The Accidental Movie Star by Emily Evans Read Free Book Online

fresh one. Then go help out on set B. The mobile toilet’s acting up again.”
    Olive put her head down and beelined for the coffee cart.
    Ashley swatted Caz with the rolled script on her way to get the car.

Chapter 5
    Ashley steered Dad’s Audi R8 up to the front of the warehouse and rolled down her window. There was no way Caz, his agent, plus whomever else was tagging along would fit in her two-seater. They’d have to use a larger car with a studio driver. The studio provided drivers for all the stars, which was smart because actors were notorious for their drunk-driving incidents. Not that she’d seen Caz drunk, but the studio was smart to play it safe. Artistic didn’t go hand in hand with reliable.
    The agent stood outside with Caz, cradling her new coffee cup and cell phone in the same hand. She eyed the lack of a backseat with a frown and more toe-tapping.
    Doing her best to conceal a grin, Ashley spoke through the open window. “Meet y’all there.”
    “No,” Caz said, and went around to the passenger side.
    The agent sighed and handed Ashley a card with the photographer’s address. “I need him there right away.”
    “Okay,” Ashley said to the agent’s narrow back as she walked off. Ashley handed the card to Caz. “Read this into the GPS.” Caz typed on the upper right hand of the screen, and a feminine voice came on asking for their destination.
    Caz said, “1342 Water View Road.”
    “Don’t you have a car?” Ashley put the car in gear and exited from the front gate onto the streets of Burbank.
    “I plan to buy one, since I’m staying in the States. I just haven’t chosen one yet. This car’s nice.”
    The navigation system asked for a repeat, and Caz said, “1342 Water View Road.”
    “Thanks. It’s my dad’s. You should get a big one with a good safety rating since you’re not used to driving on the right.”
    “No.”
    Ashley pulled over and clicked on the hazard lights, waiting for the GPS to tell her where to go next.
    After several beeps, the GPS asked for the address again. Caz leaned close to the navigation screen and spoke the address loudly into the voice activation speaker.
    “Please repeat your destination,” the female voice said.
    Ashley laughed.
    Caz narrowed his eyes and tapped on the screen with a forceful index finger. Ashley pushed his hand away and repeated the words in American English.
    “Proceed to the intersection. Stay in the right lane.”
    Caz pursed his lips, glared at the GPS, then turned on the radio. His expression made her grin.
    The ride didn’t take long, and they reached the photography studio without trouble. Ashley grabbed the script and followed him into the sleek, white, modern studio. The only pop of color came from the smelly eucalyptus plant at the end of the white couch.
    His agent bent and smashed a cigarette butt into its mossy base. She was there alone, no Petra or Olive in sight. She’d either driven crazy fast or didn’t have to find parking. The agent shoved her phone in her pocket as Caz drew near, and when they stood within two feet of her, Ashley could tell by the smell that she’d had more than one cigarette with her coffee on the drive over.
    His agent said, “The shoot’s going to be really tasteful.”
    “Black and white?” Caz asked.
    The agent nodded and looked at the receptionist with raised eyebrows and a glance at her watch.
    Ashley rolled her eyes and wondered why artists thought color was tacky. She liked color photos. Besides, his eyes were a pretty shade, wasted on black and white.
    The receptionist rose from behind a long white half-moon desk and joined them. She stood at least six feet tall, just a few inches shorter than Caz. “Mr. Thaymore, we’re expecting you. Please proceed to studio two.” The receptionist gestured toward the hallway with a slender arm, but her gaze never left Caz.
    Studio two had been divided into three areas: technical equipment, makeup, and shooting. Jungle music boomed from