Page 54 of Fire

“She can sit by me.” Frank indicated a row of director’s chairs about twenty feet away.

Frank helped her onto the tall chair and after she was situated, asked, “You ever thought about acting? You’ve got a look the camera would love.” His eyes flicked down the length of her. It was subtle, but she noticed.

Flattered and even a little embarrassed, Gwen shook her head. “I’m more of a behind the scenes kind of gal. I’m a buyer and personal shopper at Coleman’s.”

Frank raised his brows. “Nice store. You like working there?”

Gwen shrugged. “Like all jobs, it has its ups and downs. But I love it, for the most part.”

“Well if you ever change your mind, give me a call.” He reached into the top pocket of his shirt and pulled out a business card, handing it to her.

Giving him a small smile, she slipped it in her purse.

Someone to their right called Allie’s name, and she lost Frank’s attention as he got to work.

It only took Allie a few minutes to do her sound check, after which, she jogged over to where Gwen sat and pulled her out of the chair. “Thanks for keeping an eye on her Frank.”

He gave them a distracted wave, his eyes locked on the stage and head buried under a set of headphones. “Have fun, you two.”

The wardrobe department wasn’t as glamorous as Gwen hoped it would be, but considering Allie worked on a sitcom, she figured that was about right.

“Guess it would be too much to ask that you choose your next show based on the costumes you’d get to wear? Something from the eighteen hundreds would kick ass.”

Allie giggled. “I’ll keep that in mind the next time I’m offered a part.”

They were walking down a deserted hall, until it took a sharp left turn and it wasn’t empty any longer. As soon as they’d turned the corner, she almost collided with someone but saved herself at the last second. She did teeter on her heels for a moment until a pair of strong hands gripped her biceps, steadying her. That was almost twice in only a few weeks. She needed to start paying better attention while walking.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“Sorry, wasn’t watching where I was going.”

They both spoke at the same time and then laughed in unison, too.

“Dillan!” Allie squealed louder than both their laughter.

Of course, Gwen recognized the guy now that she wasn’t in immediate danger of landing on her ass. Dillan Cooper, lead actor in Allie’s sitcom. If she wasn’t mistaken—and she very well could be as she’d only seen the show once—he played the hunky, single-dad neighbor all the women on the show had a crush on.

Dillan turned a megawatt smile Allie’s direction and pointed at her while saying, “Alison, right?”

Allie looked as if she were about to melt right on the spot. “Yeah… Yes. Allie, short for Alison.”

“Allie, right.” He snapped his fingers, turning up the wattage on his smile. His eyes swung back Gwen’s direction, but they never met her face. They were too busy lingering on first her legs and then her boobs. “And who’s your friend?”

The guy seemed like a jerk with a capital J, but she plastered on a fake smile when Allie introduced them.

“Gwen. Such a pretty name. Like Gwen Paltrow or Gwen Stefani.”

Or Gwen Butler, Gwen thought, sourly.

“Well, we need to go. It was nice meeting you.” Gwen nudged Allie so she’d get the hint and start walking.

“You, too,” he called to their retreating backs.

When they got far enough down the hall and out of earshot, Allie said, “He was totally giving you fuck-me eyes.”

Gwen nudged her with her shoulder. “He was not.”

He totally was.

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