Stars Collide (Backstage Pass Book #1) , livre ebook

Baker Publishing Group - Janice Thompson

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

162 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

Kat Jennings and Scott Murphy don't just play two people who are secretly in love on a television sitcom--they are also head over heels for each other in real life. When the lines between reality and TV land blur, they hope they can keep their relationship under wraps. But when Kat's grandmother, an aging Hollywood starlet with a penchant for wearing elaborate evening gowns from Golden Age movies, mistakes their on-screen wedding proposal for the real deal, things begin to spiral out of their control. Will their secret be front-page news in the tabloids tomorrow? And can their budding romance survive the onslaught of paparazzi, wedding preparations, and misinformed in-laws?From the sound stage to a Beverly Hills mansion to the gleaming Pacific Ocean, Stars Collide takes readers on a roller-coaster tour of Tinseltown, packing both comedic punch and tender emotion.

Informations

Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	01 janvier 2011
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781441214287
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0202€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Backstage Pass Book 1
Stars Collide
A Novel
Janice Thompson
© 2011 by Janice Thompson
Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com
E-book edition created 2010
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-1428-7
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Published in association with MacGregor Literary Agency.
In loving memory of my father, Billy Hanna, who moved our family from Houston, Texas, to Los Angeles, California, in the late ’70s so that he could pursue his dream of co-writing and producing a Hollywood movie.
Thank you, Dad, for opening a whole new chapter in my life—that of a writer.
1
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
“You want me to kiss him . . . where?” I stared at my director, hoping I’d somehow misunderstood his last-minute change to the script.
A look of exasperation crossed his face. “On the lips, of course. This is a family show, Kat. Remember?”
“Of course.” I nodded and fought to keep my breathing even as I rephrased my question. “I mean, where in the scene ? Beginning, middle, or end? What’s my cue?”
“Oh.” A look of relief passed over Mark Wilson’s face as he sank into his director’s chair. “At the very end of the scene. Right after Jack says, ‘This has been a long time coming, Angie.’ At that point I want the two of you to kiss. On the lips. In a passionate but family-friendly way. PG, not PG-13.”
“Ah.” My gaze darted across the crowded studio to Scott Murphy, my love interest in the sitcom Stars Collide . He raked his fingers through that gorgeous, dark, wavy hair of his and flashed an encouraging smile. Apparently the idea of kissing me on camera hadn’t startled him. Why should I let it make me nervous? We’d both known for months this moment would come. And now that it had arrived, there would be no turning back. Kissing him—whether it happened at the beginning, middle, or end of the scene—was something the viewers had anticipated for three seasons. Ironically, I’d spent almost as long waiting, hoping, and praying for it myself.
Over the past two seasons, my off-screen friendship with Scott had morphed into something more, and I knew he felt the same. Still, we’d danced around each other for months, neither of us willing to open up and share our hearts. And now that the opportunity had finally presented itself, I felt like slinking back to my dressing room and diving under the makeup table. Would anyone notice if the show’s leading lady skipped out on the scene?
“Kiss him, Kat! Kiss him!” The voices of the youngest cast members rang out, and my cheeks grew warm as I realized the sitcom’s children had a vested interest in this too. They’d worked for two full seasons to push the characters of Jack and Angie together, after all. A kiss seemed inevitable, even to them.
Only now, it just seemed impossible. How could I kiss Scott, passionately or otherwise, with my heart in my throat? And how—I gulped in air as I thought about it—how could I kiss him when my feelings offstage were as strong as those my character Angie faced when the cameras were rolling?
My heart did that crazy junior high flip-flop thing, and for a moment I thought I might faint. Squeezing my eyes shut, I invited the opportunity. If I hit the floor, we could probably avoid filming the scene altogether.
Nope. No such luck. After a few seconds of feigning dizziness, I realized I was as steady on my feet as ever. Opening my eyes, I contemplated my options. Now what?
From across the studio, Scott smiled again, offering me a glimmer of hope. Was that a “come hither” look in his eyes? Mm-hmm. A sense of peace flooded over me and I whispered a prayer of thanksgiving.
I can do this. I can do this. With the eyes of the masses watching, I took my place on the set, ready to begin filming.
Scott continued to tease me with a smile. Oh yes, this certainly made things easier. His baby blues stared deep down into my soul, giving me the courage I needed.
At this point, everything began to move in slow motion.
I heard the director yell, “Action!”
Managed to speak my opening lines, then listened for Scott’s impassioned response.
Watched as the cameras overhead swung near for the big moment.
Felt my heart race when Scott—as the character of Jack—took a step in my direction.
Heard him whisper those magic words: “This has been a long time coming, Angie.”
Sensed the studio audience members holding their breath.
Closed my eyes in anticipation.
Then, just as Scott swept me into his arms for that magical moment we’d all been waiting for . . . the power went out.
Studio B faded to black.
2
Saved by the Bell
A collective gasp went up from the studio audience as the filming of the infamous kissing scene came to an abrupt halt. Ironically, the filming was the only thing that ended. What no one saw under the blissful cover of darkness—I hoped, anyway—was the long-awaited moment being played out just between the two of us. Scott’s lips, tender and sweet, found mine, and the kiss that followed squelched any lingering doubts I might have had about his feelings for me. Our private exchange lasted an extraordinary length of time— extraordinary being the key word.
Wowza! Was this guy worth the wait, or what?
Scott eventually loosened his embrace and brushed his fingers through my hair. His words, “It’s about time, Kat,” were whispered gently into my ear, sending tingles down my spine. All I could manage was a lame nod, which, of course, he could not see in the dark. Brilliant, Kat. Still, what did it matter? Our kissing scene was the stuff Emmy awards were made of. Didn’t matter that we’d missed our opportunity to share it with the world. Some things were better left off camera. At least the first time around.
I half expected a laugh track to shatter the moment, or at least some piped-in music. A dramatic love song, perhaps. Most everything in my life was staged these days, right down to my dialogue.
Fortunately, the only music was the impromptu drum solo going on in my heart. I felt sure no one heard it except Scott. My arms instinctively slipped around his neck, and he drew me closer still, offering yet another sweet promise that his feelings for me were as strong as mine for him.
Off in the distance, a tremulous little voice rang out, and the words “I’m scared” now hovered over us. As the darkness lingered, the children grew more restless and one began to cry. I could hear the studio audience members stirring now.
“Rex, what happened to the backup generator?” Mark hollered to Rex Henderson, our new producer.
“No idea, Mark, but I’m working on it.” I recognized that voice. Jason Harris, cameraman. If anyone could figure it out, he could. Jason was our resident geek.
The lights came on just as Scott and I each took a giant step backward, creating a respectable chasm between us. By the time my eyes adjusted to the glare of the generator-powered lights flickering overhead, I realized chaos had struck the studio audience. People tripped over each other and shouted obscenities as they struggled to exit the studio. Lovely. Did they not remember we had a room full of children? And tearful children at that.
Scott shifted gears at once, morphing into protector and guardian. Turning to the audience, he hollered, “Calm down, everyone. Take it easy!”
Ironically, no one paid a bit of attention except the kids, who rushed his way. He pulled them into a fatherly embrace and began to comfort the ones most shaken.
I should have been reacting in some way too, I suppose, but my eyes were fixed solely on Scott. Be still my heart. This guy really knew how to get to me. Kind to children and romantic too. What next? Would he leap tall buildings in a single bound?
“KK, are you all right?”
As my grandmother’s voice rang out, I turned to face her, finding her long, silver hair in disarray. In the madness of the moment, I’d forgotten about her. Not that Lenora Worth was one to be easily forgotten. Oh no. She made her presence known at each day’s filming, showing up in a variety of ensembles from Hollywood days gone by. She had become a mascot of sorts, and everyone loved her. Right now, though, she looked frazzled and a bit messy.
“Your combs must’ve come loose,” I whispered as I pointed to her untidy updo.
“Oooh, thanks.” She fussed with them in an attempt to make herself look presentable, then turned her attention to her sparkling black gown.
I helped straighten the sheer black scarf across her shoulders. “There. You look lovely.”
“Thanks again, KK. I think I panicked when the lights went out. Scared me.”
“Me too.”
“Mm-hmm.” She squinted her eyes with an “I’m not buying it” look.
“W-what?” That little-girl feeling swept over me. I was a seven-year-old once again, caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
Grandma continued to fuss with her dress, her gaze never shifting. “Honey, my hearing’s not what it used to be, but my eyesight is twenty-twenty.”
“O-oh?”
“Yes. Funny thing about working in a studio for so long. These old eyes get accustomed to the dark. Sometimes they even play tricks on me. Make me think I’m seeing things.”
I swallowed hard, pretty sure I knew where this was going.
My grandmother took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. With tears glistening in her