Page 5 of Not the Bodyguard's Princess
She certainly thought of herself as a princess, not just as someone who played one on TV.Andrew tried to give the actress a bit of leeway as she’d been hit in the head and from the IV she was on pain killers too. “We can figure out which one.”
September swiped through her phone. “They’ve booked two rooms for me for two nights later this week. Maybe I have a confirmation.” September bit her lip. “There it is, and three nights next week in the same hotel. I bet this is the one.” She handed her phone to Adam. “I guess they didn’t get the memo saying I wanted to rent a house. I want Harmony with me.”
Adam handed the phone back. “Staying in hotels makes it difficult to guard a principal. I can’t believe they didn’t allow you a condo or other short-term rental.”
“They are shooting part of the film on the grounds of some mansion. There’s a guesthouse, but Storm Tordon is staying there.”
September looked up at the mention of one of the hottest A-list young actors of the year. “Is he the male lead? You didn’t tell me that.”
“And you still didn’t hear it from me. They made everyone sign nondisclosures. Even with the pain meds, I should have remembered that. But you would have known in a few days anyway, when you sign yours,” Jordan said flatly.
“Aren’t you excited to work with him?” asked September.
“Storm made them give me a contract addendum specifying which brand and flavor of mints I’m required to use prior to filming our kissing scenes. I wanted to counter, forbidding his new aftershave, Thunder, on the set, but Grandma and Donnetta wouldn’t let me. Have you smelled it? I swear I’ll have to wear Vicks like policemen do around a dead body. I visited a high school to give an assembly in May and thought I would die of asphyxiation. Every single male must have been wearing Thunder. I can act, but there is no way I can create on-screen chemistry if I have to smell that garbage.”
Andrew smiled. He’d been spritzed with the stuff while on a shopping detail last week and spent the rest of his shift counting the hours until he could shower and change and rid himself of the smell.
September covered her smile with one hand. “Does he really wear it?”
“I’ve only met him once, but he had it on. He wanted to spend an evening getting to know me. But when he insisted it be alone at his place, I refused. He has too much of a reputation to take that sort of risk. No, I’m not excited. Where were we?”
Andrew stepped into Miss Lee’s line of vision. “We need to figure out the terms. It is unusual to do a job with no detail or backup.”
“Terms? I don’t know. Blake would. I know he had a plan and all. I didn’t worry about that kind of stuff. I’m not even sure what his contract says.”
Someone tapped on the door and waited a second before opening it. A doctor in green scrubs entered. “Miss Lee? Mr. Blake asked me to tell you when he was out of surgery. He is, and it was successful. I know you have questions; however, I’m not authorized to give you any details. I’m sure you understand.”
Miss Lee sat up straighter in the bed. “When can I see him?”
“He should be in his room soon. I’ll ask the nurse to find a wheelchair and take you up when he’s ready.”
“Thank you, doctor.” Jordan’s smile reached her eyes for the second time since they’d entered the room. The first time had been at September’s marriage announcement.
The doctor left.
Miss Lee turned to Andrew. “I’ll take you to talk to Blake. Will that do?”
Since there was only one answer to that question, Andrew nodded.
“I’ll get a contract written up. It would go to your agent, wouldn’t it?” asked Adam.
“Yes. I’ll text September her information.” Miss Lee reached for her phone, but the bedside table sat outside her reach. Andrew handed it to her. She smiled. The third genuine smile.
“It will be a pleasure working with you,” said Andrew.
While she texted, her cell phone played a popular movie theme song from the fifties. “I need to take this. Can you give me some privacy? Hello, Grandma.”
September and Adam beat Andrew to the door.
“One minute, Grandma,” Jordan tapped the mute button. “Oh. For the contract, I’m not hiring you to guard me. You’re guarding Princess, my dog.”
3
Priceless.As cliché as that word was, it was the only word Jordan could find to describe the look on Andrew Hastings’s face as he closed the door. He’d better not be allergic to dogs. Jordan closed her eyes. The drugs were playing with her brain. She took a deep breath before tapping the unmute button. Grandma would worry if she could hear the drugs in her voice. “Sorry about that. I needed to clear the room.”
“It’s good to hear your voice, bunny. Donnetta reassured me you only had a scrape or two when she got ahold of me, but I needed to hear you. One can only trust an agent so far. How’s Blake? What happened? Did they catch the shooter? Do you think it’s your most recent stalker?” Only the smallest amount of static filled the space on Claire Lee’s call from India.
“Slow down, Grandma. Blake just got out of surgery. I don’t know any specifics. I don’t know much about the shooting either. The police told me more than Paul and the Hearthfire bodyguards did. I was trying to hire a replacement for Blake when you called. But I may have blown it.”
