Free Love of Steel [The Callens 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Melody Snow Monroe Page B

appeared genuine, but given she didn’t look much older than Jade was, she was probably swooning that she got to play opposite the handsome Logan Smithfield.
    “We just read the scene where Cecile is pressuring Justin about setting the date for the wedding. In reality, he’s only with Marlene because he needs her father’s vote on the city council to put a certain establishment in the city limits.”
    She could draw her own conclusion about what kind of establishment that might be. It probably was like the Siren Lounge, where couples went to engage in sex in front of an audience.
    “What’s my role?”
    “You want Logan and are trying to convince him to leave Cecile.”
    This wouldn’t take much acting on her part. “You told me I didn’t have many lines.”
    “You don’t, but you have a body, hands, and lips. Use them.”
    “That’s it?”
    He sucked in his cheeks as if he was working hard to keep from laughing. She wouldn’t look at Logan. He’d be grinning.
    “I can help give you some acting guidelines afterwards.” He winked.
    This time she had to smile at his blatant overture. Maybe he was really interested in her. “Works for me.”
    Logan pushed back his seat. “Let’s put the table up and do some blocking.”
    She must have missed a lot of rehearsals or else she had no idea how this play stuff worked. Since there was little evidence of a set, she wondered if Parker expected her to start building the flats as well as act in the show. If she helped him anymore, her business would fizzle.
    They started at the beginning. The actors would read the lines. Since she wasn’t on until the beginning of act two, she sat off to the side and watched. Logan mesmerized her, but then so did Marlene. The woman was magnetic. Why his character would even consider not marrying her, Jade didn’t know. Logan’s character seemed close to his real personality. Given that Parker told her he’d written the play with Logan in mind, she wasn’t surprised.
    As the play unfolded, she could understand why Justin Boudreaux would need Cecile’s father’s help, but there was also a sexual draw between them.
    Parker stepped on stage. “Cecile, as soon as Justin answers the door, you strut in, throw your arms around him, and give him the best kiss you can.”
    Jade heard the direction and understood what needed to happen, but when Marlene did as Parker instructed, her stomach churned. Parker never said that Logan was supposed to grab her ass and run his hands up and down her back. She might have accepted the act during the actual performance but not during the first week of rehearsal.
    The first act took forever to get through. She couldn’t concentrate on the show because when Logan wasn’t on stage he was in the wings doing who knew what with Marlene.
    “Let’s take a break, folks. Ten minutes. Then we’ll do act two.”
    Jade stood, not really sure what she was supposed to do. Doing nothing wasn’t her style. Maybe at the next rehearsal she could work on the set in back while the actors rehearsed. If she had just a walk-on part, she didn’t see the need to be here the whole time.
    Parker jogged over to her. “So what did you think?”
    “It was wonderful.”
    Parker drew her into his arms and hugged her. “Don’t worry. You’ll be great, too.”
    A man who could read her mind was a dangerous one. “I’m not worried.”
    “Here’s the scoop. You’ll be playing a woman named Ellen. You and Justin had a baby together four years ago, but he quickly abandoned you after you told him you didn’t want to get married.”
    She tried to put herself in this woman’s place. “Justin should have insisted.” She liked men to be noble.
    “He doesn’t beg anyone . He did ask once, but you shot him down. He’s ready to move on. Now that times have gotten hard, you want a father for your daughter.”
    “Am I in love with him or am I a gold digger?”
    “You’re definitely in love with him, but you won’t admit it.