Page 8 of Cinematic Destinies (Red Carpet Romance #3)

T he next morning, Georgia headed down to the gym for an early workout and saw Roo jogging on the treadmill. “Oh, hello,” she said.

He hit pause, caught his breath as the machine slowed, and smiled. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

She nodded. “And you?”

“Passed out. Travel days always do that.” He wiped his brow and said, “Listen, I apologize if yesterday I was a bit, um, well, out of sorts. I didn’t mean to gawk or make you uncomfortable.”

Georgia looked down.

“Like I’m probably doing again right now,” he said with a sigh. “Sorry. I’m not usually such a bumbling fool. Suppose I haven’t quite gotten my bearings yet.”

“You’re not making me uncomfortable,” she assured him.

For a moment they just looked at each other, their gazes connected, until Roo stammered, “Uh, you came for a workout? Well, obviously. Did you want the treadmill?”

“Oh, I don’t want to interrupt . . .”

“Nonsense,” he insisted, stepping down. “I’ll jump on the elliptical.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “ástríeur wasn’t kidding when she said the gym was small. It’s a shoebox.”

“Indeed. But perhaps there’s something to be said about only having what you really need. Getting back to the basics.”

“Yeah. It’s sort of charming,” Georgia agreed.

“Well, I’ll stop blabbering on so you can get to it.”

She smiled, pressed the start button, and began running.

Nearly forty-five minutes later, Georgia hit stop, grabbed a small towel, and wiped her sweaty brow.

Roo hit stop on the elliptical, saying, “Truth be told, I could have stopped twenty minutes ago, but I felt like I had better keep up with you, for fear of appearing like a wimp.”

She giggled and tossed him a towel. “You know what it’s like being on set all day. Never any time to move around, so I like to get a good workout in the mornings. Keeps my energy up.”

“Water?” he asked, filling a cup from the pitcher.

“Please,” she replied, taking the cup.

They both guzzled their water.

“Well, I should go shower,” Georgia said.

“I best do the same. Meet you at breakfast?”

She nodded.

GEORGIA BOUNDED INTO THE DINING ROOM to see Roo sitting alone and sipping his tea at the only table in the room.

“Saved you a seat,” he said with a goofy smile.

She giggled and sat opposite him.

“I didn’t know if you prefer tea or coffee,” he said, gesturing at the two pots on the table. “Or perhaps something else altogether. Tomato juice? Kombucha? Canned energy drink? Ginger beer?”

“Ginger beer? Does anyone drink that for breakfast?”

“No, probably not. But you strike me as someone who marches to your own beat. Thought it was worth a stab.”

She smiled. “Tea. I drink black tea in the mornings.”

“Ah, surprising for an American,” he said as he poured her a cup.

“My mother’s a tea drinker. I probably got it from her. Plus, we traveled a lot when I was growing up. Spent a fair amount of time in England, China, all over. I guess I got used to some of the customs.”

“Right, you must have traveled for—” Roo was interrupted when ástríeur came into the room.

“Good morning. What can I get you two for breakfast today? Eggs? Oatmeal? Yogurt? Fruit?” she asked.

“Oh, should we wait for the others?” Georgia asked.

“Mr. Mercier is already on set. He left quite early.”

“My mum told me Michael is always the last one down to breakfast, racing to make his call time,” Roo added. “We best not wait. Please, after you.”

“Yogurt with some berries or other fruit, please,” Georgia said.

“Two eggs over easy, with toast, please. Jam if you have it,” Roo said.

“Certainly. Don’t worry, if Mr. Hennesey joins you, we’ll fix him something straight away,” ástríeur replied before scurrying off.

“So, you were saying you traveled a lot growing up. For your parents’ work?” Roo asked.

“Yes. They always wanted to keep us together, so we’d jet off to wherever either of them was working, for my mom’s university fellowships or my dad’s movies.

I loved it. Especially the location shoots for my dad’s films. It was exciting creating a new home in places that felt exotic, and knowing we were there because my dad was a star making a movie.

That seemed so special.” She stopped, crinkled her nose, and shook her head.

“To me, it was like a dream. In some ways it set the tone for how I aspire to live.”

Roo smiled, captivated by her every word.

“And you?” she asked. “Did you travel much for your parents’ work?”

“Not really. My father is English to the core. Has more than a bit of a bias toward London theater. Thinks it’s the best in the world, you know, more serious or some such thing.

He always staged his plays around town. My mum traveled a bit for films, but most of her career was on London’s stages or in indie films shot around England, at least after I was born.

She did shoot a picture in Ireland one summer and we all went, lived in a cottage.

It was quite lovely. The Irish countryside is gorgeous if you don’t mind the rain, which as a Londoner I was used to. ”

“Do you still live in London?”

“I do. I rent a flat in an old brownstone. Beautiful original wood floors and crown moldings, on a tree-lined street. I’m happy there, although I love to travel. I’m not wedded to London like my parents. I could see myself making a home just about anywhere.”

Georgia smiled.

“And you? Do you live in California?”

“I sort of hop around from place to place, for work. Do short-term apartment rentals where I’m never there long enough to fully unpack my things.

When an exciting project comes my way, I love having the freedom to pick up, immerse myself, live somewhere new.

When I’m in between projects, I usually go back to LA, or I take a long vacation and veg on the beach until the next job. ”

“I understand that adventurous, backpacking spirit. Sometimes I think we actors chose this line of work because we’re road dogs by nature.”

“Yeah, I’ve always thought of it like running away to join the circus,” Georgia joked.

“I’ve spent a fair amount of time in LA myself.

These days it’s a must in our industry. I’m not terribly enamored by the Hollywood thing, but the landscape in Southern California is spectacular.

For one job the studio rented me a little flat in the canyons.

There are the most incredible hiking trails. ”

“It’s one of the great things about LA,” she said. “Lots of places to run and hike. I love getting a good workout without having to be stuck inside. It’s how I clear my mind. I think it’s a dopamine rush or something. The endorphins combined with the vitamin D.”

“Perhaps one morning we can take a hike around the volcano,” Roo suggested. “It’s not exactly the temperate climate you’re used to, but it certainly looks too unique to pass up.”

“That would be great. I’m always up for an adventure.”

He smiled. “Me too.”

Just then, ástríeur came into the room and served their breakfast.

“Thank you,” Georgia said.

“Yes, thank you. Looks great,” Roo added.

“My pleasure. Please let me know if I can get you anything else,” she said before leaving them to their meal.

“Well, bon appétit,” Georgia said.

“Bon appétit.”

Georgia picked up her spoon, but Roo just sat, staring at her. She noticed and gazed at him. A long moment passed before he said, “At the risk of needing to apologize again, I must tell you that you have the most extraordinary green eyes.”

She smiled and softly said, “Thank you.”

Their eyes were glued to one another as if neither could look away.

“Georgia,” Roo muttered.

Just then, Michael came vaulting into the room. “Hey, guys. What did I miss?”

THE THREE ACTORS WERE SHUTTLED TO the set, a pristine log cabin surrounded by rolling green mountains with an ethereal quality. As they spilled out of the vehicle, Georgia muttered, “Wow. It looks like someplace mythical creatures would live or something.”

“It’s extraordinary,” Roo agreed.

“If not for the trailers and crew scattered everywhere, you’d never guess a movie was going to be made here. There’s something untouched about it,” Michael remarked.

Jean’s assistant ran to greet them. He escorted them each to their personal trailers to drop off their belongings and meet with wardrobe before heading to the hair and makeup trailer.

Soon the actors were called to set. As they ambled over, Michael said, “Guys, just a heads-up that Jean’s unconventional to say the least. Don’t be surprised if you don’t have a clue what’s going on.

The last time I did a film with him, we had no idea what was going on for weeks, except that he seemed pissed off. The first day was a blur.”

“I’m up for anything,” Georgia said.

“Me too. Looking forward to it,” Rupert added.

When they arrived on set, the crew was milling about. Jean hollered, “Everyone, listen up!” and the room fell silent. “I’d like to introduce our stars. Michael Hennesey is playing a reclusive Pulitzer Prize–winning author dying of cancer.”

Michael trotted to the center of the room to applause.

“Rupert Reed as his biographer, hired to write his memoir,” Jean said.

Roo stepped beside Michael to more cheers.

“Georgia Sinclair Forrester as the young woman he hired to help with domestic tasks—and the love interest of both men.”

Georgia joined her castmates to more applause.

Jean addressed the actors directly. “Today we are shooting the scene where Rupert’s and Georgia’s characters meet.

He has been sent off doing research for the past week, and while he’s been gone, she was hired.

There is nothing simple about this scene as it foreshadows how both men come to feel about her and the complex relations between all three.

With minimal dialogue, it will all be in your eyes. ”

The actors exchanged supportive looks.

“Places, everyone,” Jean commanded.