Elli (A Second Chance Novel Book 1) Read online

  “On the house? Good.” He smiled.

  “On your shirt.” She laughed.

  He shrugged.

  “Now who has more to say but decided not to?” Elli wedged the lid loose. To keep things tidy, she reached for the roll of paper towels instead of the other shirt she had taken from the laundry room to use as a rag. It was probably his favorite watching agility dog shows shirt.

  “You don’t want to know what I was about to say about my shirt,” he said, in a deep, slow voice. Elli looked up at his dark, hooded eyes and knew what he threatened to say about the shirt would involve words that would stroke, caress, and heat. Like it or not, the man had skills.

  She shook her head. “You’re right.” She started to pull the lid off the paint, but something told her not to and she hesitated. She looked down at the paper towel in her hand and saw it smeared with a bright, candy-colored pink. Oh my God. Her head jerked up to Ben. He was looking across the lawn and hadn’t noticed the obnoxious pink paint, which had to be a mistake. Elli jumped up, knowing she had to make Ben leave so that she could call the production manager to get the correct paint color before the hardware store closed. She had no idea how she was going to do that.

  Ben’s cell phone began to ring. When he reached into his pocket to answer it, she yanked a handful of paper towels and laid it on top of the paint cans. She got her cell phone and texted a quick note to the production manager.

  Wrong paint color. This looks like an offspring of The Pink Panther and a pink flamingo. Send corrected color number, ASAP. The hardware store closes in a couple of hours.

  Elli sent the text message and went to the task of sealing the paint lid back onto the can. She didn’t have a hammer or mallet so she took off her tennis shoe and used it to bang the lid shut. She looked over her shoulder at Ben who was still on the phone and quickly wiped the pink paint that remained in the lid crease, and then she stacked an unopened can on top of it. Satisfied, she turned around and sat on the ground to put her shoe back on. Ben was staring at her, in the way Helen had earlier that day. He was trying to figure out what in the hell she was about while he still had the phone pressed against his ear.

  “What?” she mouthed, then slipped on the shoe and began to tie it.

  “I’ll be there,” he said, speaking into the phone. “I’ll have to rearrange a few things.” He paused as the other person on the line spoke. “Camille will understand. I’ll have her meet me at the Krewe of Hyacinthians ball instead of picking her up.” He disconnected the phone and stuffed it in his pocket.

  “Problem?” Ben’s eyes lingered on her legs, which she’d folded up in front of her to tie her shoe. “You need to see a man about a dog, again?”

  “A woman. Camille’s cousin. Mating problem.”

  “Hers or her dog’s?”

  Ben stepped closer to Elli, and when she struggled to stand, he grabbed her by the elbow to help her. Heat seemed to pour through him and into her. By the way his eyes darkened, she knew he felt it, too. It offended and thrilled her at the same time. He had just mentioned a date he had tonight with another woman a few seconds before he looked at her as if he would jump her bones right there on the balcony.

  “I’m not sure what’s going on between us,” she offered, taking a step back. “It’s got to stop.”

  “Or we have to get it out of our system.” He ran his hand through his long hair. “Shit. I can’t believe I said that.”

  “Me either. Now I think you are a jerk, again.” She shoved both her hands against his chest to push him away. He gripped her wrists and pulled her against him. He was definitely aroused. “You may not have a problem with starring in Cheaters, but I do.”

  “Cheaters?” He lifted her chin so she was looking into his darkening emerald eyes. He brushed the pad of his thumb over her lips. It was rough and gentle at the same time. She could smell the sweet, tempting scent of his breath.

  She swallowed hard and fought the urge to kiss his hand.

  “Dr. Snow White?” she said and was immediately sorry she let her private nickname for the beautiful doctor be known.

  Ben smiled his sexy half smile. “Jealous?”

  Elli looked away and made hissing noises to dismiss what she knew was the truth. “No.”

  “You need a starring role in the show Liars.”

  “I don’t lie.” Her throat was dry and her brain muddled. The man did that to her and she didn’t like it. “No, Ben Bienvenu, I’m not jealous of you and Camille. I think the beautiful doctor and you are perfect for each other.” Then, because she couldn’t stop her inner troublemaker, she shrugged her shoulders in a huge, overdramatic movement. Ben burst out laughing.

  “I can only imagine what you left unsaid, cher.” His eyes were brighter, softer, and friendlier than she’d ever seen before.

  “No, cher…trust me, you have no idea what I’ve left unsaid.” It was perfect timing to exit scene stage left, but he held on to her when she tried to turn away.

  “I know you better than you think, Crocifissa.” He released her, stepped back, and stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. “I have made a career out of reading people and their dogs.”

  “You’ve only read the opening scenes of the latest release. You have no idea what’s in the prequel.”

  He stood stock-still and stared at her. Elli knew she had him on that one. No one really knew the totality of who she was—the lonely child, the ambitious overachieving producer, the grieving daughter, the frightened cancer patient, the inspired re-inventor of her life.

  “I live in the present.” He ran his fingers through his hair again, leaving a few waves sticking up and looking crazy sexy.

  “Our past dictates where we are in the present.” She smoothed his disheveled hair in a friendly gesture before clasping her hands behind her. “Unless you’re a dog.” She smiled. “The Dog Whisperer says dogs can only live in the present.”

  Ben smiled a warm, genuine smile and nodded. “Touché.” He looked at his watch and shrugged his shoulders. Whether the move was intentional or not, it cracked her up and Elli burst out laughing. Ben laughed too and took a step toward her, but stopped and shook his head. “I don’t know what it is about you that has my blood running hot as sunshine one minute, then cold as shaved ice the next.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be revealed in the prequel.” Elli smiled. “Go on, you’re going to be late for the ball if you don’t get going.” And I’ll be too late to exchange the paint at the hardware store. “You can’t keep the princess waiting.”

  Ben nodded. “Remember to keep those film people away from the kennel and my dogs.” He waited for her to indicate she had heard him before leaving. Elli quickly gathered the paint cans and headed down the stairs toward her car. While the urgency of what needed to do loomed over her, she wondered what would be in the prequel of Ben Bienvenu’s life. She knew a large part of it would have to be about growing up with parents who had an odd relationship based on infidelity. Another important part would be about him falling in love with his wife, then suffering the heartbreak of losing her. Before she could delve into that thought, Elli’s phone dinged that she had a text. It was from the location director, giving her the paint color number.

  “Are you sure?” she texted him back.

  “Yes.” He texted the paint number again. “It’s pink popsicle.”

  “WTH,” she responded. It was the pink atrocity she already had.

  “LOL.” He returned. “It’s a statement pink. Heroine who owns the house is an eccentric artist.”

  “Can’t you add the color in post?” she typed.

  “No. Budget too tight for that in post. Paint cheaper. You should understand that.”

  “K.” She sighed and turned the car around to head back to the house. Her phone dinged again.

  “BTW. Heather Harley will be coming with Sam Cooper tomorrow for a few scenes. Both actors have personal security. Expect calls from them.”

  Elli sighed. Great. A simple shoot was going t
o look like a freaking presidential visit.

  “No problem.” She lied. She didn’t know how she would keep the visit of two of Hollywood’s hottest actors from turning into another Mardi Gras. If the speed and veracity with which the news spread about the cottage fire was any indication of what she was to expect, she was in trouble. She’d have to talk to Ben about changing the code on the gate to keep looky-Lous out. Even if they were his family. Oh, geez. This was not going to be good. Maybe she should post Helen at the gate to deal with the Bienvenues.

  Fifteen minutes later, Elli had managed to roll enough paint on the front of the house to give her an upset stomach. Maybe, it was because it reminded her of Pepto-Bismol. God help her when Ben saw this Alice in Wonderland color on his amazing historical home. He’d toss her off the property and probably out of the parish, regardless of her legal rights to be there. She’d bet no one would try to stop him, not even Beau and Doug who had befriended her. Heck, she wouldn’t blame them for forming a lynch mob for turning the magnificent Sugar Mill Plantation into a giant blob of cotton candy.

  “Ah! Mon Dieu!” a strong voice exclaimed from behind Elli. Although, she recognized Tante Izzy’s voice right away, she hadn’t heard the woman approach. “Garde voir le beau la galerie?”

  Elli shifted her weight on the ladder to look at Tante Izzy, whose eyes were as wide as silver dollars. She held a paper plate covered with aluminum foil in her hand. “Do I want to know what you said or is it better that I remain in ignorant bliss?”

  Tante Izzy snorted and waved the hand holding a royal purple and kelly green, shiny patent leather purse. “I was sayin’ how beautiful the galerie is. ’Bout time somebody painted it a nice color.”

  Tante Izzy would be the one person who approved of the color, considering it was the only color she wore, other than her Mardi Gras colored clothes. Right now, she wore both. Besides the large purple, gold, and green purse, she had matching painted Keds on her feet and green bobby socks. Her dress, however, was a cool, cotton crayon-pink shift.

  “It’s called pink popsicle,” Elli sighed, climbing down the ladder. “Ben will hate it.”

  “What does he know?” After Elli set the paint roller down, Tante Izzy handed her the paper plate. “It’s pain perdu. You need to eat more.”

  Elli lifted the foil and looked at the golden strips sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. The faint scent of cinnamon and the sweet dark syrup pooled on the sides of the strips made her stomach growl. She laughed. “What is ‘pan per do’?”

  “Lost bread.” Tante Izzy smiled and took one off the plate, dipped it into the syrup, and took a bite. “It’s good. You take your old bread, dip it in an egg batter, and cook it in a black skillet.”

  “Like French toast.”

  “Mon Dieu. It’s pain perdu. Lost bread. Don’t youz Texians listen?” She gestured for Elli to take a strip.

  “Mmm. Yummy,” she said after taking her first bite. “It’s really good.”

  Tante Izzy rolled her eyes. “Of course, it’z good. I wouldn’t feed it to youz if’n it wasn’t.”

  “Thank you.” She took a second strip and slid it into the syrup. “You know, Ben will really be upset when he sees this pink color.”

  “So you only paint your half.” She nodded. “Cain’t say nothin’ if’n that’s all you do.”

  Elli smiled, wishing it were that simple. “I am only painting this side of the building. It’s only temporary.”

  Tante Izzy opened her purse and started digging inside of it. “Why temporary?” she asked without looking up.

  Elli hesitated in answering, knowing Tante Izzy might be too anxious to share the news of the movie shoot with her family and friends. She would probably find out anyway, though. It was better to include her and ask for her discretion than to leave Tante Izzy to her own wiles. “I’m going to tell you something only Ben knows, Tante Izzy. I want you to know and I want you to help us keep it a secret. It’s important that it doesn’t turn into a huge spectacle. We can’t have crowds or fans or the curious.”

  “Spectacle? I’d never do dat,” she said, bending over to adjust one of her bright green socks that had slipped down.

  “I know you wouldn’t.” Elli smiled. “That’s why I’m bringing you into my confidence. Into the inner circle—like in the movie Meet the Fockers.”

  “I saw dat movie with Bobby De Niro,” she said, pointing to her eyes then to Elli, as De Niro had done in the movie to indicate he was watching his future son-in-law.

  Elli laughed. “Well, you are in the inner circle of trust. There is a movie crew coming here for a couple of days. They’ll be shooting some exterior scenes here at the plantation house and on the grounds.”

  “C’est si bon!” she clapped her hands. “Me, I can be an extra if dey need one.”

  “If they do, I’ll tell them you are available.”

  Tante Izzy nodded and her eyes sparkled. “I can sing a little if dey need, and I can still dance the two-step.”

  “That’s good, but I don’t think they will be doing anything that requires extras. They plan to shoot exterior shots of the main characters coming in and out of the house and walking on the property. They’ll also be getting long shots to set place and time.”

  “I think a nice fais do-do would make da movie more interesting.”

  “Well, probably so, but it’s not for us to decide. It’s not our movie. Besides, it isn’t set in a Cajun town. It’s set in a country town in Georgia.”

  “Georgia? Why come to Louisiana then?”

  “It’s cheaper, available, and looks like the fictional country home they want.”

  “They payin’?”

  “Yes, it’s why we’ve agreed to let them shoot here. They pay very well.”

  “Hmmm.” She nodded.

  “And it’s why the house is being painted pink popsicle.” She shook her head. “The lead actress, Heather Harley, is playing an eccentric artist. It’s her house.”

  “Heather Harley? I like her. She’s pretty. Her fesse is kind of round like that Jenifer Lopez, and her tettons are big like dat Pamela Anderson, but she’s got a nice smile. The mans in town will go crazy if they know she’s here.”

  Elli sighed. Tante Izzy was right. Heather Harley was a sex icon. She was also a very sweet person. Elli had met her when she auditioned for the lead role in Newfie. She did a fantastic read but was too sexy for the heroine. Even if they covered up all her trademark parts, they wouldn’t be able to hide her innate sexuality.

  “I’ll need your help keeping it a secret that she and Sam Cooper are here.”

  “Ruby will be wantin’ to get her hands on him for her benefit.” Tante Izzy pursed her lips together. “We cain’t tell her. She’ll be madder dan a teet-less nanny goat, but I’ll handle her. And, I’ll handle anybody else dat comes sniffin’ around—I got my shotgun.”

  “No!” Elli shouted, then lowered her voice. “They’ll have their own security. I’ll need you to help keep it on the DL.”

  “Deal? Maybe Beau can help nego-tee-ate.”

  Elli laughed. “I’m sorry. DL. Meaning down-low. Secret. We need to keep it a secret. And if that isn’t possible, we have to just keep everyone off the plantation. Including Ruby.” She said. “I’m sorry to have to do this, but that’s how it has to be. It’s no different than an accountant or doctor not wanting to have a crowd around while they are working. Well-meaning, curious people just get in the way. It’ll slow production and time means money.”

  “That’s fer sure.” Tante Izzy took another piece of the lost bread. “I’m kinda surprised Ben’s letting dem come film a movie here.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” Elli picked up her paint roller. “The money is really good.”

  “Not better than my oil well, I bet.” Tante Izzy leaned against the balcony railing. “What iz it with you and money? Youz don’t seem like da type to care so much about it. Youz ain’t like Ben’s momma, Helen.”

  “It’s not that I care about the money
, but I need the money for something important.” Elli inhaled a deep breath. God, she’d love to be able to confide in at least one person here. A person she could trust. A person who knew all the players. A person who could give her advice or at least listen to her ideas and offer an informed opinion. She looked at Tante Izzy adjusting her bright green socks on her skinny legs again. She knew, without a doubt, that she could trust this amazing, clever lady even though she was Ben’s aunt.

  “It seems today is the day for me to confide in you about a number of things.” She put the paint roller down. “What I’m about to discuss with you can’t go any further than us. It’s personal, but I need advice and counsel. I need a…friend.” Elli realized she almost said family.

  “What you need is family. Not a friend.” Tante Izzy said as if she’d read Elli’s mind. “Consider me youz aunt. Better yet, youz fairy godmother. I always wants to be a fairy godmother since I first saw Cinderella. I liked dat better dan being a princess. Youz has superpowers as a fairy godmother, and youz always has sparkling stars floatin’ around you. Mais, we are now relations. Imagine that. I’ve adopted me a Texian godchild.”

  Elli smiled. “I like that very much. Thank you.” She sniffed, fighting back tears, surprised how much she wanted to have an aunt. “You are my only living family. Adopted or otherwise.”

  “Cher,” Tante Izzy cooed and gave Elli a big hug. She wasn’t round or soft as you’d expect an old aunt to be, but she was warm and loving and wonderful.

  “I’m in big trouble, Tante Izzy,” Elli said, bent over into the older woman’s embrace. Izzy eased back and looked up at her.

  “Youz wit child?” she said, her face full of concern but absent of judgment and condemnation.

  Elli burst into tears. Never had she felt that kind of unconditional love since her father died. Her heart ached. She sobbed, big gasping sobs that led into deep hiccups. All of which prevented her from speaking to tell Tante Izzy that she wasn’t pregnant.