Page 225 of My Five Daddies

“Hello, Lionel,” he says, shaking the big director’shand.

“You were wonderful, very good, just what we needed. And to do it for free, I say, you are a crazyman.”

Jackson grins. “High praise, coming fromyou.”

“Yes, well. You want to make more movies, you come to me,okay?”

“Okay.”

Lionel pats his back and stridesoff.

“Weird guy,” Isay.

“Yep,” Jackson agrees,laughing.

We spend the rest of the reception shaking hands and catching up with crew we haven’t seen since the movie wrapped. We won’t see most of these people again, unless we work with them on a film or something, but it’s nice to see themall.

“We have to catch a flight tomorrow morning,” Jackson says to Paul, the lighting guy. “We’re filming some scenes on location in NewZealand.”

“Damn, man,” Paul says. “Isn’t that MiddleEarth?”

“Absolutely it is,” I chimein.

“Middle Earth?” Jacksonasks.

“You know, man, Lord of the Rings. Hobbits and shit.” Paul grins athim.

“Oh, yeah,” Jackson says. “Sorry, I was too busy fighting bad guys to readmuch.”

I roll my eyes at him. “You always saythat.”

“It’s alwaystrue.”

I laugh and we move on, chatting with more people, trying to make connections. I never in a million years thought I’d be dating a real star, let alone be back withJackson.

And true to his promise, he hasn’t left me. Not even for a second. We’ve been inseparable, and it feels like we finally picked up where we left off when we were kids. That incredible feeling is back, every singleday.

“It was another masterpiece, huh?” Laney smiles at us over a glass ofchampagne.

“Beautiful,” I say to her,laughing.

“Made me look pretty cool which is all I ever ask,” Jacksonresponds.

“I hear you look pretty cool in your latest,” Laneysays.

“We’re trying.” He shrugs a littlebit.

“Seriously, Laney, I need to thank you again for what you did,” Isay.

“I didn’t do a thing,” she says, waving her hand. “I just wrote a script and sold it. Just so happens to have worked out for youguys.”

“Still, you made that happen. We owe you one,” Jacksonsays.

“Nah. You made it all happen. I just wrote thething.”

I laugh and hug her. “Come visit us,” I say. “We’d love to haveyou.”

“I will soon,” she says. “Right now, I just saw a cute waiter boy that’ll be very impressed by a nerdy writer like me. Excuse me, folks.” She grins and heads off. I know I’ll be seeing her again soon. I’ll never be rid of Laney, and that makes me happier than I canexplain.

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