Page 31 of Love On and Off Set

Not that I would ever date a subordinate, of course. Seamus and Valentino got away with it. And Thomas, our senior production person, was married to Peter Erickson, an actor. They’d fallen in love in this studio as well. Oh, and actor Elouise Hynes and her wife Kelci, who did makeup. Plus a few hookups over the almost ten years I’d worked here. This place was just pheromone central.

She blinked. “Did I hear Seamus?”

“Right.” I rolled my eyes, although I wasn’t quite certain why. “He’s informed me that we’re getting a three-million-dollar Ming vase for Montgomery’s office for the season. Well, until Lyric steals it but, of course, he rescues it.” I scratched my stubbled cheek. “He didn’t say what was going to happen to it if we’re around for another season.”

Sally poked me in the arm. “You always talk like this will be the last season.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Well, one of these times, I’ll be right. The show can’t go on forever.”

She stuck out her lower lip. “I don’t see why not…”

“Sally.”

“Yes?” Said with all innocence. When she noted the look on my face, she smiled. “I tease, Myles.” Because she lived with her family and would be okay if the show ended and she couldn’t find another gig.

I, on the other hand, had a studio condo and several cats who depended on me. Cats. Plural. Even though my building only allowed one pet per unit. I kept them all locked in the bathroom when the annual fire inspection took place. So far, so good. If the strata council found out, though, I could be fined and forced to give up several of my rescues.

So not the time, dear, to think about that.

“Okay, so we’ve got a bodyguard arriving soon. Seamus has secured a locker the guy can put the vase in because I assume at some point he’ll have to go to the john.” Right, like that’s the most important part of this.

Sally blinked again. She appeared owlish when she did, and more than once I’d suggested glasses. She preferred to squint. At least she didn’t drive—although she wouldn’t pass the vision test anyway. “So…he’s just going to stand around on the set all day and watch the vase?”

“Yes.”

“You know the odds of someone around here stealing it are, like, pretty much nil.”

“I know.”

“And that we have security.”

“I know.”

“Oh.” She tilted her head. “I guess we hope nothing happens…?

“Precisely.”

Chapter Three

Hallstein

The guard at the security gate handed me a pass and instructed me to wait in my SUV until Seamus O’Malley came to meet me.

I parked and had barely pulled out my phone to text Amal when a man stepped out of the building and waved. I got out, tucked my phone into my back pocket, then opened the back door, unwrapped my package from the nest of blankets I’d created with a pile of bedspreads, and slowly extracted the box. I held it close as I slowly backed out of the vehicle. With my elbow, I closed the door. Once I was certain it was shut, I hit the button to arm the SUV.

The lights flashed.

Finally, I turned to greet the young man. Well, late twenties, I judged. With red hair and sparkling green eyes that shone in the beautiful April sunshine.

A rare day of sun in the midst of the traditional spring rain showers.

He started to hold out his hand for a shake, then looked at me clinging to the box and waved. “Seamus O’Malley. But you probably already figured that out.”

“Yes.” I straightened to a few inches taller than him. “Hallstein Bauer. But you probably already figured that.”

We shared a smile.

He beckoned over his shoulder. “I’ll give you the five-cent tour and then show you where you’ll be spending most of your time. Just about everyone’s been briefed—”