“It doesn’t cross the line, but it rushes right up to it.”
“You don’t want to think of us as casual…”
“I don’t,” she said. “Casual is coffee or drinks. Intimate is—”
The phone rang in her bedroom. She rolled away to pick it up and Walt grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “Intimate is what?”
She smiled at him. “Very, very nice. May I answer the phone now?”
“Any of your close friends or family members dying?” he wanted to know.
“Not to my knowledge.”
“Then how about we don’t—”
“Walt, I’m answering my phone,” she said, rolling away from him. “Hello?” she said into the phone. “Hi, Jack, what’s up? Oh really? Is his name Mason? Yes, you can give him directions, he’s my agent. And Jack—thanks for asking first. That was thoughtful of you. He could be anyone, you know.” When she rolled back to Walt, she just sighed. “A man in a funny hat driving a Bentley just showed up at Jack’s asking if he knew where I lived. Mason.”
“What’s he doing here?”
“Hell if I know. But I suspect he’s got some big idea or script or something and thought if he pressured me in person, it would make a difference. It won’t.”
“Why’d you tell Jack to give him directions?”
“All right, now listen. Mason can annoy me with his focus on my career even after I’m trying to get away from movies, but he’s been a good and loyal friend for over thirty-five years and—”
“And an ex-husband,” Walt pointed out.
“We hardly notice that,” she said. “Seriously, I owe Mason. He’s gotten me out of some tight spots. My business can get real complicated. And he might get a little zooped up over projects that aren’t all they appear to be, but if he ever sees that something isn’t going as it should for my career, he steps in like a lion and gets it handled. So let’s get dressed and be cordial. Hmm?”
“Tell you what,” Walt said. “Let’s meet him in our birthday suits so he knows how it is with us. How about that?”
“That’s just plain cruel. You’re the only one I plan to subject to that sight. Now, be civil to Mason. He’ll go away much sooner if you just play nice and let me handle him.”
“I’m going to slip into the shower,” Walt said.
“Oh, come on. You’re being a little obvious, don’t you think?” she asked, drawing up her jeans.
“When he asks who’s in the shower, you’ll say, Walt—my beyond-casual and not-legally-partnered boyfriend who isn’t going away without a fight anytime soon.”
“Fine.” She laughed. “Be sure you’re dressed when you come downstairs.”
Muriel let Mason in the front door ten minutes later. She hugged him; he fussed over her beauty, though she wore no makeup and hadn’t had a manicure or pedicure in months. He was shorter than her, wore a cashmere sports coat, Gucci shoes and a burgundy beret on his balding head. He had a salt-and-pepper beard and crystal blue eyes that were looking a little too alive. He either had a special script or was on crack.
By the time she was serving him a cup of tea in her brand-new kitchen, Walt appeared. Dressed.
“Mason, I’d like you to meet Walt Booth, my—”
“Significant other,” he said, putting out his hand. He glanced askance at Muriel with a lifted brow, challenging her. She just shook her head and chuckled.
“Walt is my neighbor and very good friend. Very. Good.”
Walt helped himself to a beer from her refrigerator, demonstrating that he was not a guest.
“Now, Mason,” Muriel said. “Let’s skip the suspense. What brings you all the way to Virgin River.”
“Okay, here it is. I hoped you’d come to the house for Thanksgiving so we could talk about it, but since you didn’t… I have an Oscar script, written for you. It’s a romantic comedy, but it’s got some serious teeth. Jack Nicholson wants you to costar. Only you. He’s prepared to go to contract if you’ll take the part. This is your shot, Muriel. This is it. I know I’ve thrown you a lot of crap that you turned down, probably wisely, but you have to look at this one. The producers are loaded and are courting three of the best Oscar-winning directors in the business.”
Dead silence and absence of movement reigned. Muriel knew the fact that she said nothing caused Walt to stiffen nervously. He was no doubt accustomed to her saying no immediately.