Read Online Once in a Blue Moon by Kristin James - Free Book Online Page B

weeks, they have nothing much to do with Jessica. Thirdly, Lena, whom they had pegged to be Curtis’s love interest, isn’t creating much of a spark with him. Fan mail, so I hear, has been very tepid.”
    “Well, if the fans don’t love him, then maybe they’ll get rid of him altogether.”
    “Fat chance. He gets lots of fan mail. Everyone from grandmothers down to giggly adolescent girls thinks he’s a major hunk. They keep writing in to say don’t pair him with that drip Celeste. That’s Lena’s character.”
    “So they’re going to try to pair him with you?”
    “I don’t know. I haven’t asked. Half the women on the show would love to be a couple with him, but most of them are either the wrong age or they’re already hooked up with someone.”
    “So is Jessica.”
    Isabelle rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter if Jessica is hooked up with someone. Anyway, the seduction scene aired last Monday. There’s a three-week lag between shooting and showing it. Friday, Marie showed me the pile of mail they’ve already gotten about it.”
    “Did they like it or hate it?”
    “Both. Some of them were incensed, and others thought it was great. And I quote, ‘It showed the wild, sexy side of that gorgeous Dr. Townsend.’ Either way, it’s viewer response, and that’s what the producers care about. That’s what brings in ad money. Whether they loved it or hated it, the viewers will be watching to see what happens.”
    “Oh.”
    “Yeah, ‘oh.’ Tuesday, Karen—the head writer—was closeted with Danny and Carol half the day. Wednesday and Thursday, she and two or three of the writers were in her office all day. Something is obviously up. The rumor is that they’re changing one of the story lines. I mean, majorly changing. And Carol’s secretary says she canceled all the reservations for the location shooting in New Orleans in two weeks.”
    “Really? What are they going to do, then?”
    Isabelle shrugged. “At the moment, no one knows. Maybe they’ve called it off altogether. Maybe they’re doing it somewhere else. Maybe they just decided it was going to rain too much in New Orleans—or maybe they’ve scrapped the story and are going to do something entirely different.”
    “I bet everybody’s buzzing about that.”
    “Oh!” Isabelle rolled her eyes. “Sets are always such rumor mills, anyway. Now stories are circulating all over the place. Who knows what’s true and what’s just speculation.”
    Nancy studied her coffee for a moment. “What will you do if it is true? If they’re going to link you and him in a long story line?”
    “I don’t know! I don’t think I can stand it! But how can I leave, either? Just drop a steady job and endanger Jenny’s security, not to mention my career? It isn’t even as if I could do it easily. They could sue me for not finishing my contract.”
    “Well, it sounded as if Traynor gave in quickly enough when you made it plain you didn’t want anything happening between you. Maybe he won’t push it, even if you are doing steamy scenes on stage.”
    “Maybe....” Isabelle got up and walked restlessly to the window. She stood for a moment, looking out at her daughter. The problem, Isabelle knew, wasn’t so much that she was afraid that Michael would bother her because of their steamy scenes. The problem was that she wasn’t sure whether she could hold out against her own desires. She was afraid that if they kissed again on-screen, she wouldn’t be able to stop.
    But that was something she could not admit to anyone, even her best friend. She turned back to Nancy, forcing a smile. “You’re probably right. I’m worrying for nothing. Who knows—they may not even decide to throw Curtis and Jessica together. It’s all rumors and speculations, anyway. Let’s talk about something else.”
    “Sure.” Nancy readily complied, moving on to the subject of her next showing at a gallery.
    * * *
    However, the next week, Isabelle’s fears were confirmed.