Page 9 of Home to Me

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What in the hell was going on? Ben couldn’t believe what just happened. He almost felt like he was having an out-of-body experience. Like he was watching himself alienate Lauren, without the ability to do anything about it. He needed to get it together. Never in his life had his charm and ease with people failed him.

So what in the name of all that is holy was happening to him now?

It was as if another person had come in and taken control of his body. And that person was a complete asshole.

He knew he was pissing Lauren off, but he just couldn't seem to stop himself. Why was she having this insane effect on him?

Sure, admittedly, he was attracted to her. No question about that. She was gorgeous; luminescent, green, catlike eyes, silky, white-blonde hair, and legs so long and shapely that just the sight of them made his mouth water. But—drool-inducing legs aside—she wasn’t even remotely his type.

He liked girls who were easy, and not in the sexual way—although that certainly didn't hurt. He liked girls who were no stress, no drama. Girls who made no demands on him. Girls who didn't want any more than what he was willing to give—which was basically a good time. He never lied to them, never promised anything. He was always upfront—he simply didn't do complicated. It wasn't in his relationship wheelhouse.

And if there was one thing Lauren screamed, it was complicated.

His behavior made absolutely no sense to him. He knew he should just keep his mouth shut around her. Do his job as painlessly as possible and get the hell out of there, never to see her again.

But damn. Shutting his mouth seemed to be the last thing he was able to do around her. It was like she was a beehive and he was a little kid who just couldn't resist the impulse to keep poking it with a stick.

And now it was even affecting his work. So much so, that his director had come over to tell him that this wasn't a date, and he needed to talk to some of the other people at the table.

He shook his head to clear it. He was working. He never let anything distract him when he was 'on.'

And this disturbing phenomenon didn’t just start at the dinner scene shoot. No. All day after he’d met Lauren, he hadn't been able to shake her from his thoughts. He felt completely off-balance during the entire Karina Black shoot as well. Probably the most important shoot of his life.

He needed to lock this down, and quickly. They were scheduled at this location for three more days, and he needed to have his head in the game for every minute of it from this point on.

He’d worked too long and too hard and had too many people depending on him to let something like this come in from left field and undermine his confidence.

Ben heard the assistant director's voice call out, “Roll sound.”

“Sound rolling.”

“Background action.”

“Action.”

Ben took a deep breath, pasted a smile onto his face, and dove into his role.

4

“Cut!”

Lauren leaned her head back and rolled it from side to side, attempting to work out the kinks and knots that the stress of this long day had put into it. This was the fifth time that the director yelled cut, only to be followed moments later by the word 'reset'—meaning, (she now knew) move everything back into its original place because they were going to film another take.

Lauren didn't know how many more moments of faux frivolity she had left in her.

Fortunately, this time, the director's voice didn't give the instruction to reset. This time, blessedly, came the words, “We got it, folks. That's a wrap.”

Hallelujah, Lauren inwardly rejoiced. She wanted nothing more than to go home, pour herself a glass of wine, get lost in some hot water and bubbles in her luxurious, oversized bathtub, and bring an end to this long and bizarre day.

She slung her purse over her shoulder and, waving only the quickest and most perfunctory of goodbyes to her friends, strode purposefully towards the door.

Her plan was thwarted, however, by a member of the clipboard-and-mic brigade, who stopped her before she reached her destination.

“Are you the real estate lady?” the young woman asked.

For all Lauren knew, it might’ve been the same one who ushered her to the table when she first came in. Their identical headset mics and busy-and-bustling attitudes made them all start to blend together for her.

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