Page 99 of Love On and Off Set

Julie, clearly oblivious, offered a grin. “Molly, you’re the best.”

The woman’s face fell. “It’s, uh, Polly.”

My friend, clearly embarrassed, winced. “Oh God, that was horrendous of me. I’m so sorry—”

“It’s nothing—”

“She was part of…” Shit, can’t say accident—

“An incident.” Robbie indicated Julie. “She’s discombobulated. But she doesn’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh right.” Polly brightened. “Well, I won’t say anything. If you need anything else, just flag me down, okay?”

“You bet.” Robbie gave her a charming smile that might’ve just charmed me as well.

“Thanks, Polly, you’re the best.” Julie offered the smile that had won her millions of fans. Well, that as well as her dark villainous expressions. Her character, Lyric, was an anti-hero. Stalking Cole’s Justice who sought to bring good to the world. For six seasons, fans had been wondering would they, or wouldn’t they? Thus far, they hadn’t.

Once the server was gone, Julie let out a sigh. “Jesus Fucking Christ, could today get any worse?”

“You’re not dead. And it sounds like the cyclist isn’t going to die either.” I tried for a smile. “Not everything ends in tragedy.”

Julie snagged my hand in hers. “That was super shitty. What happened to Stefan.” Then she grabbed Robbie’s hand. “I’m sorry for your loss as well. And I’ll thank you for rescuing me with Polly. That was super shitty of me, and I’m so off my game.”

He offered her a smile in return. “Rescuing a damsel in distress? All in a day’s work.” He cast me a glance.

A glance that said this isn’t over.

No, I was pretty sure we were just getting started.

Chapter Six

Robbie

Why in the fuck did it never occur to you that Stefan might’ve had a brother? A twin brother, no less?

No clue.

Somehow doppelgänger and ghost had felt more probable than an actual brother—let alone a twin.

Jesus, he must think I’m an idiot.

Yet he didn’t appear to feel that way. In fact, he made easy conversation with both me and Julie. While I would’ve been legitimately okay with him focusing on Julie—she was the star and the one who’d had the traumatic evening—he kept drawing me into the conversation. He didn’t mention Stefan again, for which I was grateful, but he managed to wheedle out of me that I was twenty-six, had left my oppressive and homophobic family Chilliwack for Vancouver at eighteen, and had struggled to get all the courses for my dental receptionist certificate while working full-time.

And that I loved my job, hated my three-hundred-and-fifty-square-foot apartment, and wanted a dog.

Especially one as cute as Minnie the mastiff.

Brody admitted some of the challenges with having a big dog and his relief that she wasn’t as big as her father or even most of her siblings. Runt of the litter.

Jesus. One hundred pounds was a runt?

While we were on the topic of pets, Julie admitted she really wanted one. A little pocket dog she could sneak into her dressing room every day. Something that would fit into her backpack or gym bag.

Brody offered to build her a little doggie enclosure.

Both agreed Val would likely have a conniption fit and that, even though Julie was a big star, pissing off the executive producer wasn’t a good idea.

Val…the guy paying for the nachos and our drinks? Yeah, I wouldn’t want to piss him off either. Especially if he had the ear of Hallstein.