Page 94 of Love On and Off Set

“Uh, shouldn’t that be my question to you? I’m sitting here, minding my own business—”

A hand landing on serious-dude’s shoulder had him startling. He turned, still shielding me from whomever had come up behind him. “I thought I told you to wait.”

“Hallstein, I think you’re scaring the guy.” Ghost guy offered a smile to serious dude. Right…Hallstein.

“That’s the point. I have to be concerned about everyone’s safety.”

“No one in this bar doubts that.” Ghost guy finally met my gaze. “I’m Brody. We met earlier when you bumped into me. And my dog Minnie. Or maybe we bumped into you? Anyway, I tried to help you out, and you ran away, and I never thought I’d see you again, and yet here you are, and—”

Hallstein held up his hand. “You mean this guy is stalking you, and you didn’t say anything?” Serious dude looked seriously pissed.

I swallowed.

Ghost guy cocked his head. He gazed down at me. “You’re not stalking me, are you? Because I certainly didn’t say I was coming here tonight, and unless you saw me go into my building, waited until I came out, then followed my cab…this is all just a coincidence. Right?” For a moment, he appeared rattled.

Reassure him. “I am not stalking you. You…” I squinted. “I know you. But I can’t know you. And I’m so confused. I saw you earlier tonight, and I panicked because I can’t know you.” My mind scrambled. “You work at the…” I flailed my arms.

“Studio.” Hallstein. Ever helpful. Ever pissed.

“Right. So are you an actor or something?”

Ghost guy let out a bark of a laugh. “Oh, hell no. I leave that to the professionals like darling Dade over there.” He pointed to the other attractive blond guy. Who looked vaguely familiar. “I’m a—”

“He doesn’t need to know.”

Jesus, serious dude took everything so fucking seriously.

“Me telling some random stranger that I’m a key grip who works on movies and television shows isn’t going to increase or decrease the likelihood that he’ll continue to stalk me.”

“I’m not stalking you.”

He grinned—those blue eyes sparkling. “See.” He pressed a hand to Hallstein’s arm. “Nothing to worry about.” He met my gaze. “So why don’t we figure out why you think you know me, and then we can go back to—”

Even as he said the words, the entire bar started counting down from ten.

Nine, eight, seven…

My gaze never left ghost guy’s. I knew those eyes. Had looked into them any number of times. And yet this man was a stranger to me. I couldn’t figure it out.

Happy New Year…

Someone turned on a recording of “Old Lang Syne”. A song I’d never much cared for.

Also, white-blond hair guy grabbed Hallstein, spun him around, threw his arms around his neck, and gave him a rather indecent kiss with way more frotting than might’ve strictly been necessary. After all the canoodling they’d done tonight, no one would be left in doubt they were together. Oh, the matching wedding bands were also a good clue.

Ghost guy met my gaze. “May I sit?”

Slowly, I nodded.

He sat. And extended his hand. “I’m Brody.”

“Robbie.”

“Nice to meet you, Robbie. I’ve had two beers and so am pleasantly buzzed and not interested in drinking any more.” He pointed to my glass.

“Sparkling apple cider.”

“Ah. I know a farm up near Mission City where the guy makes his own. Absolutely delicious. Worth the drive.”