button?”
That made Casey so angry her hands went into fists. She started to go after his throat, but what sounded like a child’s laughter stopped her. “What was that?”
“Emmie. She’s my six-year-old niece.” Tate put his arm across the seat, backed the truck up, and headed toward the big gate. “Emmie truly loves it when someone yells at me. Her mother—my sister—does it all the time.” He gave Casey the smile he used onscreen to make the heroine say she loved him. It was the one the fan mags said made women start removing their clothes.
But it did nothing for Casey. She glared at him. “You’re an egotistical jerk, and turn off your phone.”
She didn’t say another word all the way to the auditions.
When they got to the warehouse, Casey started to get out of the truck, but Tate pushed the button to lock her in. She didn’t look at him, just crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the front window.
“I want to say I’m sorry,” Tate said. “I never meant to invade your privacy. I was wrong to get angry at you this morning, and you are right. Even though I own the place, I should
not
run around in my birthday suit.”
Casey didn’t meet his eyes. His apology didn’t sound real. It was as though it had been scripted and rehearsed—and he was saying it all with a touch of humor. But worse was that his tone seemed smugly certain that she would immediately forgive him for whatever he’d done.
“I’m going to leave tomorrow.” He sounded sad. “I’m going back to L.A., where…well, I’m going home. Please remain in the house. If Jack stays here—”
She glared at him. “What do you mean?
If
Jack stays?”
Tate gave her a little smile. “I don’t want to disparage anyone. I’m sure the girl he’s attracted to is beautiful, but Jack has many obligations and people who depend on him.”
“Ooooooh,” Casey said. “
Important
people, who no doubt have barrels full of money. Jack can’t possibly stay in little Summer Hill, Virginia, and be in a tiny local production and—”
“That isn’t what I meant!” Tate said. “I just think that Jack won’t stay. His agent will call and he’ll—”
“Fly out on the next jet? For what? So he can spend more time with people like
you
? If you don’t unlock this door and let me out of here, I’m going to start screaming.”
Right then Josh came out of the building and Casey started pounding on the window.
Frowning, he came over, and as Josh touched the handle, Tate unlocked the door. “Everything all right here?”
“It is now.” Casey slid to the ground.
Josh was glaring at Tate as though trying to figure out what was going on.
“Hi, I’m—” Tate began.
“I know who you are,” Josh said. “Why was Casey hitting on the glass to get my attention? Did you lock her in the truck?”
“Josh!” Casey said. “The door stuck, just let it go. Besides, he’s leaving our town tomorrow. Help me with the pies, will you?”
It took Josh a moment, but he turned back to Casey. “Kit and I saved room for your berry custard.”
Casey gave a sound that was like a growl. “It’s gone. Every bit of it was eaten!” She took a breath. “What happened while I was away?”
Josh got the pie carriers out of the back. “No surprise: Kit gave Jack the Bingley role, and Gizzy will be Jane.”
The truck door was still open, and Casey knew Tate was sitting inside. She raised her voice so he could hear. “Has Kit persuaded you to be Darcy?”
“He’s tried, but I’m not sure I can do it,” Josh said.
She put her arm in his. “You’d be the best-looking man to ever play him—even better than
any
man in the movies.” Casey spoke so loudly she was nearly shouting. She walked with Josh back into the warehouse.
Tate sat where he was, his head back against the seat. He didn’t think he’d ever felt so unwelcome in his life. Ever since he’d started acting as a kid, people would stop and point excitedly when they saw
That made Casey so angry her hands went into fists. She started to go after his throat, but what sounded like a child’s laughter stopped her. “What was that?”
“Emmie. She’s my six-year-old niece.” Tate put his arm across the seat, backed the truck up, and headed toward the big gate. “Emmie truly loves it when someone yells at me. Her mother—my sister—does it all the time.” He gave Casey the smile he used onscreen to make the heroine say she loved him. It was the one the fan mags said made women start removing their clothes.
But it did nothing for Casey. She glared at him. “You’re an egotistical jerk, and turn off your phone.”
She didn’t say another word all the way to the auditions.
When they got to the warehouse, Casey started to get out of the truck, but Tate pushed the button to lock her in. She didn’t look at him, just crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the front window.
“I want to say I’m sorry,” Tate said. “I never meant to invade your privacy. I was wrong to get angry at you this morning, and you are right. Even though I own the place, I should
not
run around in my birthday suit.”
Casey didn’t meet his eyes. His apology didn’t sound real. It was as though it had been scripted and rehearsed—and he was saying it all with a touch of humor. But worse was that his tone seemed smugly certain that she would immediately forgive him for whatever he’d done.
“I’m going to leave tomorrow.” He sounded sad. “I’m going back to L.A., where…well, I’m going home. Please remain in the house. If Jack stays here—”
She glared at him. “What do you mean?
If
Jack stays?”
Tate gave her a little smile. “I don’t want to disparage anyone. I’m sure the girl he’s attracted to is beautiful, but Jack has many obligations and people who depend on him.”
“Ooooooh,” Casey said. “
Important
people, who no doubt have barrels full of money. Jack can’t possibly stay in little Summer Hill, Virginia, and be in a tiny local production and—”
“That isn’t what I meant!” Tate said. “I just think that Jack won’t stay. His agent will call and he’ll—”
“Fly out on the next jet? For what? So he can spend more time with people like
you
? If you don’t unlock this door and let me out of here, I’m going to start screaming.”
Right then Josh came out of the building and Casey started pounding on the window.
Frowning, he came over, and as Josh touched the handle, Tate unlocked the door. “Everything all right here?”
“It is now.” Casey slid to the ground.
Josh was glaring at Tate as though trying to figure out what was going on.
“Hi, I’m—” Tate began.
“I know who you are,” Josh said. “Why was Casey hitting on the glass to get my attention? Did you lock her in the truck?”
“Josh!” Casey said. “The door stuck, just let it go. Besides, he’s leaving our town tomorrow. Help me with the pies, will you?”
It took Josh a moment, but he turned back to Casey. “Kit and I saved room for your berry custard.”
Casey gave a sound that was like a growl. “It’s gone. Every bit of it was eaten!” She took a breath. “What happened while I was away?”
Josh got the pie carriers out of the back. “No surprise: Kit gave Jack the Bingley role, and Gizzy will be Jane.”
The truck door was still open, and Casey knew Tate was sitting inside. She raised her voice so he could hear. “Has Kit persuaded you to be Darcy?”
“He’s tried, but I’m not sure I can do it,” Josh said.
She put her arm in his. “You’d be the best-looking man to ever play him—even better than
any
man in the movies.” Casey spoke so loudly she was nearly shouting. She walked with Josh back into the warehouse.
Tate sat where he was, his head back against the seat. He didn’t think he’d ever felt so unwelcome in his life. Ever since he’d started acting as a kid, people would stop and point excitedly when they saw
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