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I don't know who she's talking about, but he sounds as picky as a toddler in front of a plate of greens. No matter how grumpy he might be, I desperately need him to rent the cabin. I've been trying to sell the property for almost a year now so that I can move to New York, but in the meantime the property taxes have sucked up everything I earn down at the diner. Instead of getting ahead, I'm pretty much running out of cash.
Grace tries out the taps in the bathroom sink and shower, then turns to me. “So, who lives here now?”
“Nobody. I inherited the property from my uncle two years ago. This was his place, and I took the smaller cabin next door.”
“Big space for one person,” she says, as she takes out her phone and snaps a few photos of the master bedroom. “Gorgeous view from here.”
I stare out the floor-to-ceiling window to the valley of trees stretching out as far as the eye can see. It's late spring, and the wildflowers are just starting to open up their purples and pinks in the meadow below. “I don't think you'll find another spot near as pretty as this anywhere in the Rockies.”
“That's one of the reasons we decided to use Aston Valley for the film. It's extraordinary.” She crosses the room and sits on the bed to test it out.
I tug a little at my T-shirt, feeling suddenly ratty. Grace has all the sophistication I lack. She's tall and thin, dressed all in black with her blonde hair cut in a blunt bob at her chin. Her nails are perfectly manicured, while my hands are red and raw from doing dishes. She looks like she hasn't had a proper meal in years, with the way her cheekbones stick out. I, on the other hand, haven't missed a meal in years and the way the waistband of my jeans is digging into me right now, I think they're telling me it's about time.
“So, you're a cook?”
I nod. “I work at the diner in town, but I'm saving up to go to culinary school. I grow my own herbs and have a garden in the summer, so I have fresh ingredients. If it's needed, I'd be happy to prepare meals for the person staying here.”
“That was my next question. He'll need two meals a day. An early breakfast, around five a.m., and a late supper. He'll have lunch on the set."
"Just let me know what he likes to eat, and I'll make sure there's plenty of it.” I give her a firm nod and stand a little taller. Now that we're talking about food, I'm in my comfort zone.
“Excellent. I'll draw up the contract and email it to you.”
“Perfect.” Yes! Not a moment too soon either, because in about three months, I'll be completely broke.
I follow her to the front door and see her out. “Oh, Grace? Can I ask who it is that'll be staying here?”
“Heath Lawson.” She slides her sunglasses on, but not before she gives me a knowing smile.
I'm pretty sure I could catch flies right now the way my mouth is hanging down.
Heath Lawson is only the hottest man ever to light up the silver screen. He was People's Sexiest Man of the Year three years in a row. And in a month, he'll be sleeping right here? I could almost faint just thinking about it.
“Heath's a doll. You'll love him. The two biggest rules to remember are to keep him fed, and make sure that you don't tell anyone he's staying here. He has had real problems in the past with women—and some men, as well—stalking him when he's on location.”
“Oh, goodness. That sounds awful.”
“He's a big guy. He can take care of himself, but it's never something anyone wants to deal with.” She opens the door to the rental car and tosses her notepad onto the passenger seat. “Listen, Scarlett, the privacy thing is really serious. The contract will have an iron-clad non-disclosure agreement. Are you familiar with those?”
“Well, I know what it means, but I haven't ever had to ask anyone to sign one,” I give her a wink, but then realize I've miscalculated the moment. She's dead serious. I drop my smile. “Don't worry. I won't tell anyone anything. I'll just cook, clean up as Mr. Lawson needs, and stay out of his way.”
“Excellent. I'll be in touch.” With that, she climbs into the car and shuts the door.
Late that night, the email finally comes. I open it and read the terms. Newman Brothers Films will rent the cabin from me for two thousand dollars a week, for a minimum of six weeks, up to a potential twelve weeks. I'll be paid two hundred dollars per day to provide meals for Heath Freaking Lawson. I skip around the living room causing Einstein, my sheepdog, to open one eye from his spot on the couch.
“We're not going to be broke, Einstein!” I give him a scratch behind his ears. “And a very hot man is going to be staying right next door, night after night, all through summer. Maybe if I'm lucky, he'll actually talk to me a bit here and there.”
Two Weeks Later
“Heath wants to come a couple of weeks early, to get acclimated and work on his lines. Will that be all right?” Grace asks.
She just called, and when I saw her number, I felt a sudden panic that maybe they were canceling.
“Absolutely. Just let me know what day he'll be here, and I'll have everything ready.”
“How about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow works.” It doesn't really because I have a whole lot of cleaning to do and I'm in the middle of a double shift today at the diner, but I'm not going to tell her that.
