Keep To The Script (Complete)

~ Chapter 12 ~

“I can do that,” he told her as he grinned. Before she got a chance to stop him, his arms were around her waist and he was swinging her around, causing her to laugh. “I like that,” he said as he finally sat her back on the ground and brushed her hair behind her ear. “You do need to laugh more.”

“I’ve been told I really do laugh too much.”

“No, JD, I don’t think there’s such a thing.” He gazed down at her, and she fought the blush that was slowly creeping on her cheeks. “It’s infectious, as is your smile. I noticed both on the set the day I saw you and I so badly wanted to meet you. I wasn’t totally sure if you were the author, but when I got up close, I couldn’t help but be happy. Your photo doesn’t do your smile, or your beauty, justice.”

“I already agreed to slowly try this road, you don’t have to lay on the charm,” she giggled, but he shook his head.

“I’m not, it’s the truth.” Well, she had nothing to say to that. She let out a breath and just nodded, her hands resting on his arms.

“Come on, we need to head to bed, it’s been a rather busy day for us, I think.” She nodded again but after that, she wasn’t sure she could sleep. Now that her head had been cleared of the ugliness, her mind was spinning with ideas, and she knew she had to at least write them down before she lost all of them. “Where did you go?”

“Huh?” she asked, glancing at him as they walked up the back porch steps.

“You were thinking rather loudly, where did you go?” he questioned as he held the back door open for her. She twisted her lip for a moment before answering.

“I was thinking. I hadn’t been able to write anything earlier, but now the thoughts are just flowing and if I don’t get them down, I’m likely to forget, and they’re really good.”

“Fine, go write, but I will be checking on you in an hour to make sure you’re asleep. I’m serious, it’s been a long day and I have plans for tomorrow, so I need you rested.” She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at him.

“Excuse me, I’m older, you don’t need to be bossing me around, sir.”

“Yeah, I do, and I can get on board with the sir,” he told her, wiggling his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes but laughed at his antics as she made her way upstairs and into her room, quickly pulling out her laptop to make a few notes.

-----

“So, tell me, Angel, what’s the big game plan for the day?” she told him as she brought the sunglasses down. He had woken her up at 8:30 with breakfast in bed and she found that to be rather sweet. Even growing up, no one in her family dared to do that, maybe it had something to do with her being such a grump in the mornings? Along with that breakfast, though, was a glorious cup of coffee, made just how she liked it. And when she asked for a second cup, Angel told her it would be outside on the back patio so she could take in the morning.

“Shopping.” Judith glared at him over the rim of her coffee cup. “Do I look like the type of gal that would go shopping? Or that I enjoy shopping?”

“No, you don’t. However, this is on the pier and it’s different from going down Rodeo Drive or some other fancy s**t. Anything by the pier is beach related and the drinks, food, and atmosphere, in general, is just another world of experience that you need to have. And as a true beach dude and Californian, I cannot let you leave my state without having experienced it.” She stared at him behind her glasses and slowly shook her head. “What?”

“If you ever fail as an actor, and I don’t think that you would, you’d totally make it as some type of salesman. Holy s**t, I think you could sell ice to an Eskimo!” Angel spat out his juice as he snorted at that.

“Uh, why, because I’m selling you on going?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I enjoy shopping, to a degree, but I’m much more the type of person that loves to see sights or museums. See, had you lead with the whole experience thing, I wouldn’t have balked at the idea.”

“Fine, that’s what we’re going for,” he huffed out, causing her to smile.

“Thank you, it sounds like a fun day, and I am looking forward to it. Is it far?”

“No, not really. We don’t have to drive, but we’re going to. It’s just a lot of walking and I don’t think you’d want to walk back. I do suggest shorts though and good pair of walking shoes.”

“Does everything have to be shorts,” she whined.

“Out here where the sun shines almost year-round, yes.” He got up and was about to pass her but instead, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Besides, you have amazing looking legs, show them off. God knows I like looking at them.” She turned around to smack him, but he was already walking away, leaving her face to feel like it was on fire.

-----

“I can’t decide on what shirt to get my niece,” Judith complained, looking between the two that she currently held in her hands.

“Does she like the water?” he asked.

“She’s always in the pool, I don’t believe they’ve ever taken her to a beach though.” With that said, Judith handed the other shirt back and grabbed her purse. “I’ll take this one. It’s the whole beach and I know she’ll love it.”

“So, what do you think of the pier?” he asked her, looking over some random coffee mugs and she beamed. She really had worried about it, thinking maybe he would be wrong about it, but he wasn’t. Sure, there was shopping, lots of little stands, and many things to choose from, but the people walking around, or skating around, were a sight to see. The food was amazing, and the music was inspiring. She could fully agree that coming out here was an experience and one she would be grateful that he took her on.

“I think it’s a world unlike any I’ve known.” He turned to look at her, laughing at the answer.

“That is the safest thing I’ve heard. Do you like it?”

“What’s not to like? There are all kinds of caliber of people, it’s a great place to just sit and people watch while you’re soaking up the sun…” He waved his hand to stop her.

“People watch? That’s what you’re doing?”

“Um,” she started as she slowly nodded, “yeah, don’t you?”

“No. I mean I do now, but that’s not the point of coming out here.” She shook her head at him and then took his arm, dragging him to a nearby bench.

“You’re taking a writer somewhere in public, be ready for them to people watch because I will most certainly guarantee you, they are creating stories in their head.” She sat down next to him and looked around, seeing a man on the phone. “Look, he’s talking to his wife about why he can’t make it home and that woman in the bikini is walking over to him, getting ready to drag him to her place.”

“Bull shit.” She laughed as she shrugged.

“I didn’t say it was true, I just said we’re going to come up with stories. Writers are odd people. We enjoy all types of things, but people-watching, it’s probably a highlight. I mean, come on, the whole point of my book was based on watching two people. We build on what we see, and this is what we see.” Angel looked around and then pointed to an older woman who was walking a small dog.

“What about that?” Judith looked, tilted her head for a moment, and sighed.

“She’s a widow, her dog is the only family she’s got. But there’s an older man, who is younger than she is by a few years, that keeps glancing at her. He likes what he sees, but she will never give him the time of day because her only love had been the husband she lost. But it’s going to be that man’s last damn wish to get that woman on his arm.” Angel watched the older woman, the way her shoulders were stiff, and the way she carried herself.

“You could be right.” He looked around some more and then pointed to two females that were walking. “Best friends.”

“No, I’m going to say, secret lovers. One of their parents would disown their child if they knew she was a lesbian, so they have to keep up the pretense of friends around her parents. But the other one, her lover, she’s getting tired of that and wishes so much that her girlfriend would be truthful.”

“It must be a whirlwind living in your mind,” he told her as he watched her in awe.

“Welcome to the mind of a writer,” Judith told him as she took a drink of the tropical drink, he had bought her. She forgot the name of what he called it, just like she forgot what was in it, but she just knew it was good, and she was going to have another before they headed back to the house.

“Oh my God, you’re Angel!” Both of them turned around as a teenage girl walked over to him, her eyes wide. “I’m such a huge fan. Is it possible to get a picture with you?”

“Oh, of course,” he told her, standing up. “Are we taking a selfie?”

“No. Does your mom mind taking a picture of us?” the teen asked, holding her phone out to Judith, who quickly reeled back for the momentary slap in the face. Guess she knew how they looked to the world, and it was a horrible feeling.