The Hudsons: Max, Bella and Devlin: Bargained Into Her Boss's Bed / Scene 3 / Propositioned Into a Foreign Affair / Scene 4 / Seduced Into a Paper Marriage

Four

Hudson Pictures’ studios in Burbank reminded Dana of home.

The property had a forties vibe that was both nostalgic and quaint. She loved everything about the place from the large, well-maintained buildings housing the sets and equipment to the small bungalows that made up the offices. It was the architecture of those bungalows that reminded her of her grandparents’ waterfront community in Southport, North Carolina, which had been constructed in the same era.

She squashed a wave of homesickness and reminded herself she was living hers and her father’s dreams. Not many people got a chance to do that.

As she hustled through the studio grounds beside Max she couldn’t help getting mushy and emotional. When Dana had first started at Hudson Pictures, Lillian had personally guided her through the maze of buildings recounting the story of her life with Charles Hudson.

Oh, sure, Dana had recognized the subtle grilling the older lady had hidden behind the fairy-tale romance, but she’d been too enthralled by Lillian’s exciting past to resent the inquisition. Lillian’s blue eyes, eyes so like Max’s, still came alive when she’d talked about those days.

Lillian had told Dana that it had been Charles’s dream to make the story of their lifelong romance into a movie, but he’d died back in 1995 before seeing it to fruition. And now Lillian had adopted her husband’s dream as her own—one last gift to him before she joined him, she’d told Dana over their last tea. She wanted the world to know what a wonderful man Charles had been.

Looking at the Hudson matriarch now, no one would guess the older woman had led a secret life as a spy masquerading as a cabaret singer in France during World War II. That’s how she’d met Charles and their courtship had begun, and it was where they’d secretly married. When France was liberated, Charles had been ordered to fight in Germany, but he’d promised to return for his bride as soon as he could. He’d kept that promise, and then he’d brought Lillian here to the home and studios he’d built for her and made her a star. Lillian in turn had made Hudson Pictures a megasuccess, a privately owned filmmaking dynasty.

Dana sighed and pressed a hand to her chest. Every woman should have a larger-than-life romance like that. Her eyes grew misty just thinking about a lover who would cross the globe for her or stand by her through the difficult challenges of life. But so far, she hadn’t been that lucky. She’d had boyfriends in high school and college, but nothing with forever written on it—not even close, but not for lack of looking. She found either friendship or passion, but she’d never managed to find a man who brought her both. And that was what she wanted more than anything.

She was determined to hold out for a true love like her parents’, her brother’s or Lillian and Charles’s. With three excellent examples you’d think she’d have better luck.

“Dana.”

She startled at Max’s firm tone. “What?”

He stopped outside their office bungalow and stared down at her through narrowed eyes. “Did you hear a word I said?”

Her cheeks burned. “Um…no. I’m sorry. I was thinking about the Honor script and how lucky you were to convince Cece Cassidy to write it. She did a great job.”

“Jack convinced her.”

Upon Lillian’s request, Max’s cousin Jack had approached his former lover for the job. “He ended up with a great screenplay from her and found a son he didn’t know he had—a double blessing.”

Jack and Cece’s romance was just one of several connected to Honor’s cast and crew. Was it too much to hope for one of her own before they wrapped? Apparently.

And then she noticed Max’s scowl. “Lillian is thrilled to have a great-grandchild.”

His frown deepened. “Is there anything else you’d like to share with me before we go into this meeting?”

She winced at the bite of his sarcasm, and then she wanted to smack her forehead. Duh. She’d forgotten that according to the Hudson rumor mill he and Karen had been trying to get pregnant when Karen died. Mentioning his younger cousin Jack’s son had not been a good idea.

“No. I’ve made a list of bullet points that require attention and action right now, but I’m not exactly sure why your uncle David is calling this meeting, and he wouldn’t say. I don’t know if what I have is relevant.”

She hurried through the door he opened for her and bolted toward her old desk, where she dropped her briefcase and withdrew a folder, which she passed to him. They had yet to sort out a new office for her, and since her replacement hadn’t been found, there was no rush to vacate the space. Max had rejected each of the applicants’ résumés personnel had sent over. He’d yet to call one single person in for an interview.

“Everything you need should be in here. Do I get to sit in on the meeting?”

“Yes. But I’ll do the talking.”

“Understood.”

He’d barely spoken on the drive in. Was he still thinking about the kiss that, she suspected in his opinion, shouldn’t have happened? She couldn’t stop rehashing it. If only she hadn’t jerked away…

What would he have done?

Nothing. He wasn’t kissing you. He was kissing whomever he’d been dreaming about.

But what if she was wrong? What if he had known it was her?

Excitement made her shiver.

Get real.

All right, so chances were he hadn’t been thinking of her.

Should she tell him she’d enjoyed the kiss? Probably not. If she played her hand and he rejected her, it could get uncomfortable. Would she be able to handle the humiliation of running into Max at one Hollywood event after another? The Hudsons were powerful people. One word from any of them whispered in the right ear and she’d have a hard time ever finding a job anywhere in the movie biz.

That would be a disaster because the last thing she wanted to do was tuck her tail between her legs and run home, disappointing herself, her father and her brother.

But what if she could find a way to make Max notice her as a woman…?

She thought about her brother fighting the odds and winning, and about her father who’d found a way to achieve his dreams on the East Coast instead of the West, and her mother who made a living sharing her color-drenched view of the world with others. She’d faced rejection head-on daily until she’d finally found success.

Dana asked herself how she could be any less courageous.

She watched Max’s stiff spine as he headed for his office.

Every member of her family took risks on a regular basis, with their hearts and their careers. She was the only one who always, always, played it safe. Coming to Hollywood was the only real risk she’d ever taken…and she’d done that only after she’d landed the job as Max’s executive assistant.

It was time she found the courage to gamble on something that really mattered. And what really mattered was Max.

“We have a problem,” David Hudson’s voice said over the speaker.

Dana wasn’t crazy about Max’s uncle. He might be charming on the surface, but in her opinion he was a womanizer who never had time for his children. The only reason she didn’t hate him was because he treated his mother, Lillian, well.

“What problem besides a shortage of time?” Markus Hudson, Max’s father and the CEO of Hudson Pictures, countered.

Dana liked Markus, and she saw a lot of him because he was close to Max and often stopped by the office to chat. Markus was a wonderful husband, father and son.

While only Dana and Max occupied the office, Max’s oldest brother Dev, the COO of Hudson Pictures, plus Luc, Max’s younger brother who acted as PR director, had joined them on the conference call but had been silent thus far.

“What kind of trouble, David?” Max asked.

“Willow Films is making a World War II picture scheduled for release just prior to Honor.”

Dana gasped and nearly dropped the pen she held for note taking. Willow was Hudson’s biggest rival. There wasn’t a lot of good feeling between the two film companies. In fact, the competition sometimes turned ugly.

“Worse,” David continued, “rumor has it the story has some similarities to Lillian and Charles’s. But I can’t get anyone to tell me how similar the two films are.”

“How accurate is your source?” Dev asked.

“I trust it,” David replied.

Dana could feel Max’s tension and see it in the lines on his face. His fingers fisted on his desktop. “Even if we could swing an earlier release at this late date, I don’t think I can finish Honor any faster.”

“We’re not asking that of you, son.” Markus’s voice filled the room. “But we might need to put a PR spin on this to make our film sound bigger and better and different or Willow will kill our momentum.”

“I’ll get on it,” Luc said. “But it would help to know more about their product.”

“I’ll see what I can get,” David said, “but they’re pretty damned tight-lipped.”

Adrenaline rushed through Dana’s system. One of her past boyfriends was an assistant director for Willow, and she and Doug had parted on good terms. In fact, he owed her a favor….

She sat up straighter as she turned an idea over in her mind. Could she get the information this group needed out of Doug?

She opened her mouth to volunteer, but sealed her lips without saying a word. Why make promises she wasn’t sure she could keep? Best to test the waters first.

But the chance to do something to make Max notice her had fallen right in her lap. And she was determined not to blow it.

“Long time no see, babe,” Doug said as he joined Dana at The Castaway in Burbank on Tuesday evening.

Dana had invited Doug to the restaurant in the hills overlooking the golf course because it had been his favorite back when they were dating. Once the sun set and the city lights twinkled below, the setting would be magical. Too bad it had never sparked romance between them.

“I’m glad you could make it on short notice.” She rose from her seat and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. As usual, the doofus turned his head at the last second and she caught him square on the mouth. He was one of those people who kissed every female, young or old, on the lips, and because he was the total package—smart, ambitious, charming and attractive in a golden-boy kind of way—he could get away with it. Unfortunately, there had never been any chemistry between them, not even a tiny fizz. But they’d given it their best shot.

“Lucky you called when you did. The boss and I leave on recce at the crack of dawn tomorrow. I won’t be back for at least two weeks, longer if it doesn’t go well.”

“Ooh, I’m jealous. I love scouting out potential locations. Where are you headed?”

“Can’t say. Top secret. But it’s somewhere warm and sunny with umbrella drinks.” His blue eyes, shades paler than Max’s, glimmered with amusement. He took his seat. “Congrats on the promotion.”

“You heard?”

“Tinseltown is a small, gossipy community. Besides, you were once my girl, so I keep tabs on you. Liking the job so far?”

“Most of it. It has a steep learning curve, but I’m learning from the best.” She wasn’t going to tell him Max was working her fanny off, and she was lucky to get six hours of sleep each night or that she loved every minute of the torture.

“I’ll bet it’s a load of pressure with Honor nearing completion.”

She smiled. He’d opened the subject, which made her job easier. As an assistant director, Doug assisted the director much the way she assisted Max. Doug didn’t actually direct and he was okay with that. She’d have preferred the more creative position. But his job meant he knew a lot about ongoing projects.

“Yes, there is a lot of tension at the moment. I hear Willow has its own World War II film coming out soon.”

“You heard correctly.”

“Is it a romance?”

One corner of his mouth rose in a teasing smile. “Could be.”

“Oh, c’mon, Doug.”

He leaned forward and caught both of her hands in his on the table. It was a familiar gesture, one he’d done dozens of times before. “Why should I share with you? You work for the enemy, remember?”

“What do you have to lose? Everyone in Hollywood already knows the gist of Charles’s and Lillian’s story, and your picture is coming out first. Besides, I introduced you to the person who ended up hiring you for this job you adore, remember?”

Doug used to live in her building and had been her premiere date on more than one occasion before they’d tried and failed to be more than just occasional stand-in dates. She’d made the job connection for him at an after party.

“Good point.” He released her, waved down the waiter and ordered a bottle of champagne. They had been together for about a year, and he hadn’t forgotten her preference for Krug Brut Grande Cuvée. “Yes, it’s a romance. I know how much you love sappy love stories.”

“How similar is it to Honor?”

“It’s similar.”

She grimaced. That wasn’t good. “That’s going to make marketing on our end difficult.”

“Not if you play up the differences.”

That’s exactly what Markus had said. “How are we going to know what those differences are?”

The waiter returned with the champagne. Dana impatiently waited for the whole tasting ritual thing to pass and then opened her mouth to repeat her question. Doug halted her with a raised finger.

“First we celebrate your promotion.” He lifted his glass. She dutifully clinked her rim to his and sipped. The golden liquid bubbled down her throat leaving a nutty, toasted finish behind, but it failed to sooth her agitated nerves. She didn’t need alcohol. She needed answers.

Doug covered her free hand with his. “Dana, relax. I didn’t work on the film directly, so I don’t know the details, but I might have a copy of the script at my place. You can follow me home and I’ll check. If I don’t, then I can probably get you a copy when I get back. After all, as you said, what could it hurt? It’s too late in the game for any espionage stuff.”

Surprise made her gasp. She couldn’t possibly ask for any more. “Will that get you in trouble?”

“I don’t think so. I’ll test the waters first.”

“I don’t want to get you fired.”

He winked. “I don’t want that, either.”

“I could kiss you, Doug.”

“Please do.”

That stilled her for a moment with a twinge of discomfort. “But you know—”

“Dana, just shut up and kiss me. I know it means nothing. But it raises my value to be seen with a hot chick.”

Chuckling, she rose and leaned over the table without bothering to argue about his “hot chick” comment. She gave Doug a quick peck. It was like kissing her brother only Doug wore pricier cologne.

“Celebrating something?” Max’s voice said behind her.

She froze an inch away from Doug’s lips and then straightened and turned. The icy look in Max’s blue eyes made her uneasy. “Uh…hi, Max.”

Max wore his black Jack Victor suit with a white shirt and a black-and-white patterned tie. He looked delicious in a forbidding way.

Doug’s chair scraped as he pushed it back and rose. “We’re celebrating Dana’s promotion. I’m glad you were finally smart enough to recognize her worth.”

She shot Doug a warning glance. Doug ignored her and offered Max his hand. “I’m Doug Lewis. We met a couple of years ago at the Legions premiere.”

Max gave him a brief, hard shake. “I remember.”

Max no doubt did. Dana didn’t think he ever forgot a name or face. But at the time Doug hadn’t been working for Willow. Should she tell him Doug had promised her a copy of the Willow script? No, better not. She didn’t want to get Doug in trouble, and she didn’t want to raise Max’s hopes in case Doug couldn’t deliver.

“Thanks for stopping by to say hello,” Doug added in clear dismissal. “We won’t keep you.”

Aghast, Dana stared. Did the man have a career death wish?

Max’s cold eyes found Dana’s again. “My appointment is waiting. Don’t stay out late tonight. We have a full schedule tomorrow. I’ll meet you in the kitchen at six.”

Having dropped that bombshell, he strolled across to the dining room. Her gaze followed him to a table where he joined his older brother.

Dana turned on Doug. “Are you crazy?”

“Whoa. He’ll meet you in the kitchen?”

She sighed. “Until Honor is finished I’m staying at Max’s house. It allows us more working hours if I don’t have to commute.”

“You’ve had it bad for him forever.”

Her cheeks warmed. “He is my boss and I like and respect him.”

“It’s more than that and you know it. Opportunity is knocking, babe. Why not see if we can stir up a little heat?” He reached for her.

Groaning, she evaded him and sank back in her chair. “That’s why you asked me to kiss you? You saw Max coming?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

Doug had stirred up something all right. Max’s anger. Max had looked furious to find her out partying when she should be at home working on Honor. She had a mountain of work on her desk and not enough hours in the day to get it done.

She prayed the copy of the Willow script came through. Only then could she fully explain to Max why she was consorting with the enemy.

“You look ready to breathe fire,” Dev said as Max joined him at their table.

“My assistant is wining and dining when she should be at home working.” That was the only reason seeing Dana kiss the guy had pissed him off. The urge to knock the kid back into his chair had nothing to do with the fact that she’d been kissing Max thirty-two hours ago.

For God’s sake, she worked for him. The kiss had been a mistake—one he shouldn’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t repeat. Had he learned nothing from his marriage? Business and pleasure were a volatile combination.

“You’re out tonight, too.”

“This is work. We’re here to develop strategy to counteract the Willow competition. Damn, this time crunch is killing us.”

“Rushing the film through production and postproduction has definitely added some pressure. But you can’t expect her to work around the clock.”

“Until this film is done we’re all working around the clock. She knew what she was getting into before she signed on as associate producer, and she’s being paid accordingly. If she’d wanted nine-to-five, she should have kept her old job.”

Dev looked beyond Max’s shoulder and his eyes narrowed. “How well do you know Dana?”

Obviously not as well as he’d thought given the discoveries he’d made in the past few days. Had he ever seen her smile the way she’d been smiling at her date? “Why?”

“Her dinner date is Doug Lewis.”

“I’ve met him.”

“He’s Trey Jacob’s assistant.”

A knot jerked tight in Max’s midsection. “Lewis works for Willow.”

“That’s right. And we have a possible leak. Think there’s a connection?”

Instant denial sprung to Max’s lips. He’d trusted Dana with everything for the past five years. But Dev had planted a seed of doubt and tendrils of mistrust took root. Would Dana betray him? Would she betray Hudson Pictures? If so, why? What possible motive could she have?

Money? He’d seen no signs of excess spending in her apartment, and she drove a four-year-old economy car. She wasn’t into jewelry or designer shoes and handbags like so many of the actresses he dealt with.

A promotion? She’d have less of a chance of producing anything at Willow than she had with Hudson, and she was smart enough to know it.