Page 31 of Broken Rules

“Right, but let’s not push our luck.”A girl walked by carrying a stack of scripts, and I cleared my throat.“Let’s look at this promotional stuff.”

Before we could do that, the phone on my desk rang.It was more effective than a bucket of ice water over my head, making me completely forget whatever tingling was going on between my legs.Now, my heart was racing for a different reason, and it brought a little bit of nausea with it.I knew what the call was about before I picked up the phone.

“There’s a couple out here saying they’ve come to see you,” the front gate guard told me.“Doug and Brenda Strawbridge.”

“I’ll be right down to meet them.”I blew out a long breath as I hung up the receiver.

“Hey.”Lex’s hand touched my back, which I wished released the tension that had my muscles all locked up.Even he, with his magic hands, didn’t have the power to do that.“You know, if this has you stressed, they don’t have to come on set.I can go out there and make a big thing about keeping the public away while we’re filming.I’ll be the bad guy.”

I couldn’t have imagined laughing while feeling this way, which meant the laugh that burst out of me came as a complete surprise.“I don’t think you need to do that.”I giggled.“Thank you.“

I looked up at him, his eyes meeting mine.He was smiling, his eyes twinkling, and something dangerously close to real feelings swelled in my chest.I couldn’t let that happen.I would have to nip it in the bud.But for now, it felt pretty good.He was the comfort I needed when I felt weak and unsure of myself.

“You said your mom is pretty supportive about this, right?”he reminded me.

“Yeah, but Dad has been mysteriously busy every time we get on the phone.”I worried as I stood.Running my hands down the front of my soft, flowing linen dress, I asked, “Do I look all right?”

“That dress looks nice on you.”He lowered his voice, glancing at the open door, adding, “But it would look a lot nicer on my floor.”

“I can only handle one complication at a time, Mr.Landry.”And he was definitely a complication, though a much more pleasant one than the one I was currently on my way out to meet at the front gate.

I couldn’t afford to think that way, either.He was extremely dangerous, no matter how good we were together.That wasn’t enough to outweigh the damage he could do.Even if he didn’t mean to, and at this point, I knew he wouldn’t mean to get in the way of my chances at a career.He could still do it without meaning to.

“You don’t have to come with me,” I whispered when it was obvious he was not going to hang back.

“I want to get a look at them.And they are going to visit my set,” he added in a deeper, more serious voice that reminded me a lot of his father, something I knew better than to say out loud.We both had issues with our parents and the bullshit pressure they’d put on us.

“Try not to get offended,” I warned as we approached the gate.It was surreal, the sort of moment that forced me to take a step back from myself to appreciate it.I was welcoming my parents into the studio where I worked.I was showing them around for them to see what I did every day.This was my life.I had a right to be proud of it.

That pride lasted around three seconds then I caught sight of Dad looking around like he was already counting the seconds until he could leave.His body language screamed discomfort with his shoulders up around his ears and his arms folded.My stomach churned at the way he peered at everything from over the wire rims of his glasses.Judging it all.

Mom noticed me first and fluttered my way in a flurry of bracelets and fringe.“There’s my filmmaker!”She was thrilled, pulling me in for a tight hug.Why couldn’t it always be like this?I could bask in the warmth of her love and approval and breathe in the familiar blend of scents that was uniquely hers—incense, essential oils, sunshine.I didn’t know sunshine had a smell until now.

“Hi, Daddy.”I stood on tiptoe to give him a peck on his bearded cheek.“Thank you for coming down like this.Did you find the hotel all right?”

“Hotel…” he scoffed.“We didn’t need anything more than a bed and a decent continental breakfast.”

“And we got both,” Mom concluded, rolling her eyes as she patted his chest.“Don’t listen to him.It was wonderful of you to reserve such a nice room for us.”

“Shouldn’t you be saving your money?”Dad asked.“For after this is over?You’ll need to support yourself between projects.”

“I’m fine.”And embarrassed.So very embarrassed.Namely because neither of them had acknowledged the man standing just behind me, who until now had been silent.

He cleared his throat, briefly touching a hand to my lower back before speaking.“Mr.and Mrs.Strawbridge, it’s a pleasure to meet you both.I understand we have you to thank for Summer’s work ethic.It is definitely coming in handy around here.”

I could’ve kissed him.“Mom, Dad, this is Lex Landry,” I said.“He’s the executive producer on the movie.”

“Of course, Mr.Landry.”Mom shook his hand warmly.“It’s a pleasure to meet you.Summer has said nothing but positive things about this experience.”

“Has she?”He laughed softly, smirking at me, asking, “Did you tell her to say that?”We laughed together, and now I wanted to kiss his face off.Mom always was a sucker for flattery and banter with a handsome man.

Dad didn’t find it so funny.“Exactly how many people do you employ here, Mr.Landry?”he asked, observing a handful of people walking past.“It seems like a pretty big place.”

“I don’t have exact numbers on hand,” Lex admitted as we started strolling down the wide span between soundstages once we passed the offices.“But Landry International employs hundreds of people.Of course, there are people who work behind the scenes on every film… electricians, sound artists, props, sets and costumes, hair and makeup, visual effects.But there are also accountants, administrators, our promotions department, and many more positions that are all filled in-house.It’s a small city,” he concluded.

It wasn’t so much the way he rattled off an answer like that.It was his enthusiasm.The way he acknowledged people as they crossed our path.That special touch he had.Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he liked working here.He was proud of the work he did.

“That’s really fascinating,” Mom offered.I had to give her credit for trying.She understood something Dad didn’t—how the situation with Eric wrecked me.She knew having me work here at Landry International was a hell of a lot better than the brokenhearted, directionless depression that had almost won out in the month after the breakup.Culminating, of course, with the award at Cannes—an award I should have been there to accept.

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