Page 145 of Reel Love

“Alana only dropped the news on me last night. I tried to beat her to the water taxi this morning. I missed her. I should have slept on the dock.”

“That’s the spirit! Don’t worry. I’ve got you. What’s the plan?”

“That’s what I was hoping you could help me with. I need to get to Alana.”

“Oh. I’ve got that covered. I figured you’d need to get to Alana. I’ve got a car scheduled to meet you at the docks in Ventura harbor. How soon can you be there?”

“A little over an hour? I have to get to my boat and I’ll drive it to Ventura.”

“Great. Do you have any thoughts as to what you’ll do once you reach her?”

“A few.”

“Well, get to your boat and fill me in on what you’re thinking. I’ve already given your information to the guard at the studio gate. You’re cleared to get in.”

“Thanks, Brigitte. You’re the best.”

“You know it. I live for this kind of thing. Grand gestures are my jam. And, to top it off, Cruella de Vil will lose her ever living mind over this.”

“Cruella de Vil?”

“Alana’s mom.”

I chuckle.

While I walk to my boat, I fill Brigitte in on the details of the plan that’s forming in my mind. She approves most of it, but has a few modifications and additions. By the time I’m parking my boat in a slip in Ventura, we’ve hung up and she’s set all the balls in motion. I walk down the dock toward the spot where Ken usually stands waiting to greet Alana.

As soon as I’m in the parking lot, Brigitte hops out of a Town Car.

“Heyyyy! It’s time to show those paps where it’s at!”

I climb in the back seat next to her. No security detail is in the car. Miguel isn’t our driver.

“We’re picking Rex up at his home,” Brigitte says. “Wait til you see this place, Stevens. It’s massive. Like, why does one guy need six bedrooms and three bathrooms? But you do you, boo. You know? Anyway, we’re picking him up and then we’re meeting Caroline at the studio.”

Brigitte’s so unaffected by the fame she’s surrounded by daily. It makes sense why she works so well with Alana. To Brigitte, these are all just people.

Brigitte runs through the plan we formed together. “You’ll beat the interview Alana and Caroline arranged on the Sharla Gibson show. After the interview, select media reps hand picked by Caroline will be allowed in for an exclusive.” Brigette looks over at me. “Sorry about all of this. She was miserable this morning, if that helps.”

“I don’t want her to be miserable. I understand why she made the choice she did. She explained it all last night. She thinks she’s protecting me.”

“Alana’s heart’s in the right place, even if she’s dead wrong.” Brigitte smiles. “She’s trying her utmost to keep you out of the insanity that is the public eye. She’s sacrificing her potential happiness to shield you. But she’s being dumb. I said just as much straight to her face two and a half hours ago when she arrived on the dock. We’re not stars, but we’re not wimps. What you’re about to do is one hundred percent awesome.”

I smile at Brigitte.

“Caroline got a hold of Rex,” Brigitte explains. “He knows what you and I are up to. Alana doesn’t know a thing. As far as she’s concerned, you’re still in Marbella today, tucked safely away from the media, her parents, and her fans. But, no! We’re turning what they were treating like trash into a five course meal at a three star Michelin restaurant on opening night. Invite only, baby. You want a piece of this? See the chef!”

I chuckle. Brigitte’s optimism is contagious.

We drive from Ventura to Beverly Hills. Rex’s home is up some winding streets and behind a sliding iron gate. The driver punches in a code and we pull up until we’re at the circle driveway right in front of the mansion. Rex comes walking down the front stairs looking like he’s playing a billionaire in a movie.

The driver steps out of the car, opens the front passenger door for Rex and Rex slides into the seat.

“Morning, lovely people.” He extends his hand back through the center console toward me. “Good to see you again, Stevens.”

“Thank you for doing this,” I tell him, trying to ignore the memory of our first meeting when I was dressed as a parrotfish.

“Anything for Alana,” Rex says. “She’s been my co-star in three films. And she covered for me and my girlfriend last year. I sort of owe her one, don’t you think?”

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