“I know. A clean, simple setting. The stone is not some gaudy size. I love it.” She grinned. “I love him.”
“I know you do, honey.” Scarlett bent and petted Jax. “And how does my boy like his new daddy?”
“Jax and Mac hit it off from the start.”
“Good thing. I’d have hated for you to have to choose between them. Of course, I would’ve taken either leftover. Jax is attentive and sweet. Mac is sexy-hot. I know because I’ve seen those abs when he got in the pool with the kids. As Rachael Ray says—yummo.”
They walked to the front door. “He’s more than abs, you know,” Keely said. “He’s kind. Sweet. Smart off the charts.”
“Rhett says Mac is super-talented. That Cassie’s already writing something for him now.”
“Really?”
“Ask her.”
“I will.”
Jo opened the door. “You’re getting married!” she shrieked.
“I am!” Keely squealed in return.
Jo ushered them inside and the women went straight to the kitchen. Cassie, Sydney, and London were already there, placing items on the table. Keely set her dish down and they all fawned over her ring.
“Let’s load up our plates,” Jo suggested. “Wine’s over there. London, what do you want to drink?”
“Water is good. Of course, I’m now hitting the loo every hour on the hour. What’s a little more water?”
Keely made her way to London. “Here, let me fix your plate.”
“I’m not helpless, Keely. I can hold a plate. I can even rest it atop my belly. It’s a nice placeholder for things, I’ve discovered.”
“Go get your drink and get off your feet. I’ll bring you something to eat.”
“Yes, Mother,” London said good-naturedly, waddling away.
Keely made up plates for the two of them and followed the others into the den.
“Where’s Bruiser? I mean Brad?” London asked.
“Oh, I’ve given in to Breck. I call the kid Bruiser more than he does. He’ll either grow up to be some hulking lineman or a running back according to his pediatrician. He’s off the charts, size-wise. Breck is upstairs with him, doing manly things, I assume.”
They settled down and the first thing Cassie asked about was Mac’s proposal.
“Haven’t you seen it?” Keely teased. “I think it’s gotten over two million hits on YouTube already.”
“I’ll admit I’m three or four of those views,” Cassie admitted. “Mac is very romantic. You wouldn’t think so, looking at him, all tough and muscled and military-like.”
“He’s a chameleon,” Sydney said. “A sweet pussycat in real life and then bam! On the set, he turns into Thorne Mayfield like nobody’s business.” She looked to Keely. “I still haven’t told you how impressed I was with both of you after we shot that last pivotal scene. You looked so wrung out.”
“I was,” Keely admitted. “I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten so deeply into a character’s head. It was as if I hadn’t read the pages and already knew what was coming. That I—Ashley—figured out Thorne’s tremendous betrayal and was slapped hard in the face by it.”
Sydney turned to Cassie. “You haven’t seen the dailies yet but you need to. Rhett, too. Mac transformed before our eyes. Well, he wasn’t Mac at the time. He was Good Thorne that the audience knew and rooted for to get the killer and the girl. Then in the blink of an eye, he morphed into Killer Thorne. A modern day Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. Mac is going to have a very long, solid career in Hollywood.”
“Breck is dying for him to audition for the romantic comedy he wrote that Knox bowed out of,” Jo said. “Has he read it yet, Keely?”
“No. He said he didn’t want to be distracted by another screenplay until we finish filming Magic Hour. I do know Breck had the producers send Carson the script for Mac, though.”
“I’m writing something new,” Cassie revealed. “With Mac in mind. If it turns out like I want, I hope RCDS will produce it and give him first crack at it.”
“What’s it about?” Keely asked.
“It’s too new to share,” Cassie said. “Sometimes, what I start turns out very different from what I envision. Besides, if Mac doesn’t want to do it, there are several other talented husbands that I can think of who might want the role.”
“Let’s go back to the proposal,” Scarlett said. “Tell us everything. From when you woke up that morning until the moment he slid the ring on your finger.”
Keely recounted the day for them, listening to their sighs and encouragement. She felt blessed to have such a strong group of women as her friends.
“I’ll bet I know something you didn’t,” London said. “Mac tried on a few of your rings.”
“He did?”
London nodded. “He even marked on his finger how far they went on his pinkie. Knox took him ring shopping.”
Keely could picture Mac sneaking into her jewelry box as if on a covert mission. She’d have to tease him about that when she got home tonight.
They eventually shifted to other topics as they ate and drank. Finally, Keely stood. “I need to get home to my fiancé—and yes, I love saying that. And my bed. I’m tired and only have tomorrow to rest up before it’s back to the set. Are you going in tomorrow, Sydney?”
“Only after I drop the kids at school and pre-school. I want to see how the new sets turned out. Work with Jayla on the call sheets for the rest of the week. I’ll be home before school is out, though. I’m enjoying a little respite with family before we hit it hard and wrap up this film.”
They carried plates back into the kitchen. Breck stood there, bouncing his son. Brad saw his mother and stretched out his arms. She took him, cooing to him softly.
“Hope you ladies enjoyed yourselves. We men watched some basketball and drooled.”
“He’s teething,” Jo explained. “Bruiser. Not Breck.”
“Keep the dip,” Keely suggested.
“Would that be your famous seven-layer dip?” Breck asked hopefully. “If it is, my late night snack starts . . . now.”
Before she left, Breck touched her shoulder. “What did you think?”
Keely knew he meant his screenplay. “It was delightful. Great banter. Wonderfully romantic scenes. Terrific black moment. A happily ever after the audience will sigh over.”
“Do you think Mac might be interested?”
“He hasn’t read it yet. He will when we finish the current project.”
“You’d both be great in the roles,” Breck said.
“Carson and I wonder if Mac and I should do two movies back-to-back.”
“I get that. I still hope you’ll consider it.”
“I’m interested. Very. Give us two weeks and then we can talk about it, Breck.”
“You’re on. Tell Mac hello.”
“I will.”
Keely said goodnight to everyone and collected Jax. The night air was cool so she left her sunroof open and put a little heat on her feet. Jax settled in the floorboard since he enjoyed being toasty.