Read Online Riverstar (3) by Tess Thompson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tess Thompson
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martini, wanting to ask what he’d said but her pride kept her from it.
Mike lowered his voice. “Don’t you tell him I said this but don’t give up on him. He’s been hurt and has some scar tissue but he fell for you hard. He’ll be back. You mark my words on that.”
Just then Gennie entered through the front door. Bella stood and motioned for her to come over. “Mike, you want to meet Gennie?”
“Oh, shoot, she won’t want to meet me.”
“Don’t be silly. She’s a regular girl.”
“I want to meet her,” said Cindi.
Mike’s face was flushed, probably from the whiskey. “I’m starting to feel a hell of a lot better.”
Genevieve was making her way toward them. The locals, interspersed with the movie folks who seemed not to notice her at all, stopped whatever they were doing and stared. Bella was used to this. Whenever the two of them went out in Los Angeles the same thing happened. When Genevieve reached them, Mike immediately jumped from his stool as Bella introduced them.
“Mike’s kinda the honorary mayor in town here,” said Bella. “He and Tommy,” she said, pointing toward the band, “have transformed this town from a dying meth factory to a tourist destination.”
Cindi, grinning, reached her hand across the bar. “I’m Cindi. That’s Cindi with an i.”
Gennie returned Cindi’s vigorous handshake. “So nice to meet you. Bella’s told me so much about you. I hear you’re quite the sharp shooter.”
“Well, God don’t care for a bragger but yeah, it’s true,” said Cindi. “Now do you want a cof a cuppa? I hear you actresses don’t eat or drink.”
“Miss Banks, please, take my seat,” said Mike.
“Thank you so much.” She smiled at him, revealing perfectly straight white teeth behind her full lips: the smile that made millions of fans, both men and women, swoon. “Actually, Cindi, I’m dying for a glass of wine.” Before she slid onto the stool, Genevieve leaned over and kissed Bella on the cheek. “Sorry I’m so late. Richard had a bunch of notes for me.” Genevieve’s long brown hair was loose, falling glossy down her back. She wore only a touch of foundation, blush, mascara, and lip-gloss and was dressed in loose jeans and a light blue cashmere sweater. This was one woman who needed no makeover. She turned back to Mike.
“Now, tell me more about how you transformed River Valley. I’m from a little town very similar to this and I can’t imagine how you did it.”
Mike grinned. “Well, now, it’s not entirely true that it was just Tommy and me. It started with this restaurant when Lee took it over, then her friend Linus opened the inn next door, and then the resort was built, and then Ben Fleck brought Hylink into town and now, Miss Banks, you and your beautiful people have come. And, as they say, the rest is history. But more importantly, Miss Banks, red or white?”
“White. Less calories and it won’t stain my teeth.” She rolled her large brown eyes. “Cindi’s right. I can’t eat or drink much, especially during filming. My trainer’s been texting me to stay away from the craft table.”
“Craft table?” asked Mike.
“The food table. My favorite place on set,” said Bella. “Gennie’s trainer is this forty-pound waif with the heart of a Nazi. I think it’s because she’s so hungry.”
Genevieve’s eyes went wide before she burst out laughing. “You know she gets results. But yes, she’s a nasty little thing.” She turned her attention to Mike, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her during the entire conversation. “Bella’s very protective of me. You should see how she acts before an awards show—like a little hummingbird, touching up my face every five minutes. She’s Hollywood’s most talented woman with paint and a brush.”
Bella, flushing, shook her head dismissively. “That’s my job, Mike. Don’t listen to her.”
“Well, Miss Banks, Bella didn’t lie about you. No doubt about it.” Mike’s handsome,
Mike lowered his voice. “Don’t you tell him I said this but don’t give up on him. He’s been hurt and has some scar tissue but he fell for you hard. He’ll be back. You mark my words on that.”
Just then Gennie entered through the front door. Bella stood and motioned for her to come over. “Mike, you want to meet Gennie?”
“Oh, shoot, she won’t want to meet me.”
“Don’t be silly. She’s a regular girl.”
“I want to meet her,” said Cindi.
Mike’s face was flushed, probably from the whiskey. “I’m starting to feel a hell of a lot better.”
Genevieve was making her way toward them. The locals, interspersed with the movie folks who seemed not to notice her at all, stopped whatever they were doing and stared. Bella was used to this. Whenever the two of them went out in Los Angeles the same thing happened. When Genevieve reached them, Mike immediately jumped from his stool as Bella introduced them.
“Mike’s kinda the honorary mayor in town here,” said Bella. “He and Tommy,” she said, pointing toward the band, “have transformed this town from a dying meth factory to a tourist destination.”
Cindi, grinning, reached her hand across the bar. “I’m Cindi. That’s Cindi with an i.”
Gennie returned Cindi’s vigorous handshake. “So nice to meet you. Bella’s told me so much about you. I hear you’re quite the sharp shooter.”
“Well, God don’t care for a bragger but yeah, it’s true,” said Cindi. “Now do you want a cof a cuppa? I hear you actresses don’t eat or drink.”
“Miss Banks, please, take my seat,” said Mike.
“Thank you so much.” She smiled at him, revealing perfectly straight white teeth behind her full lips: the smile that made millions of fans, both men and women, swoon. “Actually, Cindi, I’m dying for a glass of wine.” Before she slid onto the stool, Genevieve leaned over and kissed Bella on the cheek. “Sorry I’m so late. Richard had a bunch of notes for me.” Genevieve’s long brown hair was loose, falling glossy down her back. She wore only a touch of foundation, blush, mascara, and lip-gloss and was dressed in loose jeans and a light blue cashmere sweater. This was one woman who needed no makeover. She turned back to Mike.
“Now, tell me more about how you transformed River Valley. I’m from a little town very similar to this and I can’t imagine how you did it.”
Mike grinned. “Well, now, it’s not entirely true that it was just Tommy and me. It started with this restaurant when Lee took it over, then her friend Linus opened the inn next door, and then the resort was built, and then Ben Fleck brought Hylink into town and now, Miss Banks, you and your beautiful people have come. And, as they say, the rest is history. But more importantly, Miss Banks, red or white?”
“White. Less calories and it won’t stain my teeth.” She rolled her large brown eyes. “Cindi’s right. I can’t eat or drink much, especially during filming. My trainer’s been texting me to stay away from the craft table.”
“Craft table?” asked Mike.
“The food table. My favorite place on set,” said Bella. “Gennie’s trainer is this forty-pound waif with the heart of a Nazi. I think it’s because she’s so hungry.”
Genevieve’s eyes went wide before she burst out laughing. “You know she gets results. But yes, she’s a nasty little thing.” She turned her attention to Mike, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her during the entire conversation. “Bella’s very protective of me. You should see how she acts before an awards show—like a little hummingbird, touching up my face every five minutes. She’s Hollywood’s most talented woman with paint and a brush.”
Bella, flushing, shook her head dismissively. “That’s my job, Mike. Don’t listen to her.”
“Well, Miss Banks, Bella didn’t lie about you. No doubt about it.” Mike’s handsome,
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