Playing at Forever - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,70

can make it up to us by bringing that new son-in-law of ours home for Thanksgiving.”

“Dad—”

“No buts about it, Penelope. Thanksgiving is meant to be spent with your family. If Tommy Davidson doesn’t understand that, then you’ll have to tell him to take it up with me. Family is always first. Work can wait.”

The thought of spending the holiday with her parents was almost unbearable, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Unless she broke down and told them the truth right then and there…

“I’ll talk to him,” Penny finally replied, sighing quietly.

“Great, we’ll see you in a couple of days then, dear!” Her mother’s tone was noticeably more joyful now.

Well, at least she’d made someone happy.

The airport was equally as busy on the way out as it had been on the way in. Penny hadn’t spoken a word to Tommy since the outburst with Graham and she didn’t intend to.

At least until she discovered they were flying back to L.A.

“I thought we were going back to Ravenside.”

“I have that meeting. Remember?” Sure, she remembered the meeting. But what did that have to do with her? As if reading her mind, Graham spoke next.

“Didn’t you know, Penelope? They requested you be there.”

No, she hadn’t known, and she didn’t understand why.

She had sent the small, lesser-known studio Tommy’s script and a copy of their final performance before bumping into the executive at the after-party. But once he revealed to her where he worked, she thought him to be fair game and did her best to convince him to give Tommy’s script a chance.

There was no reason at all that she needed to be there.

All she wanted to do was go home.

Unfortunately, she realized, she wasn’t even sure where that was anymore.

“Well then, Graham, I’m going to need you to cancel anything you have planned for Tommy after that.” Her voice was steady, her eyes unemotional. Business, she told herself. They both looked at her as if she was crazy. “Thanksgiving is Thursday. We’re going to my parents’ house.”

“Pen, the movie comes out—”

“Then you can promote until Wednesday. But we’re going. If I’m going to keep up this little charade for you, I think you can return the favor for me just this once.”

“I’m sure the Langs will understand—” Graham started, but it was Tommy who cut him off.

“Cancel the promo stints.” His manager tried to argue with him, but Tommy would have none of it.

Good, Penny thought. He owed her that much.

Tommy was just as clueless as to why the studio had requested Penny at the meeting—until he saw who was conducting the meeting, anyway.

He tried not to notice the way the man from the premiere hugged Penny. Or the way he let his hands linger just a moment too long at the small of her back. Or the way his eyes flickered over her as if she was nothing more than a piece of meat.

He tried, and he failed.

He knew it shouldn’t matter to him. It was obvious that whatever had been between he and Penny was long gone now.

Still, he couldn’t help but to feel jealous.

After all, she was his wife. Even if only on paper.

Tommy sighed.

They sat down—Penny, Tommy, and Mark, Tommy’s agent, along with those from the studio.

It wasn’t all that different from the meetings Tommy had sat through before. Lots of shop talk, mostly between Mark and the studio guys. Lots of shop talk that Tommy couldn’t really bring himself to care about, though he knew he should.

This was supposed to be his dream, wasn’t it?

But he couldn’t stop thinking about Penny, especially with her sitting right beside him.

Finally, Penny turned and glanced at him, as if scolding him with her eyes.

“Now, there are a few things we need to discuss.” The man, who had been introduced to him as Gary, but who Tommy could only think of as the man who was doing his very best to get into Penny’s good graces, said to both he and Penny. “First of which, and most importantly, is the casting.”

“Tommy has to play the lead—”

“That’s without question, of course.” Tommy looked up, surprised. Really? That easily? There had to be a catch. “No, the role we’re looking to cast is actually the role of the wife. I know it’s only a small role, but we need someone who can really pull it off.” Gary looked at Tommy for a long moment before turning to look at Penny. “We want you, Penny.”

“Excuse me?” Penny’s voice was