Keep To The Script (Complete)

~ Chapter 3 ~

At 40 years old, Judith was a sensible woman, but she couldn't recall a time in her life when she had ever been bowled over and left dumbstruck, until now. The man before her smiled and parts of her body went into overdrive. What the hell was wrong with her? This wasn't like her, at all.

"Uh, I'm sorry, what?"

"I was just saying excuse me, is all."

"Oh, right." She stepped to the side, but he didn't move.

"I'm Angel," he told her, sticking out his hand. Her eyes slowly looked him over and she wanted to scream. Victor was right, this man was Tony in the flesh. His smirk, the glint in his eyes, the tone of his body, all of it was perfect for Tony. She couldn't believe that a man she had made up in her head stood before her. What were the odds? Well, like really high and one she couldn't compute. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, I am so sorry, yes. I'm Judith," she told him, offering him a smile and her hand.

"Queen?" he asked.

"Pardon?"

"Judith Queen, as in JD Queen, as in the author of the story we're working on," he told her, throwing a wave at the very low-key set that was behind him.

"Um, yeah, that's me. How did you get Judith out of that? I don't put my real name anywhere." He ducked his head and she almost swooned at the slight red tinge that highlighted his cheeks. He was blushing. Why? And why the hell did she find that so sexy?

"I might have read the story once, or twice, and wanted to know a bit more about the author. Don't find that odd, please." She smiled and shook her head at that. It wasn't odd, it was actually kind of cute. She hadn't met a lot of fans yet, other than really Victor, so to hear it from him, it was great.

"Not odd. You might be the second fan I have met though." His brows came together in confusion.

"How is that possible? You're funny, smart, good looking...," he trailed off as Victor called his name and he turned his head, waving at the man. "Sorry, got to run." All she could do was nod because she was dumbfounded. He could not have meant those words to her. No way was she good-looking, decent at best. No, he was seeing things. Or blowing smoke up her ass to what...land a better a contract? She had no sway over that. Whatever it was, she just didn't buy it and with that final thought, made her way back to the seat she had left from. No point in looking at the pictures now when she had seen the man in person. And as she took the seat, she shook her head to herself. How anyone could be the man she made up was insane, but she could understand Victor's mindset to land him right away; he was perfect.

Four long and grueling hours later, Judith leaned back in the uncomfortable and unforgiving chair and smiled. Angel and Molly were as perfect on screen as she thought they would be. Chemistry was there, making them an even better fit than she thought possible. And the different scenes that Victor had them quickly run through, it was just awesome. With the leads cast, some production could start and the idea that her book was coming to life on the big screen when she never even phantom it, was surreal.

As everyone was grabbing their stuff to leave, she took the time and watched Molly and Angel. She didn't know anything about Hollywood, what could boost sales or what could hurt it. She did know, though, that chemistry between the lead characters, no matter who or what they were, was the most important thing. If there was no zing to their friendship or relationship, it would fall flat on the big screen. And the way these two were playing and joking, she could see the spark ignite as well and she had to smile.

No matter her age, and her lack of a love life, she was always happy to see couples come together. And if she had a hand in it, it would be better for her. Friends often called her a sap because no matter the cost to her, she'd want her friends, or her ex's, happy. To her, that was the most important thing. In fact, she couldn't even recall the last time she was over the moon happy for anything other than her book. It might be a sad and lonely world for others, but for her, she loved it. And it was watching things like this, the start of something, that would get her wheels going and the juices flowing for some story to be written.

That's how Tony and Michelle came to be, in fact. She was watching a couple one day in a coffee shop down the way from her when she was having a self-pity party and lamenting over the fact that no one was there with her. The lady in question was sitting at a table that was right in front of the window, waiting for the man to show up. And when he had, they embraced and kissed like long lost lovers would; tentative at first and within moments it would switch to a passion that was borderline PG-17 in a public place.

That was probably one of her favorite scenes in the script. There were many she loved, of course, but that one in particular always made her gush, and she was the one who wrote it. To be brutally honest, it's the one scene she fought with the writers on because they wanted to change parts and she stood her ground. That scene had played out in front of her, and she rehashed it time and time again in her head, no way was she letting anyone change it. They claimed it wasn't right and all she could do was laugh, and then ask them if they had fucking nerve to read the book because that scene was vital to the whole outcome. Needless to say, she made her point and won that war.

"You're rather quiet, is everything okay?" Judith jumped with a start at the deep voice that spoke beside her. Her head turned and she smiled at Angel.

"Sorry, yes, I was just thinking is all," she told him, reaching down to grab her own bag. It was getting late, and she knew getting home was going to be a bitch with the traffic, so she was certain the taxi fare was going to be a pretty penny for her.

"Thinking about what?" She hefted her bag on her shoulder and tilted her head as she looked at him before glancing around. Other than a few stagehands, everyone had left, including Molly. She couldn't understand why Angel hadn't left with her rather than stay behind.

"Well, not to sound creepy, but you and Molly. You two just fit Tony and Michelle so well, and I was thinking how nice that is. It's crazy, I know because the characters were made up in my head and here you are, and I didn't even know who you were." He smirked as he looked at her.

"Wait, you mean that you hadn't seen me at all? And that the very essence of Tony, that I'm so much like, is not me?" It was on the tip of her tongue to apologize because his tone made him seem like he took offense to that, but the little light in his eyes told her he was teasing. She lightly smacked his arm and he chuckled. "For real though, you've seen nothing?"

"Sorry to deflate that ego there, but no, I know nothing. Victor mentioned the name; however, it didn't strike any chords in my head."

"That really hurts my feelings, JD." No one called her that and therefore, that's what she was going to contribute to the hitch in her heart rate too, not the fact that it sounded sinful when he said it. And thoughts like that weren't good. For one, he looked and acted amazing with Molly, and she didn't need to ruin that. And two, for crying out loud, she was 40 and he was what, 25, 26? A baby to her and so she needed to stop thinking of things like that.

"Sorry there sir, but every once in a while, you just have to accept that you're not everyone's cup of tea." He laughed and started walking outside with her.

"I suppose, JD, that I can accept that. Really, I'm not a big name yet so I can't say I'm surprised." She rolled her eyes at that because that wasn't what Victor said, but she wasn't in the mindset to spar with him over that simple fact. They walked out of the building, and she walked to the edge of the street, waving her hand. "What are you doing?" he questioned, coming up beside her and looking around.

"I'm getting a taxi. I have my own place, but I can't afford that and a car." He shook his head.

"In this traffic, a taxi is going to be too much." She turned and planted her hands on her hips, giving him a look.

"And what you would suggest, huh? The company isn't going to hire me a limo or a driver." He smirked and gently took her arm, turning her back to the employee parking lot and making her frown. "Really, what are you doing?"

"Well, you aren't a stalker, or a killer because I can't see a killer's mind writing the type of love scenes you do. You aren't a fan that's going to try and hunt me down. So, overall, I'm going to say you're pretty safe to climb into my car and let me give you a lift home." They stopped next to a cherry red convertible and the car screamed Hollywood and young. And the thought of being with him sent all kinds of chills down to her core, which she quickly decided wasn't good.