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“Do something like rebuild the house? Something exactly like it, actually. We could use the extra hands.”
Clark tried not to let his hopefulness over her answer show on his face as he watched her. She was clearly thinking about it, but for a moment she seemed like she was going to turn it down.
“I wouldn’t be very good at it,” she said, seeming hesitant. “I don’t know how to do any kind of work like that.”
“Doesn’t mean you can’t learn.” He offered her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
She paused again, shifting nervously from foot to foot before finally giving him a quick, questioning nod. “All right.”
“All right? Does that mean you’re in?”
“I’m in.” She beamed at him, and Clark had to fight the urge to not sigh with relief.
“I’ll see you Saturday morning then. Bright and early.”
She didn’t lose her smile as she paid for her candles. He offered to have them delivered to the Warm and Bright Hotel for her, but she waved him off.
“I had a personal trainer in L.A.,” she explained with a light chuckle. “I am more than prepared to carry a box of candles.”
“If you say so,” he murmured, seeming slightly reluctant to let her go. “But if you end up needing help, just call the shop and I’ll come out. The number is on the website.”
She nodded, giving him a small wave before picking the box up off the counter and walking toward the door. Just like every time he’d been around Valerie, he stood stock still and watched her walk away, suddenly feeling incredibly hopeful for Saturday morning.
CHAPTERNINE
Valerie flipped another page in her book, her eyes skimming over the page in the thriller novel she had been losing herself in for the last few hours. After getting her candles from the hardware store earlier that day, she had gone back out to explore the town a bit more and stumbled into the book shop. Reading used to be something she loved to do, but when her career took off, she hadn’t had much time to keep up with it.
She used to love reading romance novels, and that had been the first section she had started browsing, but none of the books that she had picked up caught her eye. Chalking it up to too many years spent acting in romance movies, she had begun browsing other sections, until finally, she stumbled into thrillers.
In her younger years, Valerie had never been one for action and adventure, aside from the one movie that she did that was an action-packed romance. But one of the psychological thrillers had caught her eye, and she’d been unable to resist the urge to buy it.
The first thing Valerie had done when she had gotten back to her hotel room was light one of the candles she had picked up earlier that evening and curled up in the oversized reading chair in the corner. It was now hours later, and she was about halfway through the book, finding herself enthralled with the twists and turns that the book was taking.
“If I’m not careful,” she said to herself, “I’ll end up staying up all night to finish the thing.”
She pushed herself out of the chair, raising her arms above her head to stretch out her back, which had grown a bit stiff from the hours of sitting in one spot. She groaned at the relief it brought to her lengthening muscles, walking a few steps to stretch out her aching legs.
Just as she was about to curl back up in the reading chair, her phone began to vibrate. She whirled around, turning to look at the device, which was sitting face up in the chair that she had just vacated. The name Florence Brennan was bouncing along the top of it.
For a moment, Valerie just stared at her phone, debating on if she even wanted to answer it or not. But after a split second, her curiosity over what her agent was calling her for won out, and she darted forward and grabbed it, bringing the phone to her ear the moment she pressedaccept.
“Hello?”
“Valerie, my dear,” Florence began, not giving her a formal greeting, as per usual. “I would ask how you are, but the truth is I’m too excited. I have great news for you. Are you sitting down?”
“You want me to sit down for good news?” Valerie couldn’t hide the hint of sarcasm in her tone.
“You’re right, maybe standing up is best. Then you’ll be able to jump up and down with joy.”
“Florence.” Valerie sighed. “Since when do I jump up and down? And what is this news that you have to tell me?”
“So I found a part that I want you to audition for,” her agent began, sounding more excited than Valerie had heard from her in quite some time. “It’s a bit more high stakes than the ones that you’re used to. But it’s a lead role in what is supposed to be a Blockbuster hit. And the producers asked for you, directly.”
“What’s the catch?” she asked hesitantly.
“No catch. None at all. And at this point, the audition seems like it might be only a formality. You’d be starring beside Jamie Jameson, so you know it will sell tickets. And it’s just the kind of thing that you need to show that nobody should be counting you out just yet.”
Valerie began pacing the length of her hotel room, remaining quiet as she began turning over everything that Florence had said to her. If what her agent was saying was true, then she really did need this role. It sounded kind of perfect, especially with someone that she liked and respected as much as Jamie. They’d starred beside each other multiple times, and fans always went ravenous over their on-screen chemistry.
