Page 6 of Two Is Better Than One

"I'm just saying… he didn't even ask if he could bring a friend." I felt silly for saying that since it didn't matter, so I made myself shut up. The pool was huge, and the two of them took up a little corner of it.

I watched them as they smiled and laughed and interacted with each other. They were obviously discussing Casey's arm. She looked to be some sort of physical therapist who was there to show him moves he could do in the water. I didn't stare relentlessly, but I did watch them enough to understand it was somewhat of a medical session.

The fact of the matter was that it wasn't my business. It wasn't my place to care. I could never and would never begin a relationship with a bodyguard. There was just no way. My whole career was at stake. Besides, I knew it was good for my image to remain single. When I found the man I really wanted, I would eventually settle down. But flings with Miami bodyguards were not an option for me—not even close. I had so many things to worry about, and hard-bodied, long-haired…

"Tarzan's here," Allie said, pulling me from my thoughts when she came back to the loungers.

"I know," I said. "I need to leave and go get dressed."

"I thought you were having makeup done on the set."

"I am, but I still need a few minutes in the suite."

"I need to do some stuff before we leave, too," Allie said, gathering her things. "I was going to ask you about an art exhibit I wanted to go to tomorrow."

"Brooks told me," I said.

"I figured he would," Allie said.

"When is it?"

"The artist is going to be there from noon to two. I wanted to try to meet him. You know I love his stuff. I have two of his pieces."

I breathed deeply, looking at my sister. I loved her and I was truly scared at the thought of her gallivanting around Miami by herself. "Can we please try to get someone to go with you?" I asked.

"Of course," she said.

"Brooks is going to work on getting someone," I said.

Brooks nodded, staring at his phone. He stayed there while the two of us walked away. I purposely avoided looking at Casey Morgan when we left. He was one among eight or ten other people in the pool, and I just pretended I didn’t even notice he was there.

Allie was wrong, he wasn't like Tarzan. Okay, he was a little, but it was just because of the long hair and the ripped abs.

I wanted to tell my sister that he had come out there on purpose to take off his shirt to show off and try to impress me. I thought about saying that to her because I wanted to believe it. I played out the conversation in my mind. I would say that about Casey, then she would remind me that he didn't know we were going to the pool. Ultimately, I would be exposed for caring about what my security guard was doing while he was off the clock.

I didn't care about him. I reminded myself of that. Any attraction I felt toward Casey and angst I felt over not being able to have him could be redirected into my songwriting. Those types of forbidden love butterfly feelings were the best for songwriting. I knew I could talk to Allie about my feelings if they became too much, but at this point, I didn't want to say any of it out loud.

Allie and I talked about other things.

I had done plenty of public speaking and performing, but not as an actress. I had a cameo in one other movie, but I had never performed a speaking role. I was excited about my first day on set, and our conversation went to that. We talked about my role and Allie likened it to that of a character in a book she had just read. Allie was an avid reader who now worked as a proofreader for dozens of authors. It was a job that was born naturally out of her love for reading.

Sometimes she got dressed in her own room, and sometimes she came into mine. Today, when we left the pool, we put on makeup and fixed our hair in my bathroom.

"I have a break in a few days," I said.

"Are you thinking about having a migraine?" she asked.

I nodded. She would stay in bed as me, while I went out. It was convenient that Allie liked to do things like the art exhibit tomorrow. She also enjoyed doing things like visiting churches and going on hikes. I liked doing those types of things as well, and it was wonderful to do them while pretending to be my sister.

"Yes," I said to her. "I'd love to get out on Friday, if you're okay with that."

My sister stared at me through our reflections in the mirror. She nodded like it was no big deal, and I nodded back at her thankfully. That was all we needed to say. We had packed everything we would need to transform into each other, and I would get to go out as Allie.

"Where are you going to go?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. But thank you."

She nodded. "Of course."

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