The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(13)
Author: Alice Clayton

We worked for about an hour, planning which scenes I was going to do. My scene partner would be another actor she was representing, and we were doing a scene from a film that had not even been released yet, where the two characters kiss for the first time and change the trajectory of their relationship forever. It was intense and sweet, and I think we would do it justice. The second scene was between a couple going through a messy divorce, and it was full of tension and drama. The two scenes did exactly what a showcase should do, highlighting the emotional ranges that an actor was capable of.

We had yet to choose the songs, but I had a few in mind. Holly and I agreed to discuss it again later that night after I had narrowed my choices down. As we were finishing up, I was reminded of the treat that was waiting for me out in reception, and my heart sped up a little. We walked out toward where we could hear Sara, who was still giggling for God’s sake, and I looked at Jack. He was still sitting on the couch, listening to his music, exactly where I had left him.

He looked up as we walked out and he smiled at me, standing up to walk over.

“Gee, Jack, what are you still doing here?” Holly asked him directly, as I blushed behind her.

“I’m trying to chat up your friend here. And don’t pretend like you don’t know everything already. I could hear you two cackling in there,” he said, placing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me toward the door.

“See you at home!” I said to Holly as we walked out, leaving Sara and her wide eyes behind. She had finally stopped giggling.

“Don’t forget we have a date with our g*y tonight, Grace!” Holly called after me as the door swung shut. Once we were in the elevator lobby, he dropped his arm and leaned against the wall, looking at me.

“So, what do you feel like doing?” he asked.

“Hey, man, this was your idea. I thought we were going for a drive,” I said, as we entered the elevator. He pushed the button for the ground floor and turned to me. We were alone in the elevator and I began to feel the tension from earlier building again.

“Wel , we can, but I have to warn you. I have kind of a shit car. I only bought it because you can’t not have a car in L.A. We should probably take yours,” he said, smiling slightly.

“You asked me to go for a drive and now you want to take my car? What the hell, Hamilton?” I laughed, as the elevator dinged open. “Come on,” I finished, walking in the direction of my car. My black convertible was parked at the end of the row and we walked toward it.

“Did you have a place in mind where you wanted to go?” I asked, tossing him the keys.

“You want me to drive?”

“Yep, this is your party. Where are we going?”

“Santa Barbara?” He grinned back.

“Nope, I can’t leave the greater Los Angeles area.” I laughed, thinking there was nothing in the world I would like more than to drive to Santa Barbara with him.

“Well, how about we drive Sunset to PCH and then grab some lunch, sound good?” he offered, starting the car.

“Yes, I love driving Sunset, especially once we get past Hollywood. Top up or down?” I asked, my finger on the button. He looked at me, turning the full force of his green eyes on me.

“Top definitely down,” he said, as his eyes left mine, moving lower across my body and then finally back up to mine. I let my breath out in a slow whoosh.

Damn.

“Whatever you want, Hamilton,” I said quietly, my heart struggling to return to normal. This guy had yet to hug me, hold my hand, even touch me really, and with his eyes alone he had me coming apart at the seams.

“I’ll remember that, Grace.” He smiled sexily.

Double Damn.

As Jack and I made our way through the streets of L.A., we began the process of actually getting to know each other past all the banter. We talked about how long he had been in California and whether he preferred it to London. He didn’t. I asked him about the film that was coming out in just a few months, pretending that I still knew nothing about the story. He gave me the CliffsNotes version. I prayed silently that he wouldn’t reveal anything that happened late in the series, as I was still only about halfway done. I would have to get on that.

Jack had been working in the industry for just a few years, having been spotted in London one day by a casting director. He auditioned for a small role in a movie for the BBC and then began working in independent films. After landing some breakout roles in a few high profile films, Hollywood had come calling. Being cast as the lead in Time had quickly made him an official “star on the rise” and “one to watch.” He called it all “rubbish.” He loved acting, but I got the sense that he could walk away from it all and be happy working on a set somewhere in London’s West End.

As Sunset wound its way through Brentwood toward the Pacific Palisades, we moved on to other matters. I discovered he had two older brothers, and that he had lost his mom to cancer when he was only sixteen. His father was still in London, but one of his brothers was now living here in the States, working for the embassy in Washington, D.C.

We both liked dogs and cats equally. We discussed the last few movies we had seen, whether we liked the current president, and I discovered that we shared a mutual love of Tina Fey. We laughed as we talked about our favorite sitcoms, and argued whether the UK or US version of The Office was better. I thought he secretly preferred the US cast, but being a proud Londoner, he could never admit that.

As we talked, I found him to be delightful. He was charming and funny, yes, but I could tell he was also very intelligent. He seemed interested in what I had to say as well, and I couldn’t remember the last time I enjoyed talking to a guy more.

I had plugged my iPod in when we first took off, and we’d been so busy talking that I hadn’t even turned it on. I selected my favorite “driving” play list and turned up the stereo. When the song came on, he looked at me curiously.

“What made you turn this song on?” he asked, moving his eyes back to the road, which was beginning to get curvier as we got closer to the mountains.

“Oh, this is one of my all-time favorites. This is my driving play list, when I just want to relax. Do you like it?” I asked, tucking my feet underneath me on the seat as I settled back. He didn’t answer, but smiled at me.

I pulled on my ponytail, letting my hair spill out behind me and get picked up by the breeze. I could feel myself begin to relax further and a slow grin spread across my face.