“Then we’re going to have shots of you two shopping and walking the streets. You two get to wardrobe and makeup and let us get the scene set up,” Rafael said, as he shooed us away.
Today was on a tight schedule because everyone wanted to get done early so they could go celebrate Christmas. Around eleven we started to have problems with people showing up. Rafael had to block off a portion of the street so we could work. At noon, we took a break. Tracy came up and handed me my phone.
“Adrienne called and asked that you call her back.”
Something was up because Tracy looked like she had a big secret.
“What’s going on?” I asked her.
“Just call her.”
I dialed the number Tracy gave me.
“David, I hear congratulations are in order,” Adrienne said in a playful voice.
“I take it you saw my butt pictures. I was hoping to show you that in person.”
She laughed.
“What would your fiancée say to that?”
That brought me up short.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play coy with me. Your asking Kara to marry you is all over the news. They even have pictures of you proposing. It’s so romantic,” Adrienne crowed.
“We’re still on for Prom?” I asked.
“Sure, you wouldn’t be the first two-timer I went out with.”
“Do you have to put up with this sort of stuff all the time?”
“Yep, you’re going to have to get used to it. Nice butt, by the way. I think I’m going to hold you to showing it to me in person,” Adrienne said in her best seductive voice.
I could tell you that when she talks like that ... you listen.
“God, Adrienne, I’m aroused just listening to you. You’ll have to hose me down if I see you in person.”
“It’s good to know this old lady still has it.”
“Don’t give me that. You’ve never lost it, and it’s beneath you to be fishing for compliments. All you have to do is say the word and I’m on the next flight to track you down,” I growled.
“Oh, Sexy David! I think I like him. Maybe you’ll have to play at being my boyfriend next when Kara dumps you.”
“Don’t tease me, Adrienne. I just got engaged, but if you’re serious, I’ll break it off. And I think we would both enjoy playing.”
“I better get off here before you talk me into something I’ll regret. Tell your faux fiancée hi for me, and call me after the New Year. I think I might have something we can do together.”
“Thanks for calling. I can’t wait to see you again. Have a happy holiday,” I said.
Tracy came up, looked around to make sure we were alone and kissed me. She got a serious look that took me back.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I asked.
“I was just thinking that we’re not going to be able to go out once you’re famous,” Tracy answered.
“What makes you say that?”
I was confused and a little scared. I could tell that she was serious. I had a hard time figuring out Tracy at times. I couldn’t figure out what I was missing.
“David, I love you, and I won’t hold you back. You’re going places,” she said.
“No, baby, we are going places. I can’t do this without you. I love you. I would never let my career hurt that.”
She gave me a strained smile.
“I know. That’s part of why I love you so much. I’ve never doubted you love me. But we may have to make some decisions that keep us apart for now.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Was Tracy talking about breaking up with me for my own good?
“Tracy, my public life will not stop me from seeing you, so get that out of your pretty head. You and I are a team. If you left me, it would kill me. I’m serious. Don’t even joke around about something like that.”
She had tears in her eyes. I sometimes forgot how fragile she was.
AFTER LUNCH, WE HAD some scenes to shoot on the street. They were of us window-shopping. By now we had a crowd of about fifty people, and the entertainment media were filming our every move. Clare showed up and got worried.
“They don’t have any security. We need to get some here before you can continue to shoot.”
I think Clare looked for roadblocks instead of finding ways to fix things. Her concern spooked Kara. She told us of a shoot where a gang of boys had tried to kidnap her when she was on an overseas job. She now insisted on having a bodyguard. She’d figured it would be safe in Florida. Kara and Clare went to talk to Rafael because the crowd was growing.
I went over to Tracy and Kendal.
“Clare has a bug up her butt about the crowd. She wants to stop the shoot until security comes for crowd control. Kara’s nervous. I guess she had a bad incident at a recent photo shoot.”
“Why don’t you just go talk to them?” Tracy asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Yeah, why not just talk to them? The three of us walked over to the crowd. When we got close, they didn’t seem to know how to act. Several teenage girls looked like they were going to get a little overexcited. What clued me in was them bouncing up and down and whispering to each other.
When I got to about three feet of the barrier, I stopped.
“Hey, everybody, we’re on a short break before we get shooting again. I thought I’d come over and say hi.”
“Can I ask a question?” asked a girl who looked to be about ten.
“Sure, what’s your name?” I asked.
“My name’s Maddie. My mom thinks you’re good-looking,” she said, and her mom blushed and a few of the other women and girls nodded their heads.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tracy get an evil grin.
“Is it true that you’re going to marry the pretty lady?”
“Maddie, we’re shooting a commercial, and part of the script has me asking the pretty lady to marry me. Now the press got a picture of me asking Kara to marry me, and that’s what your mom saw,” I told her.
“So you’re single?” she asked, and then turned to her mom. “Mommy, you can still marry him.”
That got the crowd to laugh, and the TV cameras zoomed in on us. Maddie looked upset that everyone was laughing. I got down and grabbed her hands.
“Honey, they’re not laughing at you,” I told her as she looked at me doubtfully. “They’re laughing at your mom and me. I think she wanted to keep it a secret.”
Tracy came up and whispered they were ready for me.
“We’re going to be done around three-thirty. I’ll come back then and sign autographs if everyone’s good. We need quiet on the set so we can be done sooner. Will that work for everyone?”
One girl looked disappointed and raised her hand. I pointed at her. I felt like we were in school.
“I’m sorry, sir, but my family’s leaving shortly. Can I get an autograph now?”
“Sorry, if I do it for you I’ll have to do it for everyone,” I said.
I could tell she was near tears. All I needed was another woman crying. I turned to Kendal.
“Get her name and address and I’ll mail her a signed photo.”
That seemed to satisfy her, and a couple of other people were asking Kendal for the same thing. I waved and went back to where we were working.
“What were you doing over there?” Rafael asked me.
“I was doing a little crowd control. I got them to promise to behave, and when we’re done I’ll go over and sign autographs.”
Kara and Clare both caught my comments to Rafael. Kara came to me, concerned.
“I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but not everyone’s a nice person. I just want you to be aware that you don’t know what someone might do. All it takes is one idiot to get you hurt,” she said.
She could see my look of disbelief, so she added.
“Hey, I was brought up in the same type of Midwestern small town where everyone knows your name and waves when you drive down the street. You even leave your doors unlocked when you go out. I’m just trying to give you some advice. This is the most terrifying aspect of being a celebrity. You don’t know what psychos are going to become obsessed with you and stalk you. I know you’re a big tough guy, but do me a favor and when you go sign autographs, take some security.”