Sunkissed (11 page)

The limo driver expertly weaved in and out of traffic. The hundreds of skyscrapers that beleaguered the city blocked the sun. Trista didn’t think she would ever get used to the dizziness she always experienced when riding through the crowded New York City streets. She cracked open the window to get some fresh air, trying not to get sick.

The driver caught her attention in the rearview mirror and stated, “We’re almost there,” in his thick Brooklyn accent.

Trista nodded. She had forgotten about the distinct smell of the city. After living at the beach—without the LA smog—with nice, clean air and a salty sea breeze, she thought maybe she was sensitive to overpowering smells. And depending on the area of the city, it could smell like hot dogs and fresh-baked bagels, or in this case, that garbage-y sewer smell. Rolling up the window, she decided to take her chances on the limo’s pine-scented air freshener.

Trista had lived in Florida long enough to have permanent saltwater in her veins. But she also loved the city. She thrived on it. The energy. The people. The flow. New York was a place where dreams were made. This is where she got her start in show business. “I used to live here,” Trista replied to the driver’s inquiry as to whether she was visiting for pleasure or business. “I hope to move back soon.”

The driver pulled over at the curb, and she exited the limo, instructing him to wait for her—she wouldn’t be long. Taking the elevator up to the forty-sixth floor, she walked into the offices of the PETERSON AGENCY. The reception area was dark except for a lone lamp emitting a soft glow on the desk. It was after eight o’clock at night.

“Kate?” she called out.

“Back here!”

Trista walked down the narrow corridor toward a corner office at the end.

“Well, hello there,” Kate greeted her. “How was your flight?”

“Long.”

“I’m glad you could make it.” Kate stood from her desk, and they exchanged quick air kisses on each cheek.

Kate was in her late fifties, but she didn’t look a day over forty. She had shiny, brunette hair that hung stylishly at her collarbone, and she wore her trademark, blood-red lipstick on her artificially plump lips. Trista thought Kate had a certain look—a driven, take-no-bullshit look—that most born-and-bred New Yorkers had. Although, she knew Kate had a soft side too, once you got to really know her. Kate had been Trista’s first agent, before Trista moved to Hollywood and hired Blake. She’d helped Trista maneuver through the New York City lifestyle and the ins-and-outs of the acting business.

“Here it is.” Kate slid a sheaf of papers across her desk. “Your audition time was moved to ten thirty. Is that all right?”

Crap
. She thought she had until three to memorize her lines and prepare for the audition. “I’ll make it work.”

Kate smiled. “You’ll do fine.”

Trista looked over the first page. That fluttery feeling came back in her stomach. She really wanted this. It was just what she needed to kick off her career again. And get away from all the drama with her sister.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Not to bring up bad news, Trista, but did you hear about Blake?”

Trista paused. “Um, no. I haven’t been in touch with anyone really since I left.”

“I didn’t think so.” Kate picked up her electronic cigarette and inhaled. She blew smoke through her nose. “I really miss the old days where you could smoke indoors. When it was acceptable to have a fully stocked wet bar in your office and have a tumbler of whiskey at two in the afternoon.”

“What about Blake?” Trista asked.

“He’s getting married.”

Trista snorted. “Who would want to marry that piece of shit?”

“Melanie Sweetwater.”

Trista laughed. “Really? She’s a washed-up drunk who got fired from
Days of Our Lives
. Good riddance.”

“You haven’t been keeping up with the news, have you?” Katie blew a ring of smoke. It faintly smelled like cherries. “Melanie is the new lead on
You Only Live Once
.”

“What?” Trista scooted up to the edge of her seat. “You have to be fucking kidding me! She took my place? When did this happen? I thought they weren’t going to replace my role.”

“She’s playing the role of your cousin. You really didn’t know?”

“Let me guess. Blake is her agent?”

“Yep.”

Trista gripped the papers. She flashed back to the picture of Blake and Melanie on the magazine cover. It really was a serious relationship. Why hadn’t Quinn called her to give her this news? Then again, why did she care? She left that world behind months ago. She had an opportunity to do something she loved again. “Well, good for them.” She stood up to go, putting a smile back on her face. “I have to go back to the hotel and get busy.”

“That’s my girl. Don’t let all the other stuff bother you.”

“Thanks again, Kate.”

Blowing another round of smoke, Kate nodded. “Call me afterwards. Let me know how it goes.”

***

Trista picked up a room key from the front desk and made her way to the hotel room. Feeling ravenous, she decided to order a steak from room service and watched a few minutes of some silly housewives reality show. Trista eyed the script she had tossed on the bed and then kicked off her shoes. While she was waiting for room service, she decided to take a quick shower and put on her PJs. The rest of the night would be devoted to learning her lines and getting into character.

After her shower, Trista wrapped herself up in the luxurious hotel robe. She picked up the script and stretched out across the bed. The script highlighted her character as ANNA PENNINGTON. The lead female role of
Love Potion #9
. If she got this role, it would mean at least a twelve-month run on Broadway if reviews went well. Trista would be willing to sign a year contract if she had to. After that, she could decide whether to return to TV or maybe even consider the possibility of a movie role. Of course, she had to get the role first.

Her cell phone rang, and she checked the caller ID. Riker. “Hello?”

“Hey there. I was just calling to see if everything was going okay.”

Earlier that morning, after Nicolette had left, Riker had shown up with bagels and donuts. He had explained to Trista that he had seen Nicolette’s car in the driveway and had circled around the block a few times waiting for her to leave. Trista told him what happened with her sister and that they had temporarily called a truce. She didn’t tell him, however, that she was going to New York to audition for a role on Broadway. Instead she told him that she was going to be spending some long days in the studio finishing up some voice-over work.

“I miss you,” Trista answered.

“I miss you, too,” Riker said, before covering the handset and yelling at someone. “Sorry, babe, but it’s crazy at the bar tonight. I just wanted to see how work was going. I’ll call you in the morning, okay?”

“Sure, good night.” Trista disconnected the call and then turned off her phone. She didn’t need any distractions. Turning her attention back to the script, Trista read her lines over and over, memorizing each one.

***

The same limo driver picked up Trista and dropped her off at the theatre where the auditions were being held. She had expected a waiting room full of people, but she was the only person there.

An assistant greeted her at the door. “The casting director will be with you shortly.”

She tried to settle her nerves while she waited. She wondered how many other people they were considering for the part. Kate had said she didn’t know.

Her cell phone vibrated in her purse. She quickly checked the screen. It was Riker calling. She let it go to voicemail and turned off her phone to prevent further distractions. The last thing she needed was Riker in her head. She ran through her lines again.

The assistant was back minutes later. “Miss Carmichael? Tom Elder will see you now.” She led Trista to an empty room. Two chairs sat facing a wall. “Have a seat. He’ll be right in.”

A minute later, a very tall gentlemen walked in. He was thin with wispy, grey hair and wire spectacles. They shook hands. The assistant closed the door behind her.

“Will there be anyone else joining us?” Trista asked.

“Nope. Just me.”

Trista looked around uncomfortably for a second. This was not the norm. Usually there was at least a few casting members in the audience. Sometimes even the producer.

“Is there something wrong?” Tom asked.

“No. I just thought someone would read with me.”

“I will,” he replied. He had a sheet of paper in his hands, but he didn’t look at it. “I’m ready when you are.”

Trista took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She tried not to let the situation control her. She closed her eyes and slipped into character. And then she uttered the first line in the play.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Kate didn’t even wait for Trista to say hello when she picked up the phone. “It must’ve gone well because they’ve already asked you for a callback.”

“Really?” Trista wasn’t sure that she had done all that well at the audition. She flubbed a few lines, but in the end she got through it. She told Kate about being the only person in the room with Tom during the audition.

Kate laughed. “I should’ve warned you about Tom. He doesn’t like anyone in the room when the leading character reads for a part for the first time. Says it messes with his synergy or something. Anyway, honey, he wants to see you again. This time, you will probably read with the other casting director, and there may be other people in the room.” Kate lowered her voice. “I hear they have another girl reading for the part. So don’t be surprised if she’s there too.”

“Who?” Trista asked.

“Leigha Epler.”

“I thought she was in drug rehab for heroin or something. Didn’t she get fired from another play?”

“She was released from rehab early. Tom wants her to read for this. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I just wanted you to know what you were walking into.”

“All right. What time?”

“Can you be there in an hour?”

Trista didn’t have anything else important to do. She had planned on playing tourist today and maybe taking a tour of the Statue of Liberty, eat a hotdog at Gray’s Papaya, and stroll around Times Square while she waited to hear back about the play. “Of course.”

***

This time Trista was met by Tom Elder himself. He escorted her back to the same room and introduced her to Brandy Thibault, the other casting director, and David Browman, who had already been cast as the male lead in the play.

“I have to say I was surprised to hear that I was going to be reading with the beautiful Trista Carmichael. I thought you were still doing television,” David said. She wasn’t sure if that was a dig or if he was just being nice. She took it as the former.

“You know I started on Broadway. I was Ali in
Rent
back in 2005.”

The door clicked shut. “That was a small part, a long time ago. You had what? Three lines in the whole play?” a woman’s voice asked.

Trista turned to find Leigha Epler entering the room.  

“Leigha! How are you?” Trista asked, forcing a tight smile on her face.

Leigha was well known around Broadway, having several plum roles, before her brief stint in rehab. But Trista wasn’t going to stoop to her level and bring that up.

Leigha tossed her trademark blonde mane over her shoulders. “I’m doing terrific!” She was gorgeous, thin, and had a voice that Broadway producers loved. The voice of an angel, some people thought. Trista heard that Leigha’s mother had spent a fortune on voice lessons, acting coaches, and who knows what else when Leigha was growing up. And Leigha graduated from one of the best performing arts schools in New York. Trista had a right to be worried about this role.

Trista felt her stomach tightened. She put on a fake smile. “Nice seeing you again.”

Leigha sat down on one of the chairs and crossed her long legs at the ankle. “Always good to see you, dear.”

“Okay, girls. Let’s get started.” Tom took his seat. “Trista, why don’t you read first?” He thrust a sheaf of papers at her. “This is the new script. We made some changes.”

A cold read
. Trista looked over the script. A cold read was exactly that—an actor/actress was to read a part that he/she had never seen before. She didn’t have time to prepare. But she knew the character. She could do this. Taking a deep breath to mentally prepare, she read the lines.

Trista let the top down on her Mercedes and felt the warmth of the fresh Florida sunshine as it hit her face. It felt good to be back in Florida, but she was already missing the vibe of the city. She decided to drive straight to Riker’s place. He had sent her a text earlier asking her to stop by if she had time. She had been putting him off while she was in New York, explaining that she was busy with work.

Trista parked her Mercedes in the driveway and turned off the ignition. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out some mint flavored Chapstick and applied it to her lips. Riding in a plane always made her skin and lips dry, and she didn’t have a lot of time to freshen up in the airplane’s lavatory. Squeezing into a little box of a bathroom to change clothes and apply makeup on an airplane experiencing slight turbulence wasn’t the most ideal situation. She spritzed some of her favorite perfume, Flowerbomb, on her neck and wrists and then got out of the car.

Before she could knock, the front door swung open. Riker was standing there, shirtless, with a goofy smile on his face. He was horny. Trista could tell. She was too.

Riker grabbed Trista by the hand and pulled her inside his apartment without saying a word. As soon as the door was closed and bolted, he picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. Gently laying her across the bed, he straddled her and leaned over, covering her mouth with his. His tongue tangled with hers as she ran her hands over his body, feeling the muscular bulge of his biceps, the hardness of his chest, and each ripple of his abs. Riker pulled back and started to unbutton her shirt. He lifted her bra, freeing her breasts from their black, lacy cups. Putting his mouth over one nipple, he gave it a hard tug. Trista moaned in pleasure.

Riker moved on to the other breast and licked her nipple, swirling his tongue round and round. She could feel his hardness against her thigh. With one hand, he pushed up her skirt, finding that Trista wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Oh my God, you are so hot right now.”

Trista arched her back as Riker settled between her legs. He ran his tongue over her swollen clit. “You taste so sweet.” He pulled her clit into his mouth and sucked, causing her to slip into complete ecstasy. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he slipped his finger inside while licking her up and down, tasting every inch of her, sending her world into an explosion of vibrant colors.

“I’ve missed you.” He stripped off his jeans in record time and lowered himself back over her. She could feel the tip of his shaft penetrate her as he pushed up against her. Trista opened her legs even more as Riker slipped easily inside. She cried out in ecstasy as he plunged deeper.

Grabbing a handful of his hair, she held on as he continued to pump with long, steady strokes. He threw his head back, letting out a groan as he began to pick up the pace, moving faster and faster. She picked up her hips and ground against him, meeting his every thrust.

“You’re so fucking incredible. I love the way you feel, Trista,” Riker said as he moved inside of her.

“I can’t hold back any longer,” she answered, as a crashing wave of pleasure swept over her. She cried out his name as she came.

He let out a roar as he plunged inside of her one last time, and then fell on top of her.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered in his ear. She stroked his hair while he was still on top of her, breathing heavily.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he finally said, catching his breath. He kissed her on the neck before easing out. He rolled over and tucked his arms behind his head on the pillow. “Are you done with work?”

Trista nodded, swallowing her guilty conscience. “For now. I’m hoping to get some more projects.”

“Sounds like a perfect time for a little vacation.”

“Oh yeah? Where did you have in mind?”

“Key West.”

Trista scooched over, and nuzzled her head against Riker’s arm. “What’s in the Keys?”

“The Bar.”

Trista laughed. “What bar?”

“Not just any bar. The Bar. That’s the name of it.”

“You want to go all the way to the Keys to visit a bar? We have plenty of them here in Blue Mountain.”

“My friend, Stan Hayes, owns The Bar. He called me last night and asked me if I wanted to buy it. He recently got married and is moving back to Panama City.”

Trista lifted her head and stared at Riker. “You’re serious?”

“Cross my heart.” He made the motion with his fingers over his chest. “I’ve always loved the Keys. And it’s a great opportunity. He’s selling it dirt cheap.”

“Maybe there’s something wrong with it?”

“I doubt it. The Bar is the most popular hangout in the area.” Riker kissed her on top of her nose. “So what do you say? Want to go check it out with me?”

“Wait a minute. You’re serious. You want to buy a bar in the Keys? Like, move down there permanently?”

He nodded. “I’d love for you to come with me.”

“Riker. I don’t know if I can do that.” She thought about the job in New York. Long distance relationships almost never worked. “I have my career to think about.”

“Miami isn’t that far away. I’ve been doing my research. They do a lot of filming down there. There’s a ton of studios for your voice-over work. Plus with the international airport, you can pretty much fly anywhere you need to be at a moment’s notice.”

Trista knew this was as good a time as any to tell him about New York. He didn’t understand the way her business worked. She couldn’t just up and move to Miami or the Keys. She had to go where the work was, and right now, there was nothing in South Florida that was appealing to her.

On the other hand, she was falling in love with Riker and that scared her. It scared her a lot. Her last relationship hadn’t ended so well. Not that she thought Riker was anything like Blake. Plus, she still had to deal with the emotional fall-out from Nicolette once she learned of her and Riker’s relationship. No, now was not the time to deal with all this. She hadn’t heard anything back from her agent, anyway. She shook all the thoughts from her head.

Riker took her chin in his hand and gently turned her to face him. “What’s wrong, Trista? I can see those wheels turning in that pretty little head of yours.”

She put on a smile. “Since when can you see inside of my head?” she teased him. “When do you want to go?”

“We can fly down there after rehearsals on Saturday. Come back Monday or Tuesday night. I already have Big Dave covering my shifts at the Liar’s Club.”

Trista thought about getting the call regarding the job on Broadway. When she left New York, they still hadn’t made a final decision on casting. Kate told her it may take a few days before they heard anything. As far as she knew, they could be looking at other actresses. What if she had to leave again at a moment’s notice? She could always call her agent and let her know that she was going on a quick trip. Worst-case scenario, she could make an excuse to fly home early and catch a flight from Miami.

“It’ll be fun.” Riker pulled Trista closer to him. “Besides we can have some alone time without worrying about Nicolette or anyone else seeing us. I know of this little island down there that we can stay at a night or two. It’s totally secluded. Adults only.”

Trista couldn’t say no to Riker. Getting away from Blue Mountain Beach and the drama with her sister would be refreshing. Besides it would give her the perfect chance to tell him about her plans for moving to New York. Whether she got the job or not, she thought the move would be the best thing for her if she still wanted a career in acting. If he loved her, they could make it work.

Trista stretched out. “Are you going to help me pack?”

Riker said, “Just throw a couple bikinis in your bag. And a toothbrush. That’s all you need.” He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “We need to get going if we are going to make rehearsals tonight.”