Casting Debbie

Chapter 4

Lou desperately wanted to back out of the deal. Truth be told, she figured Lin wouldn't be able to find someone with the right qualities. Known, but not famous. In need of the work, but not desperate for it. Unattached. Gay. Gorgeous. Why was Lin so damn good at his job? As if anything about this was his job.

Lou knew she needed someone who wouldn't worship the ground she walked on. Even other actors could sometimes act like rabid fans, and that would get old faster than Debbie's cynicism. What bothered her was the way this woman looked at her, with eyes that seared into her soul, reading every secret, every vulnerability she had. And then laughing at it. Mocking it with her eyes and that sly little grin. It was unnerving. It was also untrue. Eyes that seared? Lou realized she was being ridiculous.

On second thought, maybe a fan was exactly what Lou needed. Someone young in the business who would hang on her every word. Someone who would listen to her and follow instructions without hesitation because they came from the mouth of the very successful, very famous Lou Miller.

Debbie Ocean was the exact opposite of that. God. Had she and Lin made the wrong choice?

Lou stood there frozen, wondering how to end this deal here and now. She tracked Debbie as she sauntered over to the sliding glass door. A fan wouldn't saunter. She'd wait for further instruction, eyes wide like a hungry puppy dog.

Not Debbie. She opened the door and let the warm sun hit her face. "I can't wait to get out of that hotel I've been staying in," she said, leaning against the door frame.

Lou walked over and stood next to her, her arms protectively folded like they'd been most of the morning. "Don't you have friends here?"

"I do, but as you can see, I'm a total bitch right now and I didn't want to have to be the nice houseguest. You can't just take their bedroom, you have to play with their kids and eat dinner and smile. A hotel was easier."

"You need to heal," Lou said. Debbie looked at her with those big, brown eyes and Lou quickly looked away. Debbie Ocean was the one for the job, whether Lou liked it or not. Even though she rubbed Lou the wrong way, Debbie seemed honest and forthright, not to mention strong. Yes, Debbie had been through a lot this past year, but Lou could see her underlying strength. In fact, she found it more attractive than she would ever admit. Because that's not what this was, nor would it ever be. This was a business deal. Period.

Lou stepped outside. "Just relax for a while. Get your bearings, and in a few months, you can take on the world again."

Debbie kicked off her sandals. She dipped a toe in the pool and then turned back around. "Cards on the table?" Lou nodded. Debbie hesitated for a few seconds and then said, "I really need that."

Lou could tell that was a hard thing for Debbie to admit. She was trying to hide it well, but the pain of what she'd been through was evident. Taking Debbie by the elbow, she said, "Good. Come with me. I think you'll like your new digs." She led Debbie past the pool to a small guesthouse. "You'll have complete privacy out here, and everything is brand new. You'll be the first one to stay out here since it was renovated a while back."

Debbie walked in, her eyes wide with shock. "This is bigger than my apartment in New York. And a full kitchen too? Maybe I'll try to learn to cook sometime."

"Don't know how to cook, huh?"

Debbie laughed, "I'd burn your house down if I tried."

"That makes one of us. I'm an amazing cook." Lou stood back, feeling proud of the renovation. She'd worked closely with the designer to make the house, including the guesthouse, more her style: clean and modern. She'd purchased the house purely for its privacy and security, not because she loved it. But looking at it now, and seeing it through Debbie's eyes, she felt a sense of satisfaction that she'd made the right choice.