Page 48 of Banter & Blushes #1

COLT

T iffany winks at me as she places an extra piece of fudge on my plate. I joked with her yesterday that she’s trying to fatten me up so I won’t look as good in the video.

We’ve spent time together off set ever since the day I followed her home. From sharing meals to walks on the beach to me helping out in the food truck, it’s been fun. I don’t want it to end.

Even worse, I don’t want to face the reality that I’m technically homeless and have no clear direction where to go next.

JD said he needs an answer next week so they can start rehearsing new songs. The guy who recorded a few of my solo songs already said some agents in Nashville are showing interest. I can’t give a hundred percent to both my music and the band’s.

I find a seat near Mackenzie and some of the camera crew. She has her clipboard in front of her, going over scenes.

“Shoot.” She frowns and makes a frustrated sound.

“What?” Russ, the lead cameraman, asks.

“Did we get a dark scene of June and Colt?”

He rubs his Duck Dynasty beard and thinks. “No, the sun was still setting.”

Mackenzie sighs. “I should’ve booked her another day. I wanted it to look like they spent more time on the beach together, and the night would signify that. ”

“Could we get her back here tonight?”

Mackenzie shakes her head. “She’s in Miami. She had some modeling thing to go to the day after our gig.”

I stare at the food truck, watching Tiffany work. The last thing I want to think about is having to kiss the other girl and how the whole world will see it on video soon. Then a lightbulb goes off in my brain. “What if we get a different girl?”

“We don’t have time to reshoot everything,” Russ says.

“Not for everything, just the dark part.”

“Like a stand-in?” Mackenzie leans forward, interested.

“Yeah. Someone who looks similar. It’ll be dark, and all you need is to show that we’re kissing by the water, right?”

“Yeah. But where are we going to find another girl with long blonde hair”—Mackenzie checks the time—“who can be on set and willing to kiss you in half an hour?”

“Hold on.” I push my chair back and jog to the food truck. Tiffany and Genesis are serving dessert to the last few people on set.

“More fudge?” Tiffany smiles.

“No, I need you to kiss me.”

“Whoa.” Genesis steps in front of her. “Talk about PDA. Bro, this is a place of business.”

“Not now or here. When we start shooting again on the beach.”

That answer must satisfy Genesis, because she moves back so Tiffany and I can talk.

“On camera?” Tiffany’s eyes widen.

“Yeah. They need some kiss scenes in the dark and they didn’t get them with June.” I find myself whispering her name like it’s a curse word.

Tiffany blinks, so I continue. “I said I could find someone who looks similar, and I could kiss her instead.” I point, like a nerd. “Her being you.”

Genesis laughs, and we both glare at her.

“Come on! You seriously think Tiffany looks like her? She’s all tall, and tan, and . . .” Genesis makes a slightly obscene gesture to mean having a large chest.

“They have the same hair and are the same skinny,” I counter.

Genesis beats her fist on the counter and cackles. I do my best to ignore her.

“It’s dark and they have things you can stand on to make you taller,” I say to Tiffany. “The best part is I won’t have to act and will actually enjoy kissing the girl in the video.”

Her face lights up, and the hyena she hired finally shuts up. Once the shock wears off, Genesis lets out an “aww.”

“Do I have time to clean up?”

“Uhh . . .” I attempt to say I’ll check, but Genesis speaks up.

“Go! I’ll clean in here. And you can check back over it when you’re done because I know it worries you to leave me in charge.”

“Thanks.” She hugs Genesis, then joins me outside the truck .

I take her hand and relax, knowing I’ll be kissing the only person I want to kiss. Together, we stroll to Mackenzie’s table.

“Oh.” She looks up from her notes and darts her eyes from me to Tiffany and back.

Then stands and pulls the rubber band from Tiffany’s hair, which falls around her shoulders.

I drop her hand and step to the side. Mackenzie circles around her, then smooths her hair like she’s prepping a show horse.

She takes a step back and scans Tiffany head to toe.

“They do have the same hair and similar build,” Mackenzie comments. She turns to Russ. “Think an apple box will work?”

He tilts his head and nods.

Mackenzie clasps her hands on Tiffany’s arms. “This would be great if you don’t mind kissing Colt.”

Tiffany half laughs and gives me a smirk.

“Take her with you to the makeup trailer and tell Jessica to get her in June’s clothes.”

I nod. “Okay.”

I try and hide my smile as we head for the trailer together. I’ve somehow managed to recruit the girl I really care about for the love interest in this video.

“Oh, and Colt?”

“Yeah?” I turn to Mackenzie.

“Tell Jessica no need for makeup this time since it’s dark.”

I half nod. A few of the camera crew snicker. They know I hate makeup. As should any man ever to walk this planet. I glance at Tiffany, who’s still smiling. It’s dark enough for the parking lights to come on by the time we reach the makeup trailer.

Jessica raises her eyebrows when I open the door. “I’ve got June’s clothes waiting in the back dressing room.”

“How did . . .?” I narrow my eyes.

“I know all on this set.” She winks at me, then turns to Tiffany. “It’s back there, hon.”

“Thanks,” she says.

Tiffany goes behind the small door, leaving me at the mercy of Jessica’s glares. Luckily, she comes out before Jessica asks anything. Not that Jessica needs to, since her face says it all. Maybe she does know all on set.

“That shirt fits you perfectly.” Jessica smiles at Tiffany. “And don’t worry about the jeans being long. We can tack those up and it won’t show.”

Tiffany nods. I wait by the door for Jessica to mess around with Tiffany’s hair and spritz it with something perfumy. My nose itches until we’re out in the fresh air.

“Are you ready to kiss me on the beach?” I ask when we leave.

She laughs. “Won’t I be kissing Colt Stallion?”

I roll my eyes. “Kiss whichever Colt you want. All I know is when I was kissing June, I was pretending it was you. ”

We reach the shore, and Russ waves us over. “Y’all look great. I have an apple box close to where the water breaks so it will be stable.”

He motions toward the area near the crew. I help Tiffany onto the wooden crate.

“This doesn’t look like any of the apple boxes I’ve seen in Apple Cart,” she says.

“Yeah, I don’t think they’re actually for apples. Everyone calls them that though.”

“Okay, I’m going to get out of the way. Y’all act natural.” Russ backs up with his camera. “Pretend you’re together.”

I press my lips together and consider that last instruction. Tiffany’s eyes reflect the moonlight, and I put my hand against her cheek. She wraps her arms around my shoulders.

“We’re supposed to pretend we’re together.” She smiles up at me.

I dip my head closer to hers and lean in. Before I kiss her, I whisper in her ear, “That’s one thing I never have to pretend.”