Read Online Masquerade by Janette Rallison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janette Rallison
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what. With her big blue eyes, she probably got stuff like jewelry. He wondered what Clarissa’s perfect husband would do if she came home wearing a necklace that Slade had given her. It would probably cause a big argument, and more apologies, and then she would get another installment of jewelry. Love didn’t keep jewelers in business, apologies did.
Maybe he’d just give her a bonus after the trip.
Slade checked the hotel restaurant in hopes of seeing AJ. He wasn’t there. Slade went back to his room, ordered breakfast there, and ate it on his balcony. He’d grown up in California, so he’d put in a good deal of time at the beach. Still, he never tired of watching the waves—the way they rose up, as though reaching for something, then rolled over in a great churning mass and spilled onto the shore. This time as Slade watched them, he wondered what they were reaching for.
And he hoped he had better luck in reaching his goals.
After breakfast Slade made his way to a meeting room off of the lobby, which had been turned into a prop storage area. Someone from the crew might know where AJ was.
An odd assortment of crates and boxes created a maze in the room, and a few people milled around between them, unloading things here and there. He sauntered in, stepping over cables and wires from the lighting equipment, and looked for a familiar face. It took him only moments to find one.
Natalie Granger knelt beside a box, digging through its contents with her long, tanned arms. He hadn’t seen her in two years—not since they’d worked together on the film Mermaid Island . Her platinum-blonde hair was shorter than it had been, but her eyes were the same bright blue, and her body still looked a perpetual twenty years old. She wore tight jeans and a halter top, a sort of chic comfort that she did so well.
He remembered her decked out in her mermaid outfit being carried onto the set because she couldn’t walk in her fins. He had teased her mercilessly throughout the production, telling her one helpless mermaid joke after another. She got back at him by making their love scene difficult. Every time they practiced, she changed it on him. Instead of murmuring softly into his ear that she loved him, she’d put her head on his shoulder and whisper anything else. “I was attacked by a rabid tuna,” she told him once breathlessly, “and now I feel like biting you.”
She made such a joke of the whole thing , he could barely keep a straight face during the actual shoot.
Now Slade walked over to her. “Natalie, if they’re making you unload your own props, I suggest you find a new agent.”
She blinked at him, and recognition warmed her face. “Slade!” She got to her feet and gave him a hug, pressing her body tightly against him. As he held her, he got a faint whiff of her Giorgio perfume. Even that was the same.
She released him, then glanced back at the boxes. “I was looking for my laptop. I think it got packed up with the props back in California.” Smiling, she tucked her hands into her back pockets. “It’s such a surprise to see you. What are you doing here?”
“Mostly just visiting Landon.”
Natalie tilted her head, skeptically. “Men never visit Landon. And besides, the two of you can see each other in L.A. Why are you really here?”
He laughed and ran a hand acro ss the back of his neck. “Actually, I want to pitch a script.”
“ Ahhh. Business. I should have known. Everything is always business with you.” She leaned closer to him. “If I recall, you were always too busy to devote any time to our budding relationship.”
“Yes, but as you remember, you were a fish. And besides, you died tragically in the end.” He snapped his fingers in the air, remembering. “What was it that finally did you in? Was it the rabid tuna or the oil spill? I’ve forgotten.”
“It was those plastic rings they use in six packs,” she said. “They’re deadly to marine life.”
“Ah, yes, well, it’s
Maybe he’d just give her a bonus after the trip.
Slade checked the hotel restaurant in hopes of seeing AJ. He wasn’t there. Slade went back to his room, ordered breakfast there, and ate it on his balcony. He’d grown up in California, so he’d put in a good deal of time at the beach. Still, he never tired of watching the waves—the way they rose up, as though reaching for something, then rolled over in a great churning mass and spilled onto the shore. This time as Slade watched them, he wondered what they were reaching for.
And he hoped he had better luck in reaching his goals.
After breakfast Slade made his way to a meeting room off of the lobby, which had been turned into a prop storage area. Someone from the crew might know where AJ was.
An odd assortment of crates and boxes created a maze in the room, and a few people milled around between them, unloading things here and there. He sauntered in, stepping over cables and wires from the lighting equipment, and looked for a familiar face. It took him only moments to find one.
Natalie Granger knelt beside a box, digging through its contents with her long, tanned arms. He hadn’t seen her in two years—not since they’d worked together on the film Mermaid Island . Her platinum-blonde hair was shorter than it had been, but her eyes were the same bright blue, and her body still looked a perpetual twenty years old. She wore tight jeans and a halter top, a sort of chic comfort that she did so well.
He remembered her decked out in her mermaid outfit being carried onto the set because she couldn’t walk in her fins. He had teased her mercilessly throughout the production, telling her one helpless mermaid joke after another. She got back at him by making their love scene difficult. Every time they practiced, she changed it on him. Instead of murmuring softly into his ear that she loved him, she’d put her head on his shoulder and whisper anything else. “I was attacked by a rabid tuna,” she told him once breathlessly, “and now I feel like biting you.”
She made such a joke of the whole thing , he could barely keep a straight face during the actual shoot.
Now Slade walked over to her. “Natalie, if they’re making you unload your own props, I suggest you find a new agent.”
She blinked at him, and recognition warmed her face. “Slade!” She got to her feet and gave him a hug, pressing her body tightly against him. As he held her, he got a faint whiff of her Giorgio perfume. Even that was the same.
She released him, then glanced back at the boxes. “I was looking for my laptop. I think it got packed up with the props back in California.” Smiling, she tucked her hands into her back pockets. “It’s such a surprise to see you. What are you doing here?”
“Mostly just visiting Landon.”
Natalie tilted her head, skeptically. “Men never visit Landon. And besides, the two of you can see each other in L.A. Why are you really here?”
He laughed and ran a hand acro ss the back of his neck. “Actually, I want to pitch a script.”
“ Ahhh. Business. I should have known. Everything is always business with you.” She leaned closer to him. “If I recall, you were always too busy to devote any time to our budding relationship.”
“Yes, but as you remember, you were a fish. And besides, you died tragically in the end.” He snapped his fingers in the air, remembering. “What was it that finally did you in? Was it the rabid tuna or the oil spill? I’ve forgotten.”
“It was those plastic rings they use in six packs,” she said. “They’re deadly to marine life.”
“Ah, yes, well, it’s