Page 43 of Peach Cobbler Confessions
“Oh yeah, sure.” Kent looks as if the picture is coming in clear now. “Why don’t you take a look around? In fact, I’ll give you the grand tour.” He points to the area with the drop cloth. “That’s where some of the magic happens. Ridge is usually up at bat and we film most of what we call the dark spots here. That’s where he sits and narrates some of the story for the camera. And then, of course, we use the sound studio as well.” He points to the room behind him with a sign hanging on the door that readssound room. “Ridge is here. Hey, Ridge,” he shouts, and soon enough Ridge Porter, that larger than life hottie that has the United States gripped with both his good looks and terror, sheds a giant grin my way.
He gives a warm laugh. “Noah, Everett, Lottie. Well, to what do we owe the pleasure?” He takes up my hand and bows. “Will we see the three of you at the B&B tomorrow afternoon for the taping?”
“You bet,” I say. “I’m catering an entire dessert menu, on the house.”
Both men give a little cheer.
Ridge ticks his head to the side. “More reason to come early and stay late.” He pats his belly. “I can’t wait to dig in. But the studio would love to reimburse you for your trouble.”
“I wouldn’t hear of it. I’m just thrilled you’re taping at my mother’s B&B.”
Ridge chuckles. “What brings you out this way tonight?”
Everett’s chest expands as he takes a half-step forward. “I just thought I’d bring my wife and her friend out this way. Dane and I go way back.”
Kent twists his lips as he looks to Noah. “I thought you said she was your girlfriend?”
“Both is true.” I wince. “I’m his girlfriend and his wife.” Sort of. But then, this is no time to get into the fact I’m with Everett and holding a fake pregnancy over both their heads. “It’s a long story.”
Both Ridge and Kent buck with a laugh.
Kent holds up a finger my way. “But not a boring one, I bet. And I do remember something about that from the night at the awards ceremony.”
Ridge waggles his brows. “Too bad we don’t make those kinds of movies. I’m afraid we’re into the macabre.”
“I’ll say.” I shudder. “What drove you in this direction? Was it Dane?”
Kent glances to Ridge. “No, it’s wasn’t Dane. But Dane did have a good eye for what the public would go for—and, boy, have they gone for it. Not to toot our own horn, but we’re eating our way up the rankings. We’ve gone international, and there’s talk of a major network spinoff.”
“That’s fantastic,” I gush. “Too bad poor Dane wasn’t here to see it.”
Kent bows his head. “Dane always did have lousy timing.”
Ridge glances his way. “With women and in business. I’m telling you”—he looks to Noah and Everett—“Dane never could catch a break. Was he that way in high school, too?”
Noah looks to Everett. “I thought he had it together. He was involved with films even back then. You couldn’t go ten steps without him recording your every move. He was one person who knew what he wanted out of life.”
Everett twitches a smile. “Not to mention, Dane was the life of the party. It doesn’t surprise me in the least he was getting behind all the good projects. That guy never made a bad turn.”
Kent averts his eyes. “I don’t know about that one.”
Someone calls for Ridge in the sound room and he sighs in that direction before looking our way.
“I’ll be back in a second.” He offers a sinister smile my way. “Don’t you go anywhere.”
A tiny giggle rides through me and both Noah and Everett glance my way.
Kent ticks his head in the direction of the sound studio. “Don’t tell Ridge I said so, but he’s a virtual genius when it comes to electronics. He’s not just the brawn around here; he’s the brains, too. He could rewire a ticking bomb if he needed to.”
“That’s quite a talent.” I clear my throat. “So Kent? You think Dane made a dicey move?” I happen to know that Dane acquired a string of mystery movies from a local studio but wasn’t convinced of the quality and wanted to back out. Ridge Porter told us that himself.
Kent nods. “Oh, he made more than a few.”
Noah looks his way. “So what was this big pickle he was trying to get you to help him with?”
“I’m curious, too,” Everett adds. “It was essentially the final topic of conversation we had with him. “It would be nice to know.”
“For closure,” I add.