{Last Beautiful Girl, If You're Gone and Rest Stop belong to Matchbox20; exerpts used w/o permission }

“He is not going to like this,” Sean commented as he glanced at the paperwork and then tossed it on the desk.

“She’s already been signed. He doesn’t have a choice.”

“Who doesn’t have a choice, mate?” Jeff asked as he walked into the office.

Sean looked at Jeff and then to the manager. He was staying as far out of this argument as he could. “Well, I’ve got a lunch date, so I’d better be going.” He said goodbye to the two men and excused himself from the room.

Jeff took the seat across from the desk. “So, are you going to tell me what is going on?”

The manager looked at him as if he’d just been accused of murder. “What makes you think something is going on?”

Jeff leaned forward, his gaze piercing directly into the other man. “Sean is never in that big of a hurry to have lunch with his ex. Now tell me what in bloody hell is going on.”

Phil found Jeff sitting at the bar, nursing a beer. “We’ve gotta go, mate.” He stood there and watched his friend not even glance over at him. “Jeff?”

“I heard you Phil,” he grumbled.

“Then move your arse. Everyone’s already out in the car.” Again, Jeff didn’t even attempt to move. Phil walked over to him and grabbed his arm. “We’re waiting on you.” He tugged the larger man from the barstool.

Jeff shook free of Phil’s grip, catching his balance as he stood. “I’m not doing it.”

“Yes you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Jeff, you sound like a two-year old.”

Jeff noticed Phil staring at the hardly-touched beer. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m not drunk, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Phil nodded. “Out of curiosity, how many of those have you had tonight?”

“Just the one.” Phil’s eyebrow rose at this confession. It was very unlike Jeff to only have one beer, especially if he was upset over something. The fact that it appeared he hadn’t drank any of it was even more uncharacteristic of the singer.

“Then what is the problem?” Phil waited for him to answer. Jeff stared at his feet. Phil finally gave in and asked the question. “Is it her?”

Jeff hesitated before looking up at him. “I don’t think I can face her, mate.”

Phil lowered himself onto the stool behind him. “Jeff, it’s been nearly three years. You’ve moved on with your life. You both have.”

“I tell myself that.” Jeff ran his hand absently through his hair. “I thought I was over her, but when I found out she was going to be there…”

Phil patted Jeff’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine. You’ll hardly notice she’s there.” Jeff shot him a ‘get serious’ look. “Well,” he grinned, trying to lighten the mood, “when you aren’t on the set together. Besides, we’ll be there with you.” Jeff simply shook his head.

Phil caught a glimpse of Max standing in the doorway of the lounge, pointing at his wrist. Phil glanced at his watch then stood up. “C’mon, mate. The plane’s gonna leave soon. We’d better go before Max sends for security to drag us out of here.”

This remark brought a grin to the singer. He turned to the door and nodded to their manager. “We mustn’t leave our zookeeper waiting.” He stood and let Phil lead the procession out of the bar.

“Cass, where are you going?” Jeff asked as he watched her pack the last of her clothes and zip the bag.

“Jeff, I told you, I have to report to the set.” Cassandra picked up the suitcases and carried them down the stairs. “It’s an eight hour flight to Vancouver, and I’m a day late as it is.”

“I thought you turned down this one.”

“You thought wrong.”

Grabbing her wrist, Jeff spun her around to face him. “What is that supposed to mean? Cassandra, I want you here with me, not out on location half the world away!”

“Jeff, I signed a contract. I have to do this. Primary should wrap in two months. I’ll be back after that.” She tried to twist free from his grip, but it only tightened. She met his stare with a defiant look of her own. “Besides, you all will be too busy with recording to notice I’m gone.”

Jeff broke eye contact with her and glanced around the room. Alan had chosen to exit to the kitchen. Phil and Donya sat on the sofa, pretending to be engrossed in the movie on the telly. Jesse appeared to be in mid-conversation on his cell phone, while Sean suddenly became very interested in a new addition to Jeff’s CD collection.

He looked back at Cassandra and lowered his voice. “I need you here with me, Cass.”

“What for?” she asked. “To play hostess? To sit and wait around all day while you guys stay up all night recording then crash early in the morning? You know I can’t do that Jeff. I told you that upfront when you asked me to move in with you.”

He had let go of her arm and cupped his hand to her shoulder. “Cass…”

“No, Jeff.” She moved out of his reach. “I said I’d be here when I wasn’t working. I’m not putting my life on hold just because you ask me to. I thought you accepted that.”

“Then you thought wrong.”

She looked at him with what he could only describe as regret. “I’ll send for the rest of my things once I have a chance to look for a flat.” Cassandra picked up her bags and headed toward the door.

Jeff caught the looks the other band members shot him at this turn of events. Cassandra and Jeff had had disagreements in the past, fairly loud ones at that, but she’d never threatened to leave him before. He quickly moved after her as she crossed the room. “Cass, you don’t really mean that?”

She sat down one bag to open the door. “Yes,” she said, turning to look at him. “I do.”

Jeff cupped his hands to her face, lightly brushing his thumbs along her cheekbones. “No, you don’t,” he said softly. “I love you, Cassandra. I’ll see you when you come home.” He lowered his head in an attempt to kiss her goodbye. He was shocked when she backed away from his lips.

“No, you won’t, because I won’t be coming back here.” She made her way down the steps and to the waiting taxi. The driver put her bags in the trunk while she opened the door to the back seat. “This is who I am, what I do. I would never ask you to give up your music for me. You shouldn’t ask me to give up acting for you. I do love you Jeff, but I can’t keep arguing with you about it.” With that said, she got in the car and it pulled away. Jeff stood on the porch watching until it was out of his sight.

“Hey Cassie,” Sean greeted the woman with a hug, likewise did Phil, Alan and Jesse.

“It’s great to see you guys again.”

“Will you look at you,” Phil commented, holding her at arms length. He and the others glanced over this woman they were used to seeing in jeans and baggy t-shirts. The form fitting work-out wear she was sporting accentuated the most feminine of her curves. “Keeping in shape, I see.”

Cassandra smiled, a hint of a blush colouring her cheeks. “It’s for my next role. I’m going to be an action-hero.”

“How cool is that?” Jesse lightly patted her shoulder. “Just think, we can say knew you when.”

She laughed at him. “It won’t be released until next summer. I would love for you all to be my guests at the premiere.” She looked between them, adding, “If you’d like to see it?”

“As long as we’re not on tour, we’ll be there,” Alan said.

“Great! It’s a date then.” Cassandra caught sight of Jeff and Max rounding the corner. “Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I’m going to head for the shower.” She told them that she would see them all later and disappeared into the waiting elevator.

“Wasn’t that our Miss Cassandra?” Max asked as they joined the others.

“Yeah,” Sean replied. “She just finished her workout in the gym and was heading up to her room.”

“Wonderful,” the tour manager smiled. “As I was telling Jeff, the van will be here in the morning to take you all to the set at seven sharp. So, I suggest that you all turn in early tonight. You’re free until then. See you tomorrow.” Max then ducked into the next elevator and headed up to their floor.

“What do you all want to do?” Jesse asked, looking at his band mates.

“Haven’t a clue,” Jeff muttered, “but I’m not staying around here.” He started to move toward the doors on the other side of the lobby. “Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome, but I’m going out.”

Alan, Phil, Jesse and Sean glanced between themselves, frowning at the thoughts running through their own minds. Phil gave a small nod, and they all went after Jeff, knowing it was better to go with him than leaving him on his own tonight.

Cassandra stared at her hands for a moment. She hadn’t met Darin until after she moved back to LA. With a sigh, she filled him in on her history with Jeff.

“Cassie, think about this before you do anything drastic.”

“I’m not being drastic,” she replied. “Look, Sean, I’m doing what I have to do. Jeff knew from the beginning that I wasn’t going to baby sit him while you all were in Dublin. I understand that the band has to record, but I have obligations too.”

“Cassie…”

“I’m tired of arguing about this. It’s all I do with Jeff. I’m not going to with you too.”

“But moving out on him,” Sean countered. “You only lived with Jeff a few months. That’s hardly enough time...”

Cassandra sighed into the receiver. “It’s long enough to know it wasn’t going to work out. I’m not saying I don’t care about him Sean. I do.”

“Then why, Cass?”

“Sean,” she said calmly. “You know how possessive Jeff can be. First he doesn’t want me to do this project. Then the next. And the one after that, and so on. My career will be dead before it’s had a chance to begin.”

“But there has to be another solution. A compromise of some sort.” She heard the worry in Sean’s voice. “He’s miserable without you.”

“I know he is. I am too, but I’d rather end this now then wait till we get to the point of hating the sight of one another.”

Sean knew there was no way he could change her mind. “Would you at least do me a favour?”

“Sure Sean. Anything.”

“Speak to him one last time before you move out. Face to face.”

Several pubs later, it was decided to head back to the hotel.

“I’ll be up in a bit,” Jeff said to the rest as he headed toward the lounge.

Sean stopped, turning to look at him a moment. “We really should all be heading up. We’ve got an early day tomorrow Jeff.”

He read the look on his friend’s face. “Jesus, Sean,” he cut him off before he began again. “You’ve all been walking on fucking eggshells around me since I found out. I’m sick of it! I’ll get through the next couple of days. Just don’t expect me to be happy about it. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Sean shook his head. “All right then. I’ll see you in the morning. Night Jeff.”

“Night Sean,” Jeff returned then continued his course. He took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink. He couldn’t understand why the guys had been acting so strangely all evening. They had been going out of their way all night to accommodate his every whim. He knew they were concerned about his reaction to seeing Cassandra in the morning, but they were carrying it a bit far.

Jeff sat there a while, thinking over things. Phil was right ~~ they had moved on since their split. He had dated several interesting women, and the rags were full of stories about Cassandra and who ever happened to be her beau of the moment. Jeff had to admit to himself that he was thankful not to have been one of them. He had worked too hard at keeping his life outside the band as private as possible, and it was not something he was willing to give up for anyone. Not even Cassandra.

Finishing his beer, he decided to head up to his room. Leaving the bar, he made his way to the elevator. The door was just starting to close when he called out, “Hold the lift.” It stopped and Jeff entered. “Thanks. I didn’t want to have to wait for the next…”

“Hello, Jeffery,” she said softly. He had stopped speaking mid-sentence when he turned and saw that she was the person holding the door. “Which floor?” He just stood there, in a state of shock, staring at her as if she wasn’t real. “Jeff, which floor?” she asked again, pointing to the panel of numbered buttons.

He shook his head to clear his mind. “Uh, ten.” She pushed the button for his floor and it lit up. A quick jolt, and they began their accent. He knew she had to be onset the same time they did. “Out a bit late, aren’t you?”

“So are you,” she countered good-naturedly. Cassandra had no intention of arguing with him this evening.

Jeff gave a small nod of concession to this. He looked up above the door at the changing numbers. Three floors passed in silence. “I heard you got engaged,” he said from out of nowhere.

She looked over at him. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Around.”

Cassandra chewed her lip a moment and glanced down at her ring-less fingers. “I don’t know who told you I was engaged, but they were wrong.”

“Why’s that? Did you walk out on him too?” he shot at her.

She glared at him, mouth agape. “You…”

“What?” He knew he shouldn’t goad her, but he couldn’t stop himself once he started. “He wanted you to be a wife and not ‘Ms Movie Star’? He expected you to care about him more than the next script that came your way?”

“Fuck you Jeff.”

“Truth hurts, doesn’t it?”

She looked at the lights. Seventh floor. Her room was on eight. “Yes Jeff,” she spat. “I did walk out on him. Right after I caught him in my bed with his best friend’s wife.”

The lift slowed and the doors began to open.

“Shit,” Jeff muttered, having stuck his foot in his mouth. “Cass, I’m sorry,” he called after her, trying to apologise.

Cassandra didn’t even acknowledge him. She exited the car and went to her room. Jeff leaned against the back wall, rubbing his temples. Shoulda listened to Sean and gone to bed, he thought to himself. Tomorrow was really going to be uncomfortable now.

Jeff had gone to Vancouver to visit Cassandra. They enjoyed an evening out, having dinner and taking a long walk through the plaza. To his relief, she had agreed to go back to the hotel with him. Instead of the usual drink at the bar, he talked her into going up to his room so they could discuss their problems in private.

Cassandra began to question her decision as she sipped the glass of wine he’d offered her. Jeff was sitting on the sofa beside her, gazing at her intently with those seductive green eyes of his. She nervously fanned her fingers against the stem before he took it from her and set it on the table.

Jeff’s voice was husky and soft. “When Sean told me you wanted me to visit, I couldn’t wait to leave.” He stroked his knuckle along her cheek. “I’ve missed you Cass.” Leaning forward, his lips gently brushed over hers. He then pulled back slightly, watching her reaction to his kiss. When she didn’t protest or try to strike him, he leaned in again, pressing harder, tasting the oaky-scent of the wine on her breath.

Closing her eyes, Cassandra mentally cursed her body’s reaction to Jeff’s touch. Her lips parted, allowing entry to his probing tongue. It stroked over hers, sending a familiar serge of longing and desire through her. This wasn’t what she wanted, she thought to herself as Jeff’s hands slipped over her shoulders, drawing her close against him as their mouths mated. Much to her dismay, the thought faded as her need to be with him built, carrying them both to a level of passion neither of them had expected.

Cassandra came out of the bathroom, dressed to head for the set. Jeff, clad in a pair of sweats, came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled the side of her neck. “Have time for breakfast luv? It’s in the other room.”

Cass turned her head and met his smile with her own. “Depends on what it is,” she teased, then gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Your favourite,” he grinned, leading her out into the outer room of the suite. Laid out on the table was a tray of croissants, fresh berries and cream. Jeff paused several feet from the table and let go of her waist. “There’s another surprise.”

She looked at him a bit puzzled. He simply smiled and gave her a small nudge toward the table. Hesitantly, she watched him as she went, stopping in front of the single place setting. Cassandra’s eyes moved over the objects, pausing on the bud vase and the single, red rose it held. She lifted it, taking a whiff of its scent before she pulled off the card to read the attached message. There was another small object tied on the other end of the ribbon also.

Cass
I love you
Please do me the honour of becoming my wife
Jeff

Jeff looked down into his hand at the diamond claddagh he’d had made for her.

Cassie slammed the door of her room, leaning against it for support as she cried. “That Asshole!” she hissed, wishing that just saying it out loud would make her feel better. It didn’t. Damn Jeff. Damn him for not taking another elevator. Damn him for bringing up Michael. Damn him for still caring…

Jeff stopped in the doorway when he saw her. Cassandra stood in the center of the small room, talking with the director.

Sean paused beside him. “You’ll be fine,” he reassured him. “C’mon.” They entered and everyone took their seats at the table.

“I trust you’ve already met Miss Morrison?” Glenn asked. The men all nodded. “Good,” he smiled. “Let’s get started then.”

Cassandra sat across from Jeff, intently concentrating on what Glenn was saying. Jeff kept glancing at her over the top of the page in his hand. Her chestnut coloured hair hung loose, just past her shoulders and was highlighted honey-gold around her face. It had been strawberry blonde when she lived with him.

“Anyone have any questions?” Glenn asked, bringing Jeff’s thoughts back to the conversation at hand.

“Yeah,” Sean spoke up. “I wrote the song, so why does Jeff get the girl?” Jesse, Phil and Alan laughed as Jeff glared at Sean.

“You want her? You can have her,” he shot back. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Cassandra hadn’t paid him any notice.

Glenn turned his attention to the singer. “You have a problem, Mr. Scovill?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” He watched as Cassandra set down her script, folded her hands together and rested them on the table. Her blue-grey eyes focused directly on him as everyone waited for him to explain. He contemplated his answer before replying. “This just isn’t me. Why can’t we hire an actor to do this instead?”

“Because your voice coming from another man’s mouth won’t work,” Glenn explained. “I realize this is something new for you, but I was under the impression that is what the band wanted.”

“It is,” Sean quickly interjected before Jeff could open his mouth again.

“Perhaps he’s just nervous,” Cassandra said as she slanted a glance at Jeff.

Jeff raised his eyebrows. “Nervous? Why the fuck would I be nervous about making a video?” he asked, raising his voice.

Jeff had started the war of words in the elevator last night. She was more than able to play along. “Scared you can’t pull off the ‘leading man’ role,” she calmly remarked.

“I’m not scared of anything,” he retorted.

“Then prove it.”

“I will.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

“If there’s nothing further,” Max interrupted. The tension in the room had multiplied to a level no one had expected. “Shall we break for lunch and meet back here in a couple of hours?” He hoped that would give them both enough time to calm down.

“Works for me,” Cassandra smiled at Max. She gathered her things and rose from her seat. All the men but Jeff stood with her. “See you all this afternoon.” They all looked on as she left the room.

Phil released a heavy sigh while running a hand through his hair. “That went well,” he cracked under his breath.

Sean looked at him and shrugged. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.

“Well…” she said anxiously as she lowered herself into the chair across from him. “What do you think?”

Jeff looked up at her from the booklet in his lap. Cassandra had asked him to read the latest script she had received. He knew from the hopeful look in her eyes that she wasn’t going to like his answer. Picking it up, he thumbed through the pages, pretending to skim over a few as a stall tactic.

“Jeff,” she pushed the script down so he could see her face. “Isn’t it great? This is the role that’s going to get me noticed. I can feel it.”

Her enthusiasm should have been contagious, yet Jeff couldn’t stop thinking about one scene in particular that bothered him. Cassandra was leaning forward in her seat, her hands on his knees, waiting for him to say something.

Jeff cleared his throat. “It’s alright,” he said quickly, then got up and walked out of the room.

“Uh…” Cassandra looked after him, following close behind. “What’s that supposed to mean? Damn it Jeff, would you stop and answer me?”

He reached the foot of the staircase before he turned back to her. “Cass, look, I…” There wasn’t any other way to say it than to be straightforward with her. “I don’t like the sex scene.”

Disbelief filled her expression. “What?” She continued up the stairs behind him. “The sex scene? Out of the whole screenplay, you hate it for the one scene? Jeff, that doesn’t make any sense.”

He entered the bedroom. Rifling through his things in an effort to occupy himself. “It’s rather graphic, the way it’s written.”

“It’s not gratuitous,” she countered.

He turned to her. “She strips for the guy.”

“She’s seducing her fiancé.”

“You’ll be naked.”

“You’ve never complained about onscreen nudity before.”

“It was never my woman nude onscreen before.”

“I see, ” she said softly. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Cassandra stared at him, shaking her head. “It’s the pivotal part of the story, Jeff. If I take the role, I have to do it.”

“Then don’t take it.”

She couldn’t believe he was asking her to turn this down. “Half the big names in Hollywood are vying for this role. I’m the one they offered it to.” She watched him briefly regard his hands, then rake his fingers through his hair. His eyes still reflected his plea as they met hers. “Jeffery,” she only managed to find a whisper of her voice when she spoke. “ I want this.”

Cassandra slammed the car door. “Why do I let him get to me like that?” she asked herself as she started the engine. Putting the cobalt blue Mustang Cobra convertible into gear, she tore out of the parking garage, heading for nowhere in particular.

She flipped on the radio. Strains of a Matchbox Twenty song drifted from the speakers. Cassandra hummed along to the song, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel in time with the beat. ‘This will all fall down like everything else that was, this too shall pass and all of the words we said, we can’t take back…’

She grabbed her ringing cell phone. “Hello.”

“Cassie babe,” the friendly voice greeted her. “How’s it going, face to face with the ex?”

“Hey Dare,” she sighed. “You don’t even want to know.”

“That well, huh?” he said sarcastically.

“We had a few words last night when I got back to the hotel,” she informed him. “I guess you could say I perpetuated it this morning,” she said sheepishly.

“Wanna talk about it?”

She glanced at her watch. “I’m on my way into town. Why don’t you meet me for lunch?”

“I’ve got a better idea. I have a free hour, why don’t you come down to the spa for a massage.”

Cassandra smiled to herself at his offer. “You’re on.”

“What happened back there?”

“Why are you asking me?” Jeff answered. “You were there too.”

“Yes, I know,” Sean replied. “What I meant was, how did we go from having a production meeting to the two of you challenging each other?”

Jeff flagged down the waitress and the men placed their orders. “Sean, I don’t see why this is so important to you.”

Sean looked incredulously at Jeff, shaking his head. “Wild guess here, but the fact that you’ve been pining for her since the day she left might have something to do with it.”

Jeff’s brows knitted together. “I have not.”

“Ask the rest of the band or Max. Jesus Jeff, we’ve all noticed it.”

“If you must know, Cass and I ran into each other last night.” Sean groaned, having a pretty good idea of what transpired. “I said something I shouldn’t have, and I take it she’s still pissed. So, I’d appreciate it if you’d drop it.”

Sean made a waving gesture with his hand. “Okay. Okay. Consider it dropped. I only hope we still have a leading lady after lunch.”

Jeff and Cassandra were able to avoid each other for the rest of the afternoon. The band filmed their performance sequences on a makeshift stage in the hotel ballroom while Cassie did her bits upstairs in a suite with a second crew. When Glenn cut them loose for the evening, only their scenes together were left to shoot.

After dinner, Cassandra joined Phil and Sean in the lounge for a drink and a session of ‘catch-up’. Their talk eventually came around to Jeff.

“I was worried,” Sean admitted. “After Jeff told me what happened last night, I didn’t think you’d return.”

“Sean, you know I wouldn’t do that,” she smiled. “Even with Jeff being a jerk.”

He grinned, trying not to laugh. “You know what he’s like, Cassie.”

“Yes, I do,” she replied as she swallowed the last of her drink. “It’s all right Sean. I wasn’t expecting this to be a walk in the park.” Placing her hand on top of Sean’s, she gave it a squeeze. “I know there’s tension between Jeff and I, but we are both adults.”

“We know that Cassie,” Phil replied.

“Then what is the problem?” she asked, sounding a little more irritated than intended.

“Jeff still cares about you. As much as he denies it.”

“Sean…”

“Trust us Cass,” Phil reassured her. “When he found out you would be here, he refused to have anything to do with the shoot. Hell, we practically had to drag him onto the bloody plane.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I wish we were,” Sean interjected. “He took your break up pretty hard Cassie. He’s never really gotten over it.”

“Sean, that was three years ago.”

“He proposed to you.” Cassandra stared at him a moment. She had never told Sean about what happened that last morning with Jeff. Since he had never mentioned it before now, she figured that Jeff hadn’t either. “I was with him when he picked up the ring on the way to the airport,” he explained. “After his marriage broke up, he swore he’d never go through it again.” He placed his hand on top of hers. “Jeff wanted to marry you Cassie. Your walking out broke his heart.”

Closing her eyes, she took a breath to calm herself. She knew he could feel her fingers shaking under his. “Why are you just now telling me this?” she asked. “If I had known before, I would’ve turned down the offer.”

“Which is exactly why I didn’t.”

She looked at him, shaking her head.

“Cassie, you two need to… no, have to talk. Neither of you will be able to get past this until you discuss it face to face.”

Cassandra glared at him. “We have gotten past it…”

“No, you haven’t.”

“Yes, I have.”

“That’s why you’ve had twelve boyfriends and two failed engagements since then?”

Phil interrupted just as Cassandra was about to reply to Sean’s remark. “I think we need to change the subject here, before one of you says something you shouldn’t.”

Sean nodded, raking his fingers through his hair. “Look Cassie, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but this was the only way I could get the two of you in the same place.”

Realizing what this meant, she looked from Sean to Phil. “Did you know about this also?”

“No, I didn’t,” he shook his head.

Her gaze returned to the bassist. There was a genuine concern in his blue eyes. “All right,” she sighed heavily. “I’ll talk to him. After we wrap.”

Sean’s expression cracked into a grin. “Thanks.” He leaned over, kissing her cheek. “I owe you one.”

Cassandra smiled back. “Yes, you do.”

In the darkened room, Jeff finished his glass of scotch and poured another as he stared at the TV screen. He had lost track of how many times he’d sat alone watching the film Cassandra had left him to make. She was right. It was the role that got her noticed in Tinsel Town, and a ‘Best Supporting Actress’ nod to boot.

To see her go through the motions was difficult for Jeff. Watching her with another man still hurt. It reminded him too much of how she touched and looked at him when they made love. He knew this wasn’t real, but Cass was a very good actress.

Clicking off the set, Jeff grabbed his room key and headed out.

“I thought you would appreciate the importance of this role.”

Jeff’s brows knitted together in a questioning expression. “Cass, what are you talking about?”

Letting out an exasperated sigh, she dropped her hands to her sides, her palms lightly slapping her thighs. “You read the script,” she calmly stated. “The man has been in a devastating accident and is bound to a wheelchair. He thinks his life is over and that the woman is only still with him out of pity. My character seduces him to prove he’s wrong; to prove that she still loves him no matter what, that his injuries haven’t made him less of a man.” Cassandra hooked a loose tendril behind her ear as she lifted her gaze to meet Jeff’s. “I thought you would understand that, given that your own brother has gone through a similar experience after his car accident last year.”

“I understand that,” he snapped. Realizing he was yelling, Jeff rose from his seat and moved to where she stood. He cupped her neck in his hands, gently stroking her jaw with his thumbs. “I’m sorry Cass,” he said softly. “I know how much it means for you to do this.” He smiled when she accepted his apology by wrapping her arms around her waist. “I’m just not ready to share you yet. You haven’t lived here that long, and you’ll be half-way ‘round the world if you take it.”

Cassandra leaned forward, tightening her arms around Jeff. “I won’t be gone forever,” she teased. “A month, two months tops.”

Jeff wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her firmly against him. Somehow, he would find a way to change her mind.

Cassandra and Jeff sat in the make-up room waiting for the stylist to get them ready for the shoot.

“You look like Hell,” she muttered to Jeff as he leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

“I feel like Hell,” he replied.

“Drink too much?”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh,” she nodded.

“How are you both today?” Tracey greeted them as she entered the room.

“Great,” they both answered through forced smiles. This woman was entirely too cheerful this morning.

“Wonderful!” She turned and watched as her assistants join them. “Shall we get started?”

“Please,” Jeff responded. The sooner this ‘reunion’ was over, the happier he’d be.

Scene one: Running into one another

It was supposed to be a simple concept. Walking opposite directions down the street, the old flames bump into each other. They ran through it several times, recognising each other and saying hello. Glenn wasn’t happy with any of the takes. Next, they tried the take where they recognised one another, shocked, then resumed their direction. Jeff and Cassandra were both happier with this, but Glenn felt Jeff looked more angry than surprised. Finally, Cassie asked the director if he’d mind trying an idea she had.

“Sure luv,” he told her. “I’m game, but I don’t see what you can do differently that we haven’t already tried.”

“Trust me,” she smiled.

Cassandra grabbed Tracey and explained what she needed her to do. Everyone took their places and Glenn called “Action”. The women began walking, chattering away, seemingly oblivious of the extras passing around them. As she hit the mark, she ran smack into Jeff’s chest like she was supposed to. She quickly glanced up at him with an “Oh, I’m sorry,” then her and Tracey continued on. Jeff just stared after them with a questioning look on his face.

“Cut! That was perfect.” Cassandra winked at Glenn, having known it would work. Glenn looked at his watch. It was approaching early afternoon. “Let’s get the next shot, then we’ll break for lunch.”

“How’d you know that would work?”

Cassandra looked at Phil, slapping at his hand as he snuck a piece of fruit from her plate. “What would work?”

“Running into Jeff and just keep going,” he clarified. “How did you know Glenn would go for that?”

She shrugged. “Just instinct, I guess. Ad-libbing usually works when everything else doesn’t. Besides,” she sipped her bottled water, “it’s realistic. Most people will plough you down on the street and never acknowledge it.”

Phil nodded. “True.”

Their meal continued with light chit-chat until one of the assistants came and told them that Glenn would be ready to resume shortly.

“Think you’ll be okay the rest of the night?” he asked in a quiet, yet serious tone.

“I’ll be fine, Phil.”

“You have some pretty serious scenes to get through yet. I’d hate for the two of you to have another row before we finish.”

She appreciated his concern. “Honestly, Phil. We can be civil to each other.”

“Sean setting you up didn’t help, though.”

“No, it didn’t,” she shook her head in agreement. “Remind me to kick his ass for that when we’re finished,” she joked.

Phil chuckled, clearing away their empty dishes. “You’ve got a deal.”

The video was falling together quite easily. Glenn filmed each scene as scripted, then finished by letting Jeff and Cassandra improvise a run through. Much to his delight, those were the ones he was happiest with.

He still wanted to get some shots of them together, talking. He decided to leave them to their own devices and see what came of it.

Scene Five: Dinner

Cassandra arrived on the set just as the crew was finishing up. Her gaze scanned over the table at the meal that had been provided for them.

“What’s all this?” came Jeff’s voice from behind her.

She shrugged. “Dunno. Looks like food to me.”

“I can see that,” he sneered.

Noticing the set had suddenly quieted and cleared, they turned and looked around them. Only a few camera operators and lighting techs remained in the dining room. A few moments later, Glenn entered and approached the singer and actress.

“I thought this was supposed to be a quick sit, blah-blah-blah, and that’s it,” Jeff said before Glenn could open his mouth.

The director smiled. “I’ve been observing both of you all day. What I have noticed is that you have much better chemistry on your own than when I try to put you together. With that in mind, I chose to let you do this one on your own.”

“On our own?” Cassandra replied.

“Yes.” Glenn began walking, moving them toward the table as he explained. “I want you both to sit, eat, talk, and just be yourselves. The cameras will run and I’m confident we’ll get what we need.” He pulled a chair for Cassandra and helped her as she sat. Jeff obliged him and took a seat also. With a few extra words of encouragement, he left them to get started.

Both felt awkward as they ate in silence for several minutes. At their current rate, Glenn would never get the footage he needed.

“The least he could’ve done was to leave us a radio,” Cassandra voiced. “It’s too quiet in here.”

Jeff nodded in agreement. “I hate silence.”

“I know.”

They both froze as their eyes met. They had avoided being alone, looking directly at, or talking to each other. When they had spoke, it was in short, impersonal exchanges. Now they had no other choice but to talk or suffer in silence.

“Listen Cass, about the other night in the lift…”

“Jeff,” she stopped him. “You don’t have to apologise.”

“I want to,” he replied. “I knew I was picking a fight. I should’ve kept my mouth shut and I didn’t. Had I known, I wouldn’t have said what I did.”

Cassandra could see the sincerity in Jeff’s eyes. “There’s no way you could have known,” she told him. “Few people knew about it in the first place. Michael and I parted very quietly.”

“I can imagine what a shock it was for you.”

“I was devastated at first.”

“I know how that feels.”

She paused, understanding what Jeff meant with his simple phrase. She placed her napkin on the table beside her plate. “Wanna go somewhere to talk?”

Jeff rose from his seat, then stopped and motioned to the cameras. “What about those?”

Cassandra grabbed Jeff’s arm and pulled him toward the door. “He’ll have to make due with what he’s got.”

Cassandra led him through the garage. Stopping at her car, she unlocked the doors, slid into the driver’s seat and waited for him to get in. She finally opened the passenger’s door and called out to Jeff. “Are you coming with me or not?”

Jeff stared at her and then the car. “This is your car?” he asked, sounding surprised. Cassandra nodded, starting the ignition. He sauntered over to the vehicle and got in. “So, where are we headed to?”

“You’ll see,” she replied, pulling out of the parking spot and heading for the street.

The sun was setting as they wound their way through the city. Cassandra switched on the stereo so their trip would not be in silence. The car turned onto the freeway, headed south. Jeff looked out the window at the passing scenery as the song began to play. ‘I think I already lost you; I think you’re already gone….I think you’re already leaving; Feels like your hand is on the door….I think I’m just scared ~ I think too much; I know this is wrong it’s a problem I’m dealing; If you’re gone ~ maybe it’s time to go home; There’s an awful lot of breathing room; but I can hardly move; If you’re gone~ baby you need to come home; cuz there’s a little bit of something me in everything in you…’

He had heard this song on the radio several times before. Funny how now, the lyrics seemed to have a more personal meaning than before. ‘I bet you’re hard to get over; I bet the room just won’t shine; I bet my hands I can stay here; I bet you need ~ more than you mind.…I think we should try; I think I could need ~ this in my life; I think I’m just scared ~ that I know too much…’

Reaching over, Jeff ejected the CD from the player. Cassandra glanced over at him, wondering what was wrong. “There’s a case under the seat. There might be something you like better in there.”

Jeff looked over at her, their eyes meeting briefly before she turned her attention back to the road. Jeff fished out the case and flipped through the discs inside it. He chose a copy of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars and slipped it into the player. The rest of the drive passed with Jeff singing along.

Arriving at her Laguna Beach home, Cassandra showed Jeff into the entertainment room. With the press of a remote, she revealed the television and stereo from behind the set of doors along one wall. “There’s water and juice in the fridge under the bar. Make yourself at home while I run upstairs and change.”

Jeff found a rerun of Blackadder on the telly and fetched himself a drink. He passed the time by inspecting the nick-knacks that were scattered about the room. He smiled to himself as he glanced over her collection of silver and crystal candleholders. She was always pulling him in to some out-of-the way antique shop to hunt for them. He spotted the pair of pewter kissing frogs they saw just outside of Milan that Cass had to have. Jeff chuckled at this memory and wandered over to the other side of the room.

The wall was covered in a collage of photographs ~~ pictures of Cassandra with her friends and family, autographed shots of her and her co-stars from various film sets. Then, Jeff came across a collection of snapshots he hadn’t expected to see. A rather large section of the mosaic was made up of photos of her and him, alone and with various members of the band and crew. He recognized several that Russell had taken the last time she toured with them, just before he asked her to move in.

Jeff was pacing the concourse behind the stage when he spotted Sean. “Have you seen Cass? She should be here by now.”

Sean shook his head and chuckled at him. “Will you relax? Cassie will be here.” At that moment, he happened to catch movement off to his left. He turned back to Jeff, pointing to the gate. “There she is now.”

Jeff looked over his shoulder and saw her approaching them. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. “It’s about time. What took you so long?”

Cassandra laughed, giving him a kiss on his cheek. “I told you, I was visiting my grandparents. Can I help it if my grandmother can talk an ear off and has no sense of time?”

“See, Jeff? I told you she wasn’t going to get lost in her hometown. Now come on, we’ve gotta get onstage for sound check.”

“It was a pleasure. Until next time… See ya!” Jeff announced to the crowd after the final encore and left the stage. Cassandra met him in the wings with a towel. He took it, tossing it across his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet.

“Great show,” she attempted to say just before he kissed her.

“I love you,” he told her as their lips parted.

Cassie smiled, then ran her fingers through his damp hair “I love you too, Jeff.”

He beamed at hearing those words from her. Setting her back on her feet, he cradled her face in his hands. Jeff’s gaze penetrated hers as his thumb moved lightly over her lips. “Stay with me, Cass,” he said softly. “Once the tour is over, come live with me in Dublin.”

“Yes.”

Jeff lifted her off the ground again and spun her around. They were both caught off-guard by several flashes of light. They looked over at Russell, clicking away. Jeff laughed at him. “Just make sure to send me the prints, mate.” He turned his attention back to Cassandra, kissing her deeply.

“Happier days,” Cassandra commented as she entered the room to find Jeff entranced by the photos on the wall.

Startled, he turned around. “Um… Just strolling memory lane.”

Cassie walked over to stand beside him. “My life,” she muttered aloud as she glanced over the wall. Jeff’s brows knitted together at her remark. She returned a weak smile. “Don’t get me wrong… I’m not complaining. This is exactly what I wanted to do with my life.” She moved over to sit at the bar. “You know what it’s like… one day you’re plodding away to get somewhere and the next, everyone wants a piece of you.”

“It can wear you out,” he affirmed.

Cassandra looked past him to the pictures. “I miss those days at times.”

Jeff silently wondered if she meant being unknown or being with him. Sitting on the stool beside her, he set down his bottle of water. “Cass, why did you bring me here?”

Cassandra looked at Jeff. Every line and wrinkle on his face was just as she remembered it. His golden blonde hair was slightly shorter than shoulder length. His vibrant green eyes still held her captivated in their depths. She stared deeper into his eyes, reading in them what Sean had been trying to tell her.

“We needed a place to talk where the walls didn’t have ears,” she answered him.

Jeff nodded with a grin. Sean must have spoken to her too. “So, let’s talk.”

Cassandra exhaled heavily. She knew it was time for them to work things out, but she still was uncertain how to start. “Look, Jeff,” she began, deciding it was best to just spit it out. “I know things didn’t go how you’d planned when we were in Vancouver. I hurt you, leaving the way I did, and I’m sorry about that.”

“You walked out of the hotel room and never came back.”

“Yes.” She turned to face the bar and rested her arms on the counter. “I didn’t see it coming and I was in shock. I should have told you why I said no, but I was scared.”

“Scared of what?” he asked.

“You… Me… Of changing my mind.” She rubbed her hands over her face, pushing her hair behind her ears. “Jeff, do you remember what Sean said when he told you I wanted you to visit me there?”

“He said you asked him to have me fly out so we could talk,” he replied.

“Talk…” Cassandra nodded thoughtfully. “He made me promise him I’d talk to you before moving out permanently. I had every intention of telling you how I felt and then asking if you would have my things sent to me.” She paused to gauge his reaction to this news. “You see, I had a plan too. We’d have dinner, we’d talk, say our goodbyes, and you would be on the morning plane back to Dublin.”

“Instead, we ended up together in my room,” he said softly, finishing her explanation. “Cass, why didn’t you say something?”

After several aborted attempts at replying, she shook her head. “It was such a pleasant evening. I kept waiting to find the right moment to bring it up. Then you kissed me.” She stood and moved away from him, leaning against the back of a chair to support herself. “After that night, I guess I thought...Hell, I don’t know what I thought. You stayed with me and I was content to let you.” Glancing over her shoulder at him, he could see the sheen of tears in her eyes. “We disagreed about so many things, Jeff. Living as boyfriend and girlfriend, that was fine, but as husband and wife…”

“Husbands and wives do the same thing, Cass,” he stated, cutting her off. “We could have worked it out.”

“No Jeff, we couldn’t,” her voice rose as she turned around to face him. “That’s the thing. We argued, neither of us gave in, then you assumed you’d won. I was willing to let it go as long as we were disagreeing on wallpaper patterns or where to go for dinner, not my career.” Cassie wiped at her eyes. “Being Mrs. Scovill would have made it that much harder.”

Jeff sat silently for several minutes, letting every word sink in. “Would you have stayed if I hadn’t proposed?” he quietly asked. Cassandra shrugged and shook her head. “I see.”

“I know it doesn’t make up for the last three years, but you deserved to know.”

“Thank you.” He rose, slowly approaching her. “Still, there’s one thing you left out of your explanation.”

She recognized the determined look in his eyes. Cassandra shifted uneasily, trapped against the chair as he drew near. She swallowed, hoping her acting skills would keep him from seeing how nervous she suddenly felt. “And what is that?”

Jeff stopped a few feet from her. “You said you were going to tell me how you felt that night. How did you feel about me Cass?”

“Please don’t Jeff,” she begged. “You know you can make me forget myself with that look.” Cassie bit her lip, trying to look away. She couldn’t. “I loved you, Jeff. In some ways, I still do,” she whispered.

His gaze never left hers. Jeff lifted his hand to her face, gently caressing her cheek. Cassandra shut her eyes at the contact, a single tear falling. “I’ve never stopped loving you.” He let his arm drop back to his side. “Cass, I know I come across as obstinate and overbearing at times…”

“Ya think?” she quipped.

Jeff couldn’t help but grin. He took her hand and led her over to the sofa. It was now his turn for explanations. “I spent four days waiting for you to return. I kept hoping you would change your mind.”

“Oh, Jeffery…”

He placed his finger against her lips. “I had a lot of time to think. I had to admit to myself I was wrong. Having visited you on set, I realized you knew what you were doing,” he told her. “I did see the finished movie, and you are brilliant in it. I never got the chance to tell you.”

“You could have called me,” she said softly.

Jeff shook his head. “It was too late by then. You were already dating that ball player.”

“Oh, God,” Cassandra rolled her eyes and groaned. “That was a publicity ruse.” Jeff just looked at her. “The movie was out, and I think he’d been named MVP or something like that. Our publicists are friends, and thought it would be good press for us to go out for a while.” Cassandra leaned back into the cushions. “We hated each other.”

“I wish I’d known,” Jeff said.

“Me too,” Cassie grinned back.

There was no mistaking the nervousness they were feeling as their eyes met. It had been too long since Jeff felt her body against his. Her familiar warmth and scent would be there, but would she react in the same ways she had before? Had the years of animosity he’d felt change how he would respond to her touch? He was dying to find out.

Jeff reached over, taking her hand in his. “Cassandra, I wa…”

Jeff’s cell phone rang, breaking the intensity of the moment. He dug it from the inner pocket of his jacket and barked, “Whatta you want?”

“Jesus Jeff,” Sean said defensively. “Bite my bloody head off.”

“Sorry Sean,” he sighed. “What’s up?” Jeff asked, looking at Cassandra.

“We went down to get you and Cassie and you were gone. Where’d you two go?” He paused before asking, “Did something happen?”

Jeff covered the mouthpiece with his palm. “He wants to know where we are,” he whispered to her. Cassandra shook her head, signalling she didn’t want Sean to know. Jeff removed his hand from the phone. “We both needed to get some air.”

“Is she with you?” Sean asked.

“She took off in that little blue Mustang of hers,” he replied, winking at Cass.

“Uh…Okay.” Jeff thought Sean sounded disappointed at this news. “I’ll see you in the morning then.”

“Later mate.” Jeff turned off the phone and shoved it back into his pocket. “Where were we?” he asked as he turned back to her.

Cassandra’s phone rang then. She chuckled at the low growl Jeff gave at being interrupted again. “The machine will get it.”

‘Leave a message and I’ll call you back.’ BEEP

“Cassie, it’s Sean. Are you home? Please pick up if you’re there.”

Jeff raised his eyebrows at Cassandra. “He has your home number?”

She flashed a sheepish look. “We’ve kept in touch.”

Sean continued. “I was concerned. You both left without a word to anyone. You two didn’t have another row, I hope. I called Jeff, but he swears nothing happened. Cassie, please ring me when you get this.”

Cassandra turned to Jeff as the message ended. “You were saying…”

Afraid of any further interruptions, Jeff pressed his lips to hers, lacing his fingers through her hair as his hands cupped her neck. Cassandra’s initial surprise faded at the familiarity of his mouth. Lingering a moment, Jeff pulled away from her. “I always loved kissing you.”

Cassandra lifted her hand, placing her fingers to her lips. They still tingled from the pressure of his mouth. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for something other than Jeff’s to focus on.

He was worried by her silence. “Are you all right Cass?” he asked softly. He stifled the urge to brush the stray lock of hair from her face.

“Um…” She finally gave in and looked at him. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Cassandra stood and paced over to the bar. “This isn’t what I had in mind,” she muttered. “This shouldn’t be happening.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked, truly confused.

She turned to face him. “I shouldn’t have brought you here…to my home. Whenever you and I are alone together, we either fight like cats and dogs or we…” she trailed off, afraid to say the words aloud.

Determined, Jeff went to her. He lifted her chin to meet her eyes. “Or we wind up making love,” he finished. Cassandra nodded. He closed the small gap between them, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I want you Cassandra. I want you so much it hurts.”

“Jeff…”

“Shh.” He kissed her again. “Don’t walk away from me tonight Cass. Please…” he begged, his mouth never leaving hers.

She had tried to push him away, but his size and proximity made it impossible. Still, the struggle continued in her brain. She was allowing him to kiss her; her body was responding to his arousal; but did she really want this? In the months since breaking off with Michael, Cassandra had given up on finding a man who would not be threatened by her career. Was turning to an old beau to fulfil her needs such a bad thing? Cassandra knew Jeff, and she knew what giving in to him would lead to. Her hands twisted the cloth across his chest as she broke contact with him. “Follow me,” she whispered, leading him through the house and up the stairs.

Cassandra emerged from the bathroom, running a comb through her towel-dried hair. Adjusting to the morning sunlight, Jeff’s eyes focused on her as she asked, “Do you want to shower before we head back to the hotel?”

“Hmm?” He wasn’t fully awake.

She checked the time on the alarm clock. It was a quarter to seven. “We need to get back before the others wake up,” she told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

Jeff sat up and looked at her. Cassandra wore a royal purple workout top and white jogging shorts, and her makeup was flawlessly applied. “I nearly forgot you’re a morning person.”

She smiled. “C’mon,” tossing his pants to him. “We’d best get going if we want to avoid playing ‘Twenty Questions’ with Sean thismorning.”

They stepped onto the elevator to take them up to their rooms. Cassandra pushed the buttons for their floors and the doors closed.

“Come up to my room with me.”

“I can’t.”

“Cass,” he took her hand in his, turning her to face him. “Please.”

Her eyes darted toward the lights, then back to him. “It wouldn’t be wise, given the circumstances.”

He searched her expression, trying to figure out what was wrong. Cassandra had been unusually quiet during their drive back. “Is it Sean you’re worried about?” She shook her head. “What is it, then, Cass?” he whispered.

The lift slowed to a stop. “This is my floor,” she muttered, thankful she wouldn’t have to answer Jeff’s question.

He smiled to her, caressing her cheek. “Thank you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“Last night,” he said softly. “Our talk was three years overdue. I feel better that we have everything out in the open now.”

Cassandra smiled. He pulled her closer, kissing her deeply. “I’ll see you on the set,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before letting her go.

Stepping out on the tenth floor, Jeff ran smack into Sean. “Where’ve you been?” he asked, seeing that Jeff was still in the clothes he’d worn the previous day.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he cracked, brushing past him. He headed for his room with Sean hot on his heels.

“I tried you on your cell again, but you’d turned it off.”

“I turned it off so you wouldn’t keep interrupting me,” Jeff explained as he unlocked the door.

Sean followed him into the room, oblivious to Jeff’s suddenly sour mood. “I hope she was worth it,” he remarked, detecting the scent of perfume and sex on his friend. “Least you could have done was take a bloody shower. What if Cassie had bumped into you?”

Jeff spun on his heels. “So what if she did?” he shouted. “What business is it of hers if went out and fucked every woman on Hollywood Boulevard? What business is it of yours, for that matter?”

“Christ, Jeff. I was just saying…”

“Bollocks,” he growled. “I’m sick of you butting into my affairs. I’m a grown man Sean. I can take care of myself.” He tossed his jacket on the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“All right,” Sean said, heading for the door. “What ever happened last night, it certainly didn’t brighten your mood any. God help us.” With that, Sean left Jeff alone to shower and get ready to finish the shoot.

Jeff closed his eyes and let the steaming water rain over him. Visions of Cassandra in the throws of passion flashed through his memory. He had felt as though they had never been apart. Their bodies mated effortlessly. Perfectly.

Still, he had noticed something different about how she made love to him. He’d overlooked it at the time. He was so happy to have her in his arms again that he didn’t want to cloud the moment with rational thought. After their exchange this morning and the way he’d snapped at Sean, he couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there. It was as if Cassandra had built a wall around herself. Whatever she was trying to protect herself from, she had let it down long enough to let Jeff in. He wasn’t about to let her shut him out again.

Cassandra snuggled closer into Jeff’s arms. He placed a kiss to her forehead, squeezing her shoulders. She lifted her head to look at him. “Have you been awake long?”

“Not too long,” he replied. He pulled her up to lie on his chest. Her bare skin was warm against his. When she walked out of the house in Dublin, Jeff had thought he’d never feel her like this again. These past few days in Vancouver meant the world to him.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked, propping herself up.

”You,” he smiled. Jeff lifted his head to kiss her. “I love you Cass. I hated waking up alone…”

“Jeff, really…”

“I’m serious,” he assured her. “Call me a fool if you like, but I miss you when you aren’t with me.”

A playful grin crossed Cassandra’s face. “Fool,” she quipped, then quickly kissed him as he started to laugh.

Jeff shifted his weight, rolling them both over so he lay above her. He teased her as his growing erection rubbed against her thigh. “So you think I’m a fool, do you?”

Cassie shook her head no, trying to keep a straight face. “You said it first.”

His smile was as mischievous as hers. Jeff slowly lowered himself. She giggled at the funny face he made at her as he did. “Like that?” he asked. She nodded, still trying to suppress her laughter. “Good,” he moved further down, stopping at the threshold of her womanhood. “I’ve got something else you’ll like even better,” he said with a wink.

Cassandra wrapped her arms around his back, pulling him down the rest of the way. “You’d better give it to me then.”

“As you wish, m’lady.”

Cassandra answered the door to find Phil standing in the hallway. “Care to join me for breakfast?” he invited.

“Sure. Just let me grab my keys.” She retrieved her things from the table and locked the door behind her.

They rode several floors down in the lift before Phil turned to her. “You slept with him?” he casually asked.

Cassie turned to stare at him. “Yes,” she quietly answered. “How did you know?”

“I guessed.” She smiled at his admission. “Sean came into the lounge all pissed off that Jeff had spent the night with someone and wouldn’t tell him who. It wasn’t too hard to figure it out from there.” Phil could see the relief wash over her.

“I don’t know what to do Phil.” She rubbed her temples briefly. “For his part, it was as if we picked up where we’d left off. I knew he would see it that way, but I didn’t say no to him.” Cassandra looked directly into Phil’s eyes. “I just can’t pretend it’s all water under the bridge between us.”

Phil rubbed her shoulder. “It’ll be okay Cassie. Things will work out, you’ll see.”

The elevator doors opened and they exited, heading to the restaurant to eat.

Scene Nine: In bed

Propped on his elbow, Jeff watched Cassandra as she feigned sleep. He reached over to gently brush her cheek. She opened her eyes at his touch. With a soft smile, she lifted her hand to his face and pulled him down into a kiss.

“Cut! Print that,” Glenn called out. The set crew broke out in applause. It was now up to the editing team to put together three days of film into a five-minute video epic.

Jeff continued to press his mouth to hers. Cassie was caught off-guard by this, and although she returned the kiss, she pushed against his shoulders. He pulled back, catching his breath. “I love you,” his warm smile reflected in his eyes.

“Jeff…” she whispered.

A crewmember appeared beside the bed, handing them each a robe. “Thought you two might like these now,” is all he said before he turned and walked off.

They sat up and Jeff helped Cassie on with hers before donning his own. They stood and made their way over to the changing area of the room. Jeff stopped her before she entered, grabbing hold of her hand. “Have dinner with me tonight Cass.” She hesitated to answer. “Anywhere you want to go, you choose,” he added.

She nodded. “Okay.” Cassandra pulled her hand from his and went to change.

“Cassie, wait.” Sean called to her as she entered the elevator. After he was safely on and the doors closed, Cassandra pushed the button for the eighth floor.

“What did you need?” she asked.

“I wanted to invite you to dinner with us tonight. Kind of a private wrap party, just you and the band.”

“Gee Sean, I’d love to,” she smiled. “But, I already have plans for dinner.”

He stared at her a moment, puzzled. “I thought you weren’t seeing anyone currently.”

“I’m not.”

“Then who are you going out with?”

Cassandra rolled her eyes at him and sighed. “For a group that are as close as brothers, you guys sure don’t communicate with each other very well.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The elevator doors opened and Cassandra started to exit the car. “Ask.”

Sean rode to the tenth floor in silence, wondering what she meant.

“What’s on for this evening?”

Phil looked up from his book to Sean. “When Alan gets back with the girls, the four of us are going to try out a new restaurant downtown. Want to join us?”

“What kind of place is it?”

“Vegetarian, specializing in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.” Sean grimaced at Phil’s response. Phil laughed. “Robert and Vivienne ate there the other night, and they both recommended it. You should give it a try.”

Sean shook his head. “I’ll pass tonight. Besides, I hate being the fifth wheel.” He inspected the magazines on the table then looked around the room. “Where is ol’ Jesse hiding at?”

“He had a gig tonight,” Phil replied. Sean nodded, remembering that Jess had a short series of shows to play with his side-band before he resumed touring with his ‘day job’.

“Oh well… I guess Jeff and I can find something to do on our own tonight.”

“He already has plans mate, sorry.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Sean plopped down on the sofa next to Phil. “Cassie has plans for this evening too. So much for getting them both together to talk.”

Phil turned to look at Sean as he leaned forward. “Don’t take this the wrong way mate, but you’re not very observant, are you?” Phil laughed.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Frustrated, Sean stood and went over to the mini bar to pour himself a drink.

“Think about it.” Sean gave him a blank look. Phil couldn’t believe he was being this dense. “Jeff has plans.” Sean nodded. “Cassandra has plans.” He nodded again. “Well…?”

Sean unintentionally slammed the bottle down on the counter. “Phil, since you seem to know what the ‘big secret’ is, spare me the guessing games and just spit it out.”

“Christ!! You are fucking useless as a matchmaker!” Phil exclaimed out loud. He rose, moving toward Sean. “Cassie and Jeff are going out tonight.”

“I know that,” Sean hissed back.

“With eachother!”

Sean paused, his glass raised almost to his lips. “Why didn’t they just tell me that?”

Phil released an exasperated sigh. “Because they know how you’d react,” he calmly replied. He sat across the bar from him on the stool. “They both know you care about their happiness, and how much you want them to work things out between them.”

“Yeah,” he muttered.

“But you’re wanting too hard for them to get back together. You can’t expect them to kiss and make up in four days after three years apart.” Phil stated.

“But they still love eachother,” Sean argued.

“I’m aware of that, mate.” He trailed his finger along the edge of one of the cut-crystal glasses on the bar. “We all know Jeff sits alone in his hotel room and watches the videos of Cassie’s movies. He’d deny it if we called him on it. Hell, I’ve heard him call out her name in his sleep on the airplane, for chrissakes,” Phil commented. “We would all love for them to get back together…” He shot Sean a look to cut him off when he tried to interrupt. “But we can’t do it for them. Jeff and Cassie need to work things out between themselves, without anyone else interfering.”

Sean swallowed his drink, setting the glass down. “You’re right… I know,” he conceded. “I’m just afraid that if they’re left alone, they’ll…”

Phil shook his head. “I don’t think that’ll happen.”

“Why’s that?”

Phil grinned at his bass-playing friend. “Who do you think Jeff spent last night with?”

Jeff held the door for Cassandra as they left the nightclub. “You’re sure you don’t want to stay?”

“I’m sure,” she replied as they made their way through the parking lot to her car.

Jeff sat in the passenger’s seat, watching Cassandra as she concentrated on the road ahead of them. Again, Rob Thomas’ voice filtered through the background. ‘I feel stupid – but I think I been catchin’ on; I feel ugly – but I know I still turn you on; you seem colder now, torn apart, angry, turned around; will that whole mad season knock you down… so are you gonna stand there; are you gonna help me out; you need to be together now – I need you now…”

Jeff glanced over his shoulder at the sunset off to his right. They were headed south. He briefly wondered if they were going back to Cassandra’s house. They had gone to the club to see Jesse play with his other band. When he heard they were going out, he told Jeff that he’d reserve a table for them. Little did any of them know that when they arrived, there would be a virtual mob scene caused by their presence. Cass had seemed so shaken up that Jeff suggested they could leave if she wanted.

The tempo slowed as the next song began to play. ‘Just three miles from the rest stop; And she slams on the breaks; She said I tried to be but I’m not; And could you please collect your things; I don’t wanna be cold; I don’t wanna be cruel; But I gotta find more; Than what’s happening with you; If you’d – open up the door….” Jeff listened closely to the melancholy lyrics. ‘She said – while you were sleeping; I was listening to the radio; And wondering what you’re dreaming when; It came to mind that I didn’t care; So I thought – hell if it’s over; I had better end it quick; Or I could lose my nerve; Are you listening – can you hear me…”

A feeling of foreboding came over him, as though the song was trying to tell him something. She had been so distant today, like she was just going through the motions. “Stop the car.”

She glanced over at him. Cassandra didn’t know what his problem was, but she recognized the determined look on Jeff’s face. Whatever was wrong, she knew it had to be serious. She slowed their speed, signalling to pull over into a small lot off the main road.

He opened the door and stepped out. Through the window, Cassie watched as he walked away from the Mustang and lit a cigarette. She waited until he finished it, dropping the butt to the ground and grinding it out with the toe of his boot. Sighing, she too left the car.

“Have a nic fit?” she asked as she walked up behind him. Jeff turned with a lost, hurt look in his eyes that she hadn’t expected. “Is something wrong?” she asked softly.

Jeff opened his mouth to answer, but the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out. God, how he wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her. He stared up into the night sky, wondering what he should say. He didn’t want to admit it to himself. He definitely didn’t want to hear her tell him he was right, but he had to know. “Last night…” He noticed how uncomfortable she suddenly looked. “It was just a fuck for you, wasn’t it?”

Cassandra’s gaze fell from his face to her feet. Jeff couldn’t see the tears beginning to run down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she choked out.

“You’re sorry? I’m the sorry one here!” he growled. “I was fool enough to think we could reconcile with a tumble between the sheets.”

“You’re not a fool Jeffery.”

“Aren’t I?” He raked his fingers through his hair in a frustrated motion. “Bloody hell, Cass!” He paced a few more feet away, his back to her. “You let me believe we had a chance…that we could work out our differences and be together again. I thought you wanted me.”

“Jeff…” Cassandra moved forward, shortening the distance between them. “Please look at me.” He spun back to face her. Looking into his eyes, she wished she hadn’t asked him to turn around. “I did want you. I just didn’t know how it would make me feel to be with you again.”

“And how was that?”

“Excited. Confused. I knew I was taking a chance…that you would read more into it than I intended.” Jeff could see she was telling him the truth. “Being near you again brought back so many memories.” She paused a moment, brushing the hair away from her face. “I guess you could say, I wanted to know if you were as good as I remembered.”

Jeff stepped forward, reaching out to touch her cheek. A soft smile crossed his lips. “You should have told me,” he said quietly.

Cassie cupped her hand over his, holding it in place. “Yes, I should have, and I apologise for that.”

“And I apologise for over-reacting.”

Cassandra smiled at Jeff. “There’s no need for you to apologise.” She lowered their hands, giving his a squeeze. “We just need to remember how we got in this mess in the first place.”

Phil poked his head into the room, about to knock when he heard a familiar tune. He quietly stepped in, letting the door softly close behind him.

Images of Cassandra flashed on the TV screen in front of where Jeff sat on the foot of the bed. Phil moved further into the room as the chorus played. Jeff turned to see Phil standing off to his left. He flashed a sheepish grin as he picked up the remote and clicked the video off.

“It’s been over a year mate.”

“I know,” Jeff replied. “I just…”

Phil shook his head. “No need to explain. We know.” He gave Jeff a brotherly pat on the shoulder.

Several moments of silence passed between the two men. Jeff then cleared his throat while running a hand through his hair. “You wanted something when you came in?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Oh,” Phil nodded, remembering. “I just wanted to tell you the car is here.”

The Mercedes limo pulled up on front of the theatre. Cameras flashed as the vehicle’s occupants disembarked. Each man filed out, escorting his lady down the red carpet. The crowd greeted them favourably, as their newest album had been in the top of the charts for the past year.

Jeff was the last man out of the limo. He nodded to the crowd as he extended his hand to the person they had come to see.

Cassandra emerged, smiling in response to the yells and applause that met her. Jeff protectively placed his arm around her waist and they made their way through the throng into the building.

“Cassandra!” the reporter called out to get her attention. “A minute please?”

Cassie recognized the woman from ‘On Hollywood’, the most popular syndicated entertainment show on TV. “Of course, Alyssan,” she replied. They spent a few minutes chatting about the premiere and how Cassie had gotten in shape for the role of a female bounty hunter.

“And I have to ask you about this handsome man beside you tonight,” Alyssan said as they were about to wrap things up. Cassandra glanced up a Jeff, wondering what she was going to be asked. “Rumors have been circulating that the two of you have been a couple for some time now and are secretly engaged.” Her eyes lit up in hopes of getting a big scoop. “Are the rumors true? Any wedding plans on the horizon?”

Cassandra smiled politely for the camera. “Afraid to disappoint you, but no, they aren’t,” she shook her head. “Jeff and I have known each other over five years now. We’re just close friends.”

Alyssan’s expression dimmed somewhat, then she turned the mic on Jeff. “Anything you’d like to add?”

“Only that I’m thrilled to be here with Cass tonight, and I’m looking forward to seeing the movie.” His grip on Cassandra’s waist tightened and they walked off, leaving a disappointed Alyssan looking after them.

Cassandra snuggled into bed next to Jeff. “Mmm,” she purred as she draped her arm across his chest. “I’m glad you came with me tonight.”

He squeezed her tightly, kissing her forehead. “I’m glad you asked me.”

She yawned into his shoulder. “Sorry,” she said, fighting back another. “It’s been a long day… I’m exhausted.”

He nodded, knowing that she had worn herself out at the premier, giving interviews and granting photo requests. It had been one of the more successful nights in her career -- and she had asked him to share it with her. Jeff was extremely grateful for that.

“There’s no one else I would have wanted with me.” Cassie closed her eyes as she lay in his arms. “I couldn’t believe Alyssan asked us that,” she mumbled drowsily.

Jeff had thought she’d fallen asleep. He raised his head slightly to look at her. “Couldn’t believe she asked what?” He knew full well what Cassandra was referring to.

“Asking if we were engaged.” She yawned. “What a silly question.”

“What’s so silly about it?” he asked, a bit defensively.

Cassandra opened her eyes, pushing herself up to look him at his face. “Jeff?”

“You know I look forward to the time we get to spend together.” He brushed her hair from her eyes. Her soft skin was warm to his touch. “But I hate feeling as though we’re sneaking around.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” he pulled her into his arms as he sat up against the pillows. “That it’s time for us to stop hiding.” He kissed her tenderly. “I love you Cass. I want to yell it from the rooftops so the whole world will know.”

“Jeff, we’ve gone through this once and it didn’t work out.” She stared into the depths of his seductive green eyes and saw how serious he was about this. “I don’t want it to happen again.”

“It won’t,” he assured her. “We’ve both grown since then Cass.” He tried to think of something that he knew she couldn’t dispute. “We’ve been dating nearly a year, and we haven’t argued once in that time.”

“No, we haven’t,” she agreed.

“What do you say then?” He took hold of her hands and squeezed them gently. “Be my girl?”

Cassandra started to shake her head. “I don’t kn…”

He cut her off. “Cass, do you love me?”

She straightened her shoulders and stared at him. “Of course I do, Jeff. You know I’ve loved you since the day we met.”

“Then say yes. We don’t have to get married, unless you want to. We can be engaged for the rest of our lives,” he grinned at his suggestion. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you Cassandra. I’ll take you any way that you’ll have me.”

She touched his cheek, tracing his dimple with her thumb. Cassie was happier, having him in her life again. Jeff completed her in a way that no one else ever could or would. She smiled, threading her fingers into his hair. Leaning into him, their lips met as she whispered her answer. “Yes.”

Back