His Larkville Cinderella. Melissa McClone

      Yeah, right. The man had gorgeous half-naked women throwing themselves at him. No way would he want to spend time with someone like her.

      Insecure girl desperately seeking a boyfriend.

      Surprisingly he’d gotten it half right.

      She might be insecure. Who wouldn’t be in a brand-new place doing a brand-new job and after a lifetime of being told she didn’t fit in? But she wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. Far from it.

      She knew the man she wanted. All she needed was for her best friend to come to his senses and realize friendship was the perfect foundation for a serious, committed relationship. Marriage would follow. Then a dog, cat and kids. A happily ever after, the kind she’d grown up watching in the movies and dreamed about for years.

      The shower stopped.

      Adam’s wet suit hung over the swinging door. Megan saw his bare feet underneath. He stepped into a pair of blue-and-white board shorts.

      A lump formed in her throat. Had he not been wearing anything underneath the wet suit? Not that it mattered one way or the other.

      The shower door swung open. Adam stepped out.

      Her breath caught in her throat.

      He wore board shorts. No shirt. His hair was wet—so was the rest of him.

      She swallowed.

      Water rolled off his wide shoulders, down his muscular arms and chest, past his six-pack abs to his narrow hips….

      What in the world was she doing?

      Heat flooded Megan’s cheeks. She forced her gaze up to the patio. Eva no longer stood there. Thank goodness. Megan didn’t want her boss to think she was ogling the film’s star.

      Yes, Adam Noble was handsome and had a killer body if you liked that all-American athletic look. But she would never be interested in him.

      Adam sauntered over, his wet hair pushed back off his face. Water dripped from the ends.

      Her pulse kicked up a notch. Maybe two. She understood why he’d been named one of the Fifty Most Beautiful People.

      “Thanks.” He took the surfboard from her. “After you.”

      She motioned him ahead of her. “They’re not waiting for me.”

      Adam opened his mouth as if to speak, but didn’t. He climbed the stairs. She followed.

      On the patio, the others sat around the table. People greeted Adam. He gave each person his full attention, focusing his gaze on them, the way he’d done with her on the beach.

      Her father had been called “larger than life.” Adam Noble was like that, too. His charisma captivated people. Herself included.

      Adam joined the five people at the table.

      “Hey, you,” Chas said to Megan. He motioned to the bar where a stainless-steel coffee carafe and several glass pitchers containing various colored beverages sat. “Refill everyone’s drinks, Texas.”

      Megan cringed at the nickname. She wanted to forget where she was from. But Chas was the producer so she assumed that meant he could call her what he wanted. Given the choice, she preferred “hey, you” to “Texas.”

      She headed to the bar, resigning herself to the fact her internship wouldn’t give her much costume design experience, but she’d end up with great waitress and driving skills. She picked up the requisite pitchers and refilled the glasses on the table.

      “We are on schedule.” Eva had the costume sketches displayed. She must have started the meeting without Adam. “Based on our last meeting, Damon, I made the alterations to Calliope’s costumes. I’ll need Krystal and Adam for a final fitting, then we’ll be ready to shoot.”

      Megan had loved Krystal Kohl’s most recent movie. The tall, willowy and gorgeous actress was so talented. Though Krystal had a reputation for being difficult on the set and everywhere else.

      Adam held one of the sketches. “This is the new gown for the dinner scene.”

      Eva nodded. “Krystal will look divine next to you in the Dior tuxedo.”

      He nodded. “Excellent work.”

      Eva’s sincere smile made her look nice. Maybe there was more to the designer than her bright red lipstick and severe personality. “Thank you, Adam.”

      Chas removed his sunglasses. “Great work, Eva. As usual.”

      Damon nodded. “That’s exactly the look I was going for. And I appreciate the effort you put into the new designs, but there’s been a slight change. That’s why we’ve asked all of you here today.”

      Eva’s gaze bounced between the producer and director like a Ping-Pong ball during a championship match. “Define slight change.”

      Chas leaned forward. “Krystal Kohl is at a rehab facility in Tucson. Her role is being recast.”

      No one gasped. No one said a word, but an uncomfortable silence fell over the table.

      Eva stared at the costume designs with a blank face.

      The two wardrobe people looked at each other, but their expressions didn’t change.

      Megan stood at the bar arranging glasses and pitchers, trying to appear disinterested. She might be a “newbie,” as Adam had called her, but this couldn’t be good news with filming scheduled to start next week.

      She looked at Adam to see his reaction.

      His posture hadn’t changed. He sipped from his glass of water, as if the news of his leading lady being replaced at the last minute wasn’t a big deal. It didn’t seem to be except …

      A muscle pulsed at his jaw.

      Not as immune as the others appeared to be. He wasn’t happy about the role being recast.

      “A lot of work went into casting Krystal as Calliope,” Adam said. “This isn’t some summer blockbuster flick, but a serious drama.”

      Chas nodded. “We know the caliber of talent needed for the role.”

      Adam leaned back in his chair. “Who are you thinking about as a replacement?”

      “Lane Gregory,” Damon said. The award-winning actress was the only child of two movie stars and America’s sweetheart. “We’ve worked together before. Very professional. She can step in at the last minute without a lot of prep.”

      “She’s older than Krystal,” Adam said.

      “Yes,” Damon admitted. “Lane brings a different level of maturity to Calliope.”

      Adam straightened. “She’s accepted the role.”

      It wasn’t a question. The tension lacing each of his words surprised Megan. She loved Lane Gregory, way more than Krystal Kohl. Lane had the reputation of being nice and down-to-earth. Maybe those qualities weren’t what Adam wanted in his next movie-set fling.

      The thought of him with the talented actress left a bitter taste in Megan’s mouth. Lane was too sweet for a man like Adam. But what happened between the two actors was none of Megan’s business. Neither was the discussion they were having now. She wiped the bar where condensation had dripped off the pitchers.

      Damon nodded.

      Tight lines bracketed Eva’s mouth. “Krystal is tall and thin. Lane is short and curvy. We’re going to have to rethink everything, including the dinner gown.”

      “You have until Tuesday,” Damon said.

      Eva’s startled gaze darted from the director to Chas. “What?”

      “We have no leeway in the schedule,” the producer admitted. “Adam is committed to another project after this.”