I’m not sure this was a good idea.
A little sign out front boasted this place is LA’s most romantic restaurant. A man dining alone for Thanksgiving doesn’t exactly scream romance, but I trust Jill. It’s the only way I could get her to stop harassing me to eat dinner with her family. I asked what part of alone did she not understand, but finally caved and agreed to give this place a try. Why not? It’s just a meal. Since I’m in the thick of filming, today is just another day.
The holidays held less significance after my mom died. I do have extended family still in Lemon Grove—Mama’s people. I keep somewhat in touch and typically spend the holidays there. I’ll see them at Christmas, but I invest more time in the family I’ve found through the years. I’ve collected some of my best friends working on sets, like-minded storytellers and dreamers.
I’ve barely spent a string of hours by myself since Dessi Blue started production, and for someone like me, I need the time alone. It’s how I recharge. I’m not at my creative best if I don’t get it. So before we enter what will be the toughest stretch of production, I’m taking advantage of this tiny reprieve, and not crowding it with a bunch of people and football.
I mean, I’ll watch football when I get home, but in peace. In quiet, with just me and my Macallan 25.
“Mr. Holt,” the hostess says with a warm smile. “We have your table ready.”
“Thanks.”
I follow her through the restaurant and outdoors, where a white tent strung with twinkling lights and flowers oversees a sprawling patio. So this is the romantic part. Just show me the turkey. I don’t need romance. I shoot down the image of Neevah, her smile equal parts sweet and seduction. I got too much shit to do. The last thing I need to think about is the actress starring in the biggest movie of my career. I’m not screwing this up. The only thing that derails a movie faster than ego is feelings and fucking, and I suspect with Neevah, you don’t get one without the other.
That I cannot afford.
The hostess picks her way carefully past the tented tables and down a steep flight of stone steps. I look back and up at the other diners. Where the hell is she taking me? Do they annex the singles? Shunt them away from the couples and the families gathered around their festive five-course meals?
Fine with me. No one wants to see that anyway.
We reach a clearing with two gazebos. A creek gurgles close by and in the distance, there’s the rush of a waterfall.
“Uh, is this me?” I ask skeptically. “I didn’t ask for—”
“Your friend Jill thought you might like privacy,” the hostess replies, her smile and tone conciliatory. “Would you prefer—”
“Oh. No, it’s fine. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t . . . it’s fine.”
“Right this way then.” Gesturing to the gazebo housing an elegantly set table, she leaves me alone with my menu and the sound of rushing water. Slowly, the tension that’s been locked in my shoulders and back for the last month eases. I settle into the padded seat and let the tension drain away—let the burbling creek drown out the voices in my head reminding me of all the work waiting. Jill was right. This was exactly what I needed.
I’m gonna kiss her Monday when we get back to work.
“Right this way, Ms. Saint,” the hostess says.
My head snaps around toward her voice. Neevah carefully makes her way down the steps into the clearing, heading for the neighboring gazebo.
I’m gonna kill Jill, and I may not wait ’til Monday.
“Canon?” Neevah pulls up short, the genuine shock on her face convincing me she had nothing to do with this. I have only my matchmaking cinematographer to blame. “What are you . . .”
In addition to looking shell-shocked, she looks gorgeous. The kind of gorgeous people do everything in their power to achieve, but you can’t make it. It’s from the inside. The rich coppery hue of her skin glows in the waning sunlight. She’s scooped her cloud of textured curls into an updo, a huge flower pinned behind her ear. An emerald-green dress hugs the toned ripeness of her body, paying special attention to the full, uptilted breasts and the glory of her ass. She’s lost weight since the movie started. Lucia demanded it for the choreography. Linh prefers it for the costuming, and the studio likes it because they always think thinner is better, but I’ve been secretly hoping she wouldn’t lose that ass.
And look at God. She hasn’t.
Neevah glances back over her shoulder, up the steps, obviously as nonplussed as I am, but not as adept at hiding it. “There must be some mistake.”
“No.” The hostess frowns and nods to the gazebo beside mine. “Here’s your table. If it’s not to your liking I can shuffle a few things. Put you up in one of the tents?”
Neevah and I stare at each other, a luxury I don’t often allow. She gulps in the extended silence, tearing her eyes away from mine and nodding.
“I think that might be best,” she tells the hostess. “I don’t want to impose. This is a crazy coincidence, Canon. I’m sorry. I’m sure you wanted to be alone and the last person you want to see is . . .”
She’s rambling. It’s cute.
“Well, I’m sorry,” she finishes on a rush, turning to mount the steps. “Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Stay.”
That damn word will be the ruin of me. I said it on the balcony at the Halloween party and could barely concentrate for a week after our conversation.
She pauses, one high-heeled foot on the stone step, the other on the ground, and looks back at me. She really is breathtaking. It kind of sneaks up on you. You think at first she’s merely pretty, but up close, midnight lurks in her velvety brown eyes and someone thought it was okay to dust a few freckles into the rich caramel of her skin.
That was not okay.
Those freckles pose a threat to my sanity and make me want to lick them, find out if they taste like cinnamon. Find out once and for damn all how she tastes.
“Are you sure?” she asks, her expression as uncertain as her words.
“Yeah.” I shrug, like this isn’t exactly the kind of situation I’ve avoided with her. “Why not?”
The hostess leads her to the neighboring gazebo.
“Look, that’s ridiculous,” I say. “What? We gonna sit five feet apart and eat separately?”
I’m playing right into Jill’s schemes, but even I know that would be crazy.
“Canon, I don’t want to—”
“It’s dinner. It’s an hour. I have the rest of the night, hell, the rest of the week to be by myself.” I nod to the empty seat across from me. “Join me if you want.”
The hostess grins like this is the best idea she’s ever heard, and I bet she wrote that damn sign outside. Most romantic restaurant, my ass. After a brief hesitation, Neevah takes the few steps up into my gazebo and settles into the seat across from me, a look of discomfort on her face despite my assurances. The hostess says she’ll give us a few minutes to look over the menus.
And then she leaves us alone.
