What it Takes (17 page)

Kelsey laughed. “I doubt that. ‘Normal’ is subjective after all. It’s what you’re used to.”

“So, what were you used to?”

“It wasn’t a bad childhood. Lots of playing outside if it was nice or playing board games and Barbies with my sister if it wasn’t,” Kelsey said.

“You’re lucky to have a sister. I have a younger brother, and that’s no fun,” Veronica popped the last bit of cookie into her mouth.

“We had a brother too. He was between us, but it was usually the two of us against him. He became quite protective of me as we grew up though, and we grew to be pretty close.” Kelsey tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. She never forgot Sean, but for the second time in three days, she was talking about him and that was rare.

“What happened to him?” Veronica asked and Kelsey realized she’d zoned out for a minute or two.

“He died when he was in college,” she answered quietly. Veronica gasped and Kelsey waved it off and stared at the french fry in her hand. “Now that I think about it, this was his doing.” She held up the ice cream and fries and laughed. “We worked in the same restaurant together and I believe he introduced me to this.” She hated the pity she saw in Veronica’s eyes. “He knew how much I loved chocolate and salt together.”

Veronica eyed the ice cream and looked at Kelsey again. Without a word, she picked up a fry and dragged it through the chocolate as well and took a bite. Kelsey fought a smile as Veronica’s expression changed from one of disgust to consideration and finally to delight.

“That’s not bad.”

Kelsey shook her head in resignation. “No, it’s not.” They laughed together, watched a movie, and continued to chat about almost everything. Kelsey was so relaxed that she was surprised to see there was very little food left when the movie went off.

They cleaned up the leftovers—four cookies, half a slice of chocolate cake, and a little bit of pound cake—and Veronica wheeled the cart out to the hallway. Kelsey took the movie out of the DVD player and put it back in the case.

“So what did we decide?” she asked as she lay out the three remaining movies on the coffee table. Veronica looked them over, pointing to the one most likely to make them cry. “Why do we do this to ourselves?” Kelsey asked, taking the movie to the TV.

“It’s therapeutic,” Veronica replied then sighed heavily. “I’m going to have to spend three hours a day in the gym for the next week to make up for all that sugar, ugh.”

“Right, cause you’re gonna blimp up to what? A size four?”

“Yeah, could happen,” Veronica said seriously.

Kelsey laughed. “Only if you eat like that every night.” She eyed her speculatively. “You don’t, do you?”

“No, thankfully,” Veronica answered, closing her eyes and sliding down the couch a little. The movie began and Kelsey sat back, resting her head on the back of the couch. “So, how was your first on-screen kiss?”

Kelsey turned and Veronica was smiling mischievously. “Wow, that’s random,” she said with a laugh.

“Sorry, I just remembered,” Veronica said. “So?”

“Um, it was interesting,” Kelsey answered.
To say the least
, she added to herself.

“Interesting? Kelsey, we’re not talking about a book,” Veronica retorted. “It was a kiss, your first major kiss in front of a camera.”

“I’ve kissed Grayson,” Kelsey argued.

“Those were little pecks, they don’t count.” Veronica rolled her eyes. “And this is Patrick Lyons we’re talking about. I want to know how it was.”

“I told you.” Kelsey felt the color rush to her cheeks as she turned to watch the movie.

“Hm. Is that all?”

“Yeah, what did you expect?” Kelsey shrugged her shoulder. “How was
your
first on-screen kiss?”

Veronica laughed. “Dull.”

“We’re not talking about a book,” Kelsey reminded her and Veronica laughed loudly.

“It was so stiff and cold. I mean, the end result looked good, but it felt weird. Almost like kissing a dead fish.”

Kelsey laughed but felt her stomach start to churn again. Maybe Veronica’s first kiss partner wasn’t as experienced an actor as Patrick was.

“Have they gotten better?” Kelsey asked, referring to the kisses, not the partners.

“No, not really.”

Kelsey swallowed hard. Hers had.

“They just always seem so detached.”

Kelsey nodded.

“Well, even if it was just ‘interesting,’ it looked really good. That’s the important thing.”

“Of course,” Kelsey readily agreed.

They watched the movie in silence as Kelsey chewed on her lower lip. She hoped Veronica didn’t realize how much her comments had affected her. She was feeling a little sick to her stomach and couldn’t tell if it was the excess of sweets or the butterflies again. Kelsey now had a whole other list of things to think about, things she didn’t want to consider.

“So are you ready for that?” Veronica asked, pointing to the screen with a devilish grin. A love scene was just starting in the movie.

“Yeah, I guess,” Kelsey mumbled.

“Nervous?”

Kelsey nodded her response.

“I was, too, the first time,” Veronica continued. “Actually, every time. But that does get easier.”

“So, what should I expect?” Kelsey was suddenly worried about her exposure to Patrick.

“You mean technically? The crew, your wardrobe, that sort of thing?”

“Yes,” Kelsey quickly agreed, not sure how to ask what she was really thinking.

“Well, the way Andy likes to film, he’ll only have essential personnel there. A few cameramen and maybe a boom operator or two, but that should be about it,” Veronica explained. “And you know that Andy will want to film it in as few takes as possible. He may just keep the cameras rolling and change your positions as he needs to.”

Kelsey swallowed hard. This wasn’t helping her feel any better about the scene.

“Of course, Andy will be there yelling directions, cameras will be in your face, and, try as you might, you won’t forget the other people there. In my experience, the guy has always, and I mean always, been as limp as a wet noodle, so that’s a plus. I guess. It’s nothing like the real thing.” Veronica turned to Kelsey with a smirk. “You have had the real thing, haven’t you?”

“Veronica!” Kelsey exclaimed, half amused, half embarrassed. “Why would you ask that?”

“Just curious,” she replied. “So, have you?”

“Yes,” Kelsey answered, then turned to the movie.

“Steady boyfriends or casual?”

“Steady.” Kelsey left it at that. What would Veronica think if she found out it was only one boyfriend?

“Really, you’ve never had casual sex?” Veronica questioned. Kelsey glanced at the look of shock on her face and shook her head. “Why not?”

Kelsey had to laugh at her bluntness. “It just doesn’t interest me, I guess.”

“What’s not of interest? Hopefully you enjoy it, he enjoys it, and you go your merry way. No strings attached.” Veronica had a large grin on her face.

“Maybe I like the strings,” Kelsey said.

“Why would you like the strings?”

Kelsey thought Veronica was too amused by the conversation.

“Because there’s something special in knowing that this man you’re with, in a very intimate and vulnerable way, is in love with you and you with him. On some level, it’s what it was designed for. You can’t get that feeling from casual sex,” Kelsey answered.

Veronica frowned. “How do you know if you’ve never tried it?”

“That’s the thing. I’m not interested in trying it.”

“So, you’ve only had sex with men you’re in a relationship with,” she said. “When was your last relationship?”

“In college,” Kelsey replied, hoping she could leave it at that.

“Wow.” Veronica sighed. “You’re telling me no one has piqued your interest since then?”

Kelsey shook her head.

“No one?” Veronica repeated.

“No,” Kelsey said with a laugh. “Why’s that so hard to believe?”

“Hello! Have you seen the men you work with?” They both laughed. “Look, all I’m saying is that while you’re searching for your ‘Mr. Right,’ maybe you should have fun with a few ‘Mr. Right Now’s.”

“And what if I miss my ‘Mr. Right’ because I’m with ‘Mr. Right Now’?” Kelsey asked.

Veronica shrugged. “And what if one of the ‘Mr. Right Now’s actually turns out to be your ‘Mr. Right’?”

Kelsey exhaled deeply and slowly. She guessed Veronica had a point but didn’t want to admit it. “So, what about you? Are you enjoying your ‘Mr. Right Now’s?” Kelsey asked.

“Oh. Yes.” Veronica beamed. “But I’m not really looking for ‘Mr. Right’ yet.”

“That’s what you think,” Kelsey stated and Veronica shook her head in disagreement. “I think we’re all looking for ‘Mr. Right.’”

“Really?” she scoffed. “And how’s your search going?”

Kelsey pursed her lips. She couldn’t argue. She hadn’t been searching too hard since she and Tim had broken up. To be honest, that would be putting it lightly. She’d avoided falling in love, or anything resembling it, for almost six years.

Six long years.

The closest thing she’d had to a good kiss was the one she’d shared with Patrick earlier. And the bad thing about that was . . . it wasn’t real.

Then it hit her. She suddenly felt like there was a light shining down on her and a chorus in the background, holding the first “ah” in “hallelujah.”

That had to be what it was.

It had been so long since she’d been kissed that she was confusing it with the real thing. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t really falling in love with Patrick. Yes, there was an attraction, but she could get past that. She’d spent the last five years ignoring varying degrees of attraction, and it would go away once they were done working together. And knowing that she wasn’t in love with Patrick would make the love scene so much easier.

She and Veronica watched the movie for another fifteen minutes before they started to talk again. Veronica talked mostly about herself and Kelsey was more than happy to let her. When they got to the sad part in the movie, they stopped talking and cried. By the time the movie was over, Kelsey had a sobbing- and sugar-induced headache, but did feel surprisingly better. She wasn’t sure whether it was the realization that, in all probability, she wasn’t in love with Patrick, or the good cry she’d just had.

“See, I told you. It’s therapeutic,” Veronica said, sniffing as she walked over to the television. Kelsey laughed her agreement. “You look like you’re in a much better mood.”

“I am,” Kelsey stated. “Thanks, we should do this again.”

“How does tomorrow sound?”

“Good, but only after I hit the gym.”

Veronica nodded and said she needed to do the same thing. She collected her movies and Kelsey walked her to the door.

“See you in the morning,” Kelsey said as Veronica walked out of the door.

“Yep, bright and early.” She waved and Kelsey closed the door.

Ten

“P
atrick, can I talk to you?” Kelsey asked extra sweetly, using a tone she hadn’t used since Tim. It had been reserved for times she’d really needed him to do something for her. Even then it had only worked half the time. She kept her eyes down and bit her bottom lip, taking slow breaths to calm her nerves.

For the past two mornings, she had found a single red-tipped yellow rose outside of her hotel room door. She had done her best not to think about it while at work yesterday, but when she’d gotten back to her room she hadn’t been able to pull her attention away from it. Curious about its odd coloring, she looked it up online. The color symbolized falling in love. She had thought the flower had been from Patrick, but that couldn’t possibly be true. If it was, she was certain he didn’t know the significance of the color.

When she’d seen the small, silver angel charm tied to the vase of this morning’s rose, she felt certain her first guess had been right. It was from Patrick.

She was both flattered and frustrated.

When she finally built up the courage to say something, she hunted Patrick down. He was currently between scenes and seated at a table in the tent.

He looked up and beamed. “Sure.”

Kelsey sat in a chair beside him. “I got your gift this morning,” she said quietly, almost afraid of what she was about to say. Even more afraid of what his response might be.