really hun—” He popped one in her mouth before she could finish. The cake melted on her tongue and surprised her with its deliciousness. “Okay, that was good,” she said after she swallowed. Truth was she hadn’t been able to eat much of anything. She was too anxious about the evening, about spending the night with hundreds of people she didn’t know and the one person she was starting to know pretty damn well. Especially because she had to pretend she didn’t know that person so well.

“The bruschetta is awesome too,” Joe said around a mouthful of crab cakes. “Grab some when the next tray comes along.”

Maddie felt a hand at the small of her back and she turned, hopeful, to face the owner.

“Wow!”

Sam. Not Micah.

If Micah had arrived, there’d be more buzz. And he wouldn’t touch her in public. He didn’t on set, and he definitely wouldn’t here.

“You look stunning.” Sam’s blue eyes sparkled, not in the lustful way that Micah’s did when he looked at her, but in a way that spoke volumes about his admiration for her.

She blushed, unsure how to handle his crush. “Thank you. You look great in a tux.”

“Ah, this old thing?”

He said more, but Maddie didn’t hear it over the commotion at the front doors. Cameras flashed and people pressed against the ropes that created a mock red carpet for the VIP attendees. She had a good view from where she stood at the bar, and crowds began to gather as Heather Wainwright made her entrance.

Maddie tensed. Fudge walked in, wearing black sunglasses in full-out bodyguard mode. He held the door open for Micah, who strode in with a beautiful brunette on his arm. He was handsome as ever in his black tux and tie. He seemed untouchable and godlike. Like the president or a celebrity.

Of course that was exactly what he was—a celebrity. Sometimes Maddie forgot.

It wasn’t hard to forget now. Micah posed and waved as he walked down the carpet, his smile wide and his eyes twinkling. Lulu stepped aside with Fudge to let Micah have his glory alone, though Heather stood by him in many of the shots. She looked beautiful at his side, her blonde hair standing out against the red floor-length gown that hugged her tightly around her curvy parts.

Maddie felt an undercurrent of jealousy spark under her calm exterior as she watched the spectacle over Joe’s shoulder, despite all that she and Micah had worked through. Their tryst in the woods had worked to make filming the sex scene a non-issue. Maddie knew she’d had the real deal and that everything on set was acting.

But she couldn’t say that now, because even though Micah had brought his mother, Heather was the one who got to walk down the carpet with him. Heather was the one who could lean over and whisper in his ear and laugh at some interviewer’s question, her arm casually resting on Micah’s shoulder. Heather was the one who could be photographed with him.

Maddie got to admire from a distance. Like a fan. Like a mistress.

“Hey, was that shrimp cocktail?” Joe followed the caterer, stepping out of Maddie’s sightline, giving her a clear view of the man she was fucking on a regular basis.

She recognized the minute he saw her. He was joking for the press with a fellow actor, when he stilled mid-laugh, his brows raised in surprise, his stare piercing her like a hot laser. Jaw set, his eyes swept up and down her body, devouring her.

She straightened as the electricity that passed through his heated gaze ignited every nerve in her body, warming her. Her face flushed with desire, her lower belly tightened, and she’d bet money he was hard under his black pants.

But it wasn’t just sexual energy that passed between them. It was more—something intangible and unable to name. The lobby that had held hundreds of people just a moment before now held no one but him and her, and the raw emotions that encompassed them. It frightened and excited her, that he could affect her so with just a look, that she could affect him in the same way.

Then a flashbulb went off and the spell was broken. Micah was back in character, charming and charismatic for the crowd.

“It seems the talent has arrived,” Sam said, leaning into her so she could hear over the din. His body heat lacked in comparison to Micah’s penetrating eyes and she shivered in their wake. “For once I think the crew got the better end of the deal.”

“Hmm, what?” She was distracted. How did Micah confound her so completely? How could she feel totally bereft of him one moment and then consumed by him the next?

And she still didn’t know if he was glad to see her there. How had he seemed? Surprised. Appreciative of her attire, maybe. What else, she couldn’t guess. And she wouldn’t be able to find out for hours, probably, since she couldn’t have a real conversation with him until they were alone at their hotel.

Yeah, the secret thing sucked.

But, if they decided to keep seeing each other, eventually it wouldn’t be secret. And then Maddie could walk in with him, though she’d likely still have to watch him pose with his costars while she stood off to the side as Lulu did now. No two ways about it, dating a celebrity was tricky.

Maddie moved her focus to Lucille Preston. Not surprisingly, she was as beautiful as her son. Her dark hair was coiffed short, framing her oval face. Her body, from what Maddie could see through the crowds, trim and fit for a woman her age. She appeared completely at ease in her short black formal dress and her son the center of attention.

Could Maddie be like that? Could she stand aside and watch her lover be pursued and pounced on by the press? It seemed…awkward and kind of a drag.

“It just doesn’t look very fun to be all paparazzi’d like that,” Sam said, continuing a conversation that Maddie kept forgetting they were having.

No shit.

Joe returned then with a plate full of shrimp cocktail and a few other members of the crew. “Look who I found.”

Maddie let the group surround her, grateful for the number so she could dissolve into the background. Minutes passed where she smiled and nodded automatically to whatever was said, not knowing what she was smiling and nodding at. All the while, she snuck peeks at Micah and his mother, always aware of where he stood and who he stood with—more often than not with Heather.

Maddie wanted to poke Heather’s eyes out with her stilettos. It would be a shame to ruin such a nice pair of shoes though, so she shut the thought out of her mind.

“Are we all sitting together?” Sam asked no one in particular.

“We’re together in the balcony,” Joe said. “The actors are in the orchestra, I think. Or they have box seats.”

Surprise, surprise. Segregation of cast and crew. Again.

Usually she wouldn’t think twice about it. Now it felt like a punishment.

“Oh, look, it’s our production crew.”

Maddie looked to the source of the voice and saw Heather pointing at their group.

“Familiar faces, Micah. Let’s go say hi.” Heather pulled Micah toward them with Fudge and Lulu following close behind.

Maddie’s heart pounded and her palms began sweating while they approached. She couldn’t decide if she was jealous or nervous or excited or all three mixed up into one impending anxiety attack. Whatever it was, Micah was getting close and her skin goosed as it always did in his presence.

But Micah didn’t look at her once. Not even a sideways glance. Shit. Was he mad?

“Hey, guys,” Micah said, jabbing at his phone. “Excuse me just a minute, please.”

And he was gone, stepping aside to privately take or make a call. She wasn’t sure which.

She closed her eyes, squelching threatening tears.

Her phone buzzed inside her clutch and she scrambled to grab it. Normally she’d ignore it, but Micah was on his phone—was it ridiculous to think he was calling her? She looked at the caller ID. Micah from the party.

She swallowed then answered, her body tensed in preparation for his anger or disappointment or whatever he was about to deliver. “Yes?”

“Baby, you look so fucking hot, I’m struggling to not pull you into the coat room and take you right now.”

Well, she hadn’t been prepared for that.

His voice was tight and full of need. She flushed, searching the crowd for where he’d wandered off to, and found him standing alone, eyes locked on her.

“Turn around,” he said hungrily. She did and he groaned. “Fuck, those shoes… As amazing as you look in that dress, later I hope to see you wearing nothing but those shoes.”

She was never taking off those rhinestone stilettos again. God, he made her hot.

“Gotta go.” He pocketed his phone and gave his attention to a couple that had just approached him for an autograph.

Relief mingled with her arousal. Really, what had she expected? That he would be angry that she attended an event she had every right to be at? He hadn’t wanted her there for the same reason she hadn’t wanted to be there—because it made them ache to be together. That was all.

“You look like you’re enjoying yourself,” Sam said, bumping her shoulder with his.

Maddie realized she’d been beaming since her phone call. She relaxed her smile. “It’s probably the wine. I’m a lightweight. I should follow it with some coffee.”

“I’d be happy to get you a cup.”

“Thanks, but I’ll get it. I’m very particular about my mix of cream and sweetener.”

She returned to the bar and ordered her coffee. Then she crossed to the condiment area to dress her beverage the way she liked it. As she filled her cup with creamer, a familiar arm reached around her for a packet of sugar.

“Excuse me,” Micah’s voice hummed.

Maddie glanced sideways at him, saw the mischievous grin he wore and the twinkle in his eye as he prepared his own cup of coffee. They were alone—as alone as they were going to get. She risked a hushed conversation. “So you’re not mad that I’m here?”

He reached around her again, this time for a stirrer. She leaned back into the momentary closeness of him, inhaling the musky scent of Micah—a mixture of his aftershave and body wash and his own unique aroma. Maybe secret wasn’t so bad.

“Not at all. I always want you near.” She felt his hand lower behind her to shift his bulge. “Even if it makes me a bit uncomfortable in the pants.”

Maddie smiled as she busied herself with stirring her coffee longer than necessary in order to prolong their interaction. “Your mother is beautiful. You look so much like her.”

He swiveled to view Lulu. “You think? I mean, I think she’s beautiful too, but I don’t know how much I look like her.” Lowering his voice he added, “And thank you for mentioning my mother. You’ve effectively cured me of my semi.”

She giggled. “One way or another, I’m always glad to relieve you.”

“Let’s not even continue this line of conversation.” He laughed. He turned his focus again to Lulu. “She loves these things. Look at her milking up all the attention my manager is giving her.”

Maddie followed his gaze. “That’s your manager?”

“Yeah, Stu.”

“She does look awfully comfortable.” And a little bit smitten. Did Micah realize his mother had a thing for his manager? From the oblivious look on Micah’s face, she guessed not.

They watched Lulu and Stu for a few seconds in silence. Then Micah cocked his head. “Do you want to meet them?”

Maddie’s heart stopped. Them. Stu and Lulu—two of the most important people in Micah’s life. “Only if you want me to.” Her response was barely louder than a whisper.

“I do.” His eyes lit up with excitement, verifying he was sincere. “But I’m warning you now—I’m going to be vague about our relationship.”

“You don’t want to tell your mother and manager all the amazing things I do to you on a nightly basis? I guess I can live with that.”

“Thanks for understanding.” He waved to catch his mother’s eye, then summoned her and Stu toward them.

Maddie braced herself, hoping she appeared casual despite her sudden overwhelming anxiety about meeting Micah’s mom. His mom. It had been years since she’d met a boyfriend’s parent.

Of course, Micah wasn’t her boyfriend. Not technically. But he was much more than just a lover. Somehow she had to keep all of that from showing on her face, in her body. Though how could she when her entire soul lit up like a firecracker in his presence?

No time to figure it out. Lulu was there. In front of her. Micah’s smile was easy, casual. He gestured nonchalantly at Maddie. “Lulu, Stu, this is Maddie Bauers. She’s a camera assistant on the film.”

Maddie offered her hand first to Stu. His shake was firm but brief. The manager seeming to be more interested in speaking with Micah. No matter. Impressing Stu wasn’t high on her list of goals.

Then she swiveled to greet Micah’s mother. Lulu’s eyes, Maddie noticed, were exactly the color of her son’s—less piercing, but equally as bright. Her hand was warm and smooth, her grasp firm though not as tight as Stu’s.

Instantly Maddie loved her in a way she would find difficult to explain if ever pressed to do so. Loved her for bringing Micah into this world. Loved her because Micah loved her.

Loved her because, Maddie was beginning to suspect she also loved her son.

When she took back her hand, Maddie was breathless from the waves of emotions that had accompanied the simple contact. She was also keenly aware that all of it had been one-sided.

Which was fine. More important was the widening of Micah’s eyes that suggested he’d understood and that he was pleased.

“It’s always a pleasure to meet people Micah works with,” Lulu said in a voice that hinted she was good at mingling. Sincere enough to be charming, but not personal enough to make a real connection.

“Adam LaForgeon’s on camera, right?” Stu asked. “He’s excellent.”

“He is,” Maddie said, grateful for the easy subject. “I’ve been lucky to be his assistant for several years now.”

“But she’s also a brilliant director,” Micah interrupted. Maddie didn’t miss the pride that tainted his words. “I was telling you about her film earlier, Mom.”

He told her about me.

Goose bumps clothed Maddie’s arms. He’d told Lulu about her. And even though she’d rather the talk had been on a personal level instead of about her film, she was moved. He’d thought about her.

Lulu’s eyebrows raised and her interest in Maddie sparked. “Oh, the one you want to invest in?”

Micah brought a finger to his lips. “Shh, Mom. That’s not common knowledge. But if you’re a good girl, maybe we can talk Maddie into showing you some of her footage over breakfast.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

And just like that their breakfast date was a reality.

Stu seemed to have something on his mind. “Maddie, would you care if I steal Micah and his mother for a moment? I need to talk business.”

“No, of course not.” She would have loved to be included on a personal business conversation, but she barely cared at the moment. Right now she was soaring. Despite his reservations and fears, Micah had introduced her to his mother. Under his own conditions, yes, but she was grateful for the compromise. Relationships were about compromise, after all, and his actions proved he understood that.

Proved he might even be thinking about the two of them in exactly those terms—relationship terms.

Even as Stu led Micah and Lulu away from her, Maddie felt closer to Micah than she ever had.