Free The Accidental Movie Star by Emily Evans

started dating a new man and was uncharacteristically quiet about this one, not even divulging his name. Ashley hoped, whoever he was, that he’d at least finished his parole. She put her notebook in her bag and shouldered the strap, planning to follow Powder’s lead and get away from the set.
    “Want to grab Chinese fried rice with chicken?” Garrett asked. “Or find some kind of chocolate truffle cake with a vanilla frosting?”
    Caz stopped just behind Garrett. “We have plans.”
    Ashley lifted an eyebrow. “We do?”
    Caz made a drinking motion with his hand. “Yes, you promised.”
    Ashley smiled. Caz would be great at charades. “Oh yeah. Thanks anyway, Garrett.”
    “Well,” Garret said, nodding at Caz, “you and your bird, have a nice—break.”
    Caz flipped Garrett off and reached for her hand to tug her away.
    Ashley raised an eyebrow.
    “Bird?”
    “Girl.”
    “You’re not calling me that.” Ashley pointed toward the mediocre catering cart with her free hand. “Want a sandwich?”
    Caz shook his head. “Do you?”
    Wrinkling her nose, Ashley shook her head too. The only days she ate cart food were the fifteen-minute lunch days. Even then, she sometimes heated something up from home. Other days, she ate nearby with one of the crew and, once, she caught up with her dad and had lunch with him.
    “Hey, Caz,” Cutter said. “Buddy, why don’t we hit the executive lounge? You can get us in.” He wore skinny jeans with a metallic silver shirt. The silver shimmered with each demand.
    “He’s got plans.” Ashley tightened her grip on Caz’s hand. Cutter made a twisty face at her, but she didn’t care. She didn’t normally take up for Caz, but this wasn’t the first time she’d heard a crew member ask him a favor. She’d heard requests for screen time, a trip to Vegas, and introductions to female fans. She hoped British people imposed on him too, so it wasn’t just an American thing. Maybe users were just a Hollywood thing; that was probably true, classic Hollywood.
    Caz smiled at her and pulled her arm close to his side. They hadn’t walked much closer to the exit before Olive intercepted them. “Need any help with your fan mail? I have a free hour and could start on yours. I do Petra’s.”
    Caz said, “No. Thank you, though.”
    Ashley saw another crew member headed their way. She turned away from the main exit and led Caz to a side door. On the seven-minute journey that ended at the coffee and tea kiosk, he didn’t release her arm, and she had to lengthen her steps to keep up with him. His breath sucked in when he spotted the cart and its large display of colored tea packets. Caz poked through the selection with an intensity usually reserved for typing in nuclear detonation codes. In the end, he went with the black Earl Grey.
    As the attendant handed over the cup, a set of brakes squealed on one of the large tourist carts. The driver whizzed to a stop at the side of the kiosk. The dozen or so tourists offloaded and swarmed around them, reaching for menus, yelling out questions. They appeared to be half families and half couples.
    She could tell the moment they recognized Caz. Their murmurs got louder and their sunglasses swiveled away from the drink menu. Caz tossed his stir stick in a nearby trash bin and turned to go back to the set, seeming oblivious to the dozen gazes now glued to him.
    Ashley put a hand on his arm. “Aren’t you even going to say hi and shake a few hands?”
    Caz shook his head. “Most girls are annoyed when I leave them to greet fans.”
    Ashley rolled her eyes. “My friends are your fans. I’d be annoyed if you couldn’t spare three minutes.”
    Caz turned back to the group. “Hi.”
    The tour guide froze and then rushed to Caz’s side and spoke with an important voice. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is Caspian Thaymore, star of Eternal Loss, Eternal Revenge . Filming now.”
    Ashley’s lips quirked. They’d already recognized Caz, so the tour