The Redhead Plays Her Hand (Redhead #3)(11)
Author: Alice Clayton

“Major event?” I asked as he rolled away.

He grabbed his phone from his nightstand and scrolled through. Finding what he wanted, he handed it to me, sitting up in bed.

I looked and drew in a breath.

TMZ. Pictures of us first from when we tried to leave together. I was mostly hidden behind him, but you could see the red hair.

Hearthrob Jack Hamilton seen at Bar the Door last night. Is this the elusive redhead? Later that same night, he was snapped leaving the same nightclub with frequent party boy Adam Kasen, a blonde, and a brunette. Way to go, Sexy Scientist Guy . . .

He looked irritated in the first shot, drunk in the second.

“You left with Adam?” I asked, placing my hand on his back.

“It made sense at the time. Bryan thought it was a good time to go, Adam needed a ride, and we thought it would pull the focus from the earlier shots. Guess I was wrong. Now I’m leaving a nightclub with star f**kers.” He groaned.

Interesting. He’s never called himself a star before.

But he is. He’s a bona fide Hollywood movie star.

“I think I’m going to stay home next time you go out on the town, Jack. Not really my scene anyway.” I sighed, handing him his phone back.

“Probably best until your series premieres. Then you’ll have people trying to take a shot at you too,” he said over his shoulder.

“I doubt that’s going to happen. I’m lucky to have this job, but my career is never going to go in the direction of yours.”

“You don’t know that. Why would you say that?” He turned around so he could see me.

“I just mean that, well, you’re Super Sexy Scientist Guy. Women love you. They go insane when you show up somewhere. That’s not really the same thing as having a new series no one has even seen yet.” I leaned up on one shoulder so I could touch him. “Besides, if I get too famous and we come out publicly, that means they’ll come up with one of those combo names for us, like Grack or Jace.” I grinned as I watched his face clear.

“Or George and Gracie.” He smiled, reaching out to sweep his fingers across the necklace he gave me, the word schmaltz facing out, but our secret names facing in. George loves Gracie.

“No one knows about that,” I whispered, his hands sweet and gentle now. He leaned in and kissed me quietly, succinctly, our foreheads coming to rest together. We sat for a moment, just breathing each other in.

“Okay, Sweet Nuts, as much as I would love to schmaltz around this bed all day, I have to get my ass to the gym. Mama needs to hire a trainer,” I announced, moving away from his hands as he lay back down. I slipped into my nightie on the end of the bed and ran my hands through my hair.

“Wait, what? A trainer?”

“Oh, yes. Operation Cheekbone is in full effect. We start shooting next week, and I need to lose about fifteen pounds by yesterday, so say good-bye to this, mister.” I pulled up my nightie and slapped my tummy. I used to be so shy about my body being on display, but falling in love with Jack had been the best confidence booster ever. If he loved my body, shouldn’t I?

You’d think so . . .

“Operation Cheekbone? What in bloody hell is that?” he exclaimed from his place against the pillows.

I took a moment to take in the sight. Long and lean, tanned and sprawling, he could be shooting a magazine cover as we spoke.

“Well, the producers have been watching the pilot we shot, and it would seem that I need a little more cheekbone, which translates to about fifteen pounds or so. So I’m hiring a trainer to kick some ass.”

“That’s a bunch of crap, Grace.”

“Yes, well, be that as it may, it’s different for women in this town—especially at my age. So I’ll do what I need to do. No biggie.” I leaned over him to give him a kiss.

“I’m making a shit ton of money with this next movie, Crazy. Let’s quit working and move to London. We’d never need to leave the bedroom.” He winked at me as I moved toward the bathroom.

“Love, it took me years to get back here. I’m not letting fifteen pounds stand in my way. Now get your British ass in here.” I laughed, dodging the pillow he threw at me.

We showered. It took more time than I planned.

It always does . . .

I was on my way to the gym when my conscience called.

“Did you see the pictures?”

“Yes, Holly, I saw the pictures. What can I do about it?” I asked as I rolled my eyes.

“Nothing now, asshead, but we do need to work on the deer-in-headlights look you always seem to have going. Doesn’t fly now that you have your own TV show.”

My heart still fluttered when I heard her say that.

“I was totally caught off guard. Lay off.”

“You’re dating Jack Hamilton. You can’t ever be off guard.”

“I know, I know. What’s up?”

“Just talked to David. They’re moving the shooting schedule up, and they want you on set at the end of next week.”

“What?”

“Yep, everything has been accelerated. They fast-tracked the show for a summer slot, which means they need to get all six episodes shot yesterday. This isn’t a problem, is it?”

“No, but Operation Cheekbone hasn’t even started yet!”

“I love it when you talk like someone from The Bourne Supremacy. What’s even stranger is that I totally got that.”

“I’m serious! I’m on my way to the gym right now.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine. Are you getting a trainer?”

“Yes, but I don’t know how fast I can do this. Now I’m worried, although I suppose we can just shoot scenes with me walking with a large purse in front of me,” I joked.

“Exactly. They will work with what they have. Not a problem.”

Wow, that was a joke . . .

“Um, I was kidding about the large purse.”

“That’s funny because I wasn’t kidding at all,” Holly countered. “We talked about this.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but—”

“But nothing, Grace. I love you. Is this weird for you? Yes. But not for me. This is my job. Does it suck that I have to tell girls all the time to f**king lose weight? Yep. Do I have to tell girls who just a year ago were voted Best Looking in their high school yearbook that they’re too generic to make it in this town? All the time. I hate it, but this industry isn’t changing any time soon, and other than that I love what I do. So suck it up.”