“Ooh, too many great choices,” Keely said as she skimmed the menu. She gave him a hopeful look. “Maybe we could split a few things?”
“Fine by me. I’m eyeing the blueberry and apricot ricotta pancakes, though. I can never get enough blueberries.”
“The cinnamon pumpkin pancakes are calling my name. But I’d love some eggs, too. I’m starving after our run.”
“Would you rather do an omelet? Or eggs Benedict?”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes to the Benedict. It already comes halved and would be easy to share.”
Mac signaled the server and they placed their order. He sipped the strong coffee he’d gotten after their arrival while Keely enjoyed a lavender latte. She pressed him to take a drink.
“I really don’t like froufrou,” he said. “Coffee should taste like coffee. Not anything else.”
“Try it,” she encouraged, so he took a sip.
“Damn, that’s good.” He took another one and motioned for the server, ordering one for himself.
Keely laughed. “A convert to lattes. I love it.”
Mac took her hand. “I love you. Everything about you.” His head screamed for him to slam on his emotional brakes. To wait. It told him that he was rushing too fast. That Keely would say no.
Despite the noise in his head, Mac still pulled out the diamond ring. One-handed, he unwrapped the handkerchief and lifted it. It wasn’t large or flashy by Hollywood standards but Knox convinced Mac that it was what Keely would want, a simple, one-carat ring set in an elegant, white gold band.
Mac slipped from his chair and onto one knee. Keely’s eyes widened.
“Keely Kennedy, you are the most remarkable person I’ve ever met. You have an innate goodness and sense of fair play. You have a sweet spirit that soars higher than the sky. You’re beautiful and intelligent and I taste our love in every kiss we share. I know the world will judge us and say it’s too soon for me to make a move like this—but I don’t care. What I care about is you. Us. Together.”
He swallowed, blinking because his eyes filled with tears. “I’m asking you to come with me on an adventure of a lifetime. To see not only faraway places but the everyday ones with new eyes—because we’re together. I know we’ll have our ups and downs, both in our careers and this relationship, but I can’t think of anyone else I want to have by my side, not only now but fifty years from now. I’m putting my heart on the line, babe. I love you so much. Do you love me enough to take a chance and become my wife?”
Without hesitation, Keely said, “You’re my love and my life, Mac. I can’t imagine loving another man as much as I do you. My answer is yes!”
Mac pushed to his feet and reached for her hand as Keely also stood. He slipped the engagement ring onto her finger and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. A faint awareness of applause registered with him as he embraced her.
Then a voice behind him said, “Uh, sir? I have that latte for you.”
They burst out laughing, tears streaming down both their faces.
“Our life will never be boring, Keely. I promise you that.” He gestured for the server to place the cup and saucer on the table. Grinning, Mac looked at his fiancée and said, “Especially if we keep drinking lavender lattes.”
CHAPTER 16
Keely rested her script on the table. “You’re totally on point, Mac. I think we should call a halt and relax.”
Her brand-new fiancé closed his script and tossed it on top of hers. “I hope so. The next week is jam-packed. I don’t want to let Sydney down. Or Cassie.”
“The rewrites weren’t that different,” she reminded him. “More a change of location than words. You’ve got down all of your lines for tomorrow’s scenes. And Tuesday’s, as well. We’ll have time the next two nights to go over the others for the Bowen Island portion. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”
“It’s taking the place of Bainbridge Island, right?”
“Yes. Have you been there before?” she asked.
“Nope. Beyond the Middle East, I haven’t seen much of anyplace else.”
Keely snuggled against him. “We’ll have to remedy that. I enjoy traveling. Maybe when we finish Magic Hour, we should take a road trip across the US.” She paused. “Unless you have something else planned.”
“Part of me thinks I should go back to stunt work until this movie comes out. My head tells me I’m getting paid enough to take a break but doing a gut check, I wonder how I’ll be received as an actor.” Mac ran his fingers through her hair. “I worry about it tanking and messing with your career, babe.”
She took his face between her hands. “You haven’t seen any of the dailies. I have. You’re really good in this part, Mac. It’s almost as if Cassie wrote it for you. You’ve become Thorne Mayfield. I can’t see you at all when I watch the screen. That’s the best compliment I could pay you.”
“Or I’m a one-shot wonder,” he quipped.
Keely kissed him. “You’re not. You’re going to have a great career.” She hesitated a moment and then decided to plunge ahead. “Did Carson send you a new script?”
“The romantic comedy? He told me he would once we got back to LA. Knox and Breck discussed it with me the night of the fire. I’d forgotten about it until Carson texted me yesterday. I told him no rush. I don’t want to read anything new while we’re still working on Magic Hour. It’s like I’m deep into the playoffs during football season and someone wants to watch me pitch and time my fastball. I can’t think baseball now. Or romantic comedy. Whatever. I need to stay focused on the here and now.”
Mac absently ran his fingers through her hair. Keely decided to wait before telling him that she’d already received a copy from Carson and read it. She’d loved everything about Breck’s witty screenplay, full of crackling dialogue. She longed to audition for it. The only thing holding her back was Mac. She and Carson discussed whether it would be wise or not for the two of them to appear in a second film so closely together, especially given their romantic relationship. She believed if Mac could land the role, it would be a boost to his fledgling career to try something in a different genre so that he wouldn’t be typecast.
Because of that, she’d keep quiet about her desire to be cast in the role. For now.
“I’m hungry. Brunch was hours ago. Want to order room service?” she suggested.
“Sure. What are you in the mood for?”
Keely gave him her order and he went to call it in. Reaching for her phone, she turned it back on. It remained off when she was working, especially when she ran lines with Mac. Little things easily distracted him so she made sure no phone calls or texts coming in would bother his concentration.
Immediately, her phone blew up. She’d missed dozens of texts and several phone calls. An uneasy feeling swept through her. Opening her text app first, she read through them quickly.
Mac crossed the suite and sat beside her, reaching for his own phone sitting on the coffee table.
“Wait,” she said. “I need to warn you.”
His brow furrowed. “About what?”