Sugar And Spice Part 9

Scarlett noticed Jane opening her mouth to say, "I didn't," then clamping it shut. The fish tacos had been Scarlett's idea, because she had a super-easy recipe that consisted of four ingredients (tortillas, frozen fish sticks, shredded cabbage, and bottled sauce) and a microwave.

Jane glanced down at her lap, then up at Caleb with a fake smile. "Yeah, well, do you remember my favorite food from high school?" she asked him.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. Dana must be texting Jane directions. She could tell the difference between her friend's real tone of voice and her Dana is making me say stuff tone of voice.

Caleb looked thoughtful. "Hmmm. Definitely your mom's homemade clam chowder."

"Wrong! It was pizza from Paesano's," Scarlett corrected him.

Jane laughed. "You're both wrong. I was obsessed with mac and cheese. Remember, I used to make it all the time?"

Caleb and Naveen laughed, too. Scarlett was surprised that they seemed so comfortable with two PopTV cameras practically on top of them, filming everything. Maybe it was the pomegranate margaritas (which were kind of strong) . . . or maybe they were just naturals at this . . . or maybe Dana was texting them lines, too. Whatever the case, the evening was going smoothly so far, and Caleb and Naveen were being really charming. Scarlett found herself almost relaxing and having fun. Almost.

"So, Scarlett. How's school going?" Naveen said, touching her arm lightly.

She pulled away quickly and said, "It's fine." You're on camera. Say something! Act friendly and casual! she reminded herself. "I had my photography cla.s.s today."

"Digital or film?"

"Digital. The professor doesn't believe in Photoshopping, so we have to learn to take really, really good images."

"Wow, no Photoshopping? That's so not-Hollywood."

"Yeah, right? It's kind of refres.h.i.+ng." Scarlett took a bite of the guacamole. Hmm, not good.

Naveen grinned. "Could you imagine if Photoshop was never invented? And you got to see pictures of celebrities as they really are, with wrinkles and m.u.f.fin tops and ma.s.sive zits and cankles-"

Scarlett cracked up, covering her mouth with her hands. "Stop! You can't make me laugh when I'm eating!" she mumbled.

Naveen leaned over as if to tickle her. "Really? Why not?" he said innocently.

"Stop it!"

"Caleb and I are going to make another pitcher of margaritas," Jane announced, standing up. Caleb stood up, too. Was Scarlett imagining things, or was Jane a bit wobbly on her feet? Maybe more margaritas weren't such a good idea. "Stay out of trouble, you two!" she added, wagging her finger playfully at Scarlett and Naveen.

Oh, G.o.d. Did she seriously just say that on camera? "We're just going to finish off this yummy guacamole!" Scarlett said as Jane and Caleb headed into the kitchen, hoping to divert attention from Jane's remark. Although that was probably wishful thinking, since Trevor would no doubt edit out Scarlett's guacamole comment and replace it with-oh, maybe a shot of Naveen's hand lingering on Scarlett's arm. Or a shot of Naveen pretending to tickle Scarlett. Or a shot of Scarlett giving Jane some sort of intense, loaded, just between us girls look, lifted from some random portion of the evening.

Scarlett sighed, dreading the conversation she would have to have with Liam when this episode aired. It wasn't a double date. No, he wasn't trying to cop a feel. Jane was drunk, she didn't mean that. No, I wasn't drunk, I was totally sober and I was not flirting with him.

Scarlett glanced sideways at Naveen. He was staring at her, and it made her uncomfortable.

"So I have this a.s.signment I have to do for photography," Scarlett blurted out. "I have to take a portrait in the style of one of my favorite photographers."

"That's cool. Which photographer did you pick?" Naveen asked her.

"I was thinking of Richard Avedon or maybe Irving Penn."

"Good choices. Do you have a model yet?"

"No, but I'd better line one up soon. The a.s.signment's due, like, next week."

"Well, if you're desperate, I'm happy to volunteer. I'm cool having you shoot me," Naveen said, grinning. "And since I'm so naturally good-looking, I never require Photoshop."

Scarlett rolled her eyes at him. She knew he was joking, but as far as she could tell, he was physically practically perfect-no Photoshop or other enhancements required. Of course, she meant this in a purely objective, artistic way. Unlike that night at Hendry's Beach, when he'd peeled off his T-s.h.i.+rt, and she'd almost stopped breathing at the sight of his sculpted abs and . . .

Stop it! she told herself. She stood up abruptly. "Uh, I'm just going to check on Jane in the kitchen."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I'm good! I'm great! Just stay here and eat more fish tacos!" Scarlett insisted.

The camera swiveled to follow her as she headed toward the kitchen. Camera, singular. Scarlett noticed that the other camera guy was planted in the kitchen doorway, filming. She had to get away from Naveen. She didn't want to give Trevor any more opportunities to edit her in a compromising light, making it appear as though she and Naveen were milliseconds away from hooking up. Despite his slight jealousy, Liam was the most awesome boyfriend she'd ever had-actually, the only real boyfriend she'd ever had, period.

"'Scuse me," Scarlett muttered, inching past the camera guy. "Hey, Janie, do you need some help with-"

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Jane and Caleb were leaning against the sink, kissing.

Uh-oh, Scarlett thought.

Chapter 14.

Deja Vu

Jane sat down on the edge of the pool and gazed at the moon's reflection on the dark, gla.s.sy surface. Caleb sat down next to her and curled his arm around her shoulders. It was after midnight . . . the PopTV crew was gone . . . and the entire apartment complex seemed to be asleep. Naveen had gone home long ago, and Scarlett had gone to bed.

Or maybe Scarlett was standing out on their terrace with a pair of binoculars, spying on Jane and Caleb? Jane didn't really believe Scar would do that, but sometimes her best friend could be more overprotective than Jane's own mom and dad.

"Hey," Caleb said, interrupting her thoughts, "you wanna take a dip?"

"Um, no, thanks. You go ahead, though."

"What? Where's the old Janie Roberts who used to dive headfirst into the surf when it was freezing out?" Caleb teased her.

Jane laughed. "She grew up? The new Janie Roberts likes to stay warm. Besides, most of the time you used to push me in, jerk!"

Caleb laughed, too. "Oh, yeah."

"Soooo. Did you have fun tonight? Was it okay? With the cameras, I mean."

"It was kind of weird at first. But after a while I figured out that I should just ignore them and be myself."

Like in the kitchen? Jane wanted to ask him. She slipped off her sandals and dipped her toes into the water. Brrr, chilly. Still, she made herself keep her toes there, figuring they would eventually get used to the temperature.

When she and Caleb had headed into the kitchen to make more drinks, she had barely had a chance to pick up the bottle of margarita mix when Caleb pulled her close and started kissing her. It had been so nice, so familiar, as though they'd taken up right where they'd left off. Or even further back in time, when he'd kissed her for the first time in the front seat of his parents' Subaru, with "Deja Vu" by Beyonce and Jay-Z playing on the radio, and she'd thought, I'm in love.

She'd had a crush on Caleb Hunt for what seemed like forever, dragged Scarlett along to watch him at his swim meets, and secretly hated his girlfriend at the time, a cute, vapid cheerleader named Kailey. After that spontaneous, unexpected kiss-he'd given her a ride home from a student government meeting-he broke up with Kailey (who began hating Jane back, not so secretly), and he and Jane became an item. They were practically inseparable. They lost their virginity to each other (or that's what he told her, anyway). When he decided to go to Yale, all the way across the country, and she decided to take the year off to explore her options and travel, she had sincerely thought they could make a long-distance relations.h.i.+p work. After all, she loved him, and he loved her, and they were meant to be together . . . and maybe even get married someday.

Which is why it had been so devastating when Caleb told her last May that he wanted to call it quits. Had she been naive, thinking they could survive being three thousand miles apart? Now, he was back in her life . . . and maybe even wanted to get back together. Was she ready for this? Was this what she wanted, too? Or was she being naive-again? And what about her decision to stay single for the near future?

Jane peeked at Caleb's silver diving watch, the same one he'd had since high school. G.o.d, it was almost 1 a.m. She had to be up in six hours. "I'd better head upstairs. It's late, and we're filming at the office tomorrow," she told Caleb.

"Wow, seems like the cameras are with you all the time," Caleb said.

"It feels like that sometimes. We've been so busy at work lately. There's Aja's engagement party I told you about, plus I'm organizing some smaller parties, too. Oh, and Trevor asked me to plan a birthday party for Scar next weekend. It's a surprise, so you can't say anything! Promise me!"

"My lips are sealed," Caleb a.s.sured her.

"You and Naveen should be getting your invites in a couple days. Someone at PopTV's handling them." Jane added, "It's gonna be huge, like fifty or sixty people. Trevor's devoting a whole episode to it. Scar has no idea!"

"Wow."

"Yeah. She's not a big birthday person-remember? Trevor thought it would be fun to do this for her."

Actually, Jane had had her reservations when Trevor first approached her with the idea last week, mostly because she was worried that Liam would feel out of place at a PopTV event, even if it was a party for his girlfriend. But Trevor had a.s.sured Jane that he or one of his staff would speak to Liam personally and clear everything with him. Jane really hoped Liam would come to the party for Scar's sake, even though he couldn't film, and even though he might not love hanging out with his ex-coworkers. Although . . . she wondered how things were going between him and Scar lately. Earlier, Jane had asked Scar if he was okay about Caleb and Naveen coming over for dinner, and she had mumbled something about how Liam would just have to deal because she was a "free woman." Huh?

Caleb got to his feet, then grabbed Jane's hand and helped her up. From somewhere in the distance, Jane could hear the faint strains of "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. She and Caleb had slow danced to it at prom. She flashed back to that night, to how long she'd spent getting ready (she smiled to herself, thinking of her long blue chiffon dress from Macy's and her rhinestone earrings from Claire's-and the fact that her mother, not some fancy L.A. stylists, had helped her with her hair and makeup). How gorgeous Caleb had looked in his black tux (she could picture him standing in the doorway as he handed her a wrist corsage of white and lavender roses, and her dad in the background, snapping away with his finicky digital camera that he kept meaning to replace). And later, during that song, dancing with Caleb and knowing that they were graduating soon and that everything was going to change. But here they were, almost two years later. Everything had changed . . . and yet, in this moment, it felt like everything was still the same.

Caleb caressed her bare arm, giving her goose b.u.mps. "So. Are you free for dinner tomorrow night?"

Jane gazed up at him. "Umm . . . well . . ." She'd had lots of good reasons to decide to take a break from dating. Lots. But at this moment, with Caleb, she was having a hard time remembering any of them.

"You like Italian, right? I found this great place just off Will-sher. Did I say that right?"

"You said it perfectly," Jane said. G.o.d, he was adorable. And why did he have to have those amazing dimples?

Okay, maybe one date. "Caleb. Listen. If we're going to . . . um, hang out, I need you to understand something. This show is my job. Well, my other job, anyway. When I'm out, there's usually a crew with me. Are you okay with that?"

"By 'hang out,' do you mean this?" Caleb cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. Jane hesitated at first, then kissed him back.

When they stopped for air, he pulled her in even closer, holding tightly. "I know exactly what you need right now," he whispered in her ear.

"You . . . do?" Jane said breathlessly.

"I do."

Then, before Jane knew what was happening, he swept her off her feet and turned toward the pool. "Caleb!" she screamed. "Don't you DARE!"

But it was too late, and Jane felt herself hitting the cool water with a loud splash. When she resurfaced seconds later, Caleb was right beside her, laughing hysterically.

"You're still a jerk!" Jane scolded him, swatting a wet strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Yeah, but you're still crazy about me," Caleb teased her.

Jane glared at him. And broke into a smile. And wrapped her arms around his neck. This was definitely like old times. Better than old times.

Maybe she didn't need to swear off all boys. Didn't she deserve to have some fun, after everything?

Chapter 15.

The Two Sisters

"I need you to get on the phone ASAP and leak some details about Jane and Caleb's dinner date," Trevor told Melissa. The PopTV publicist was standing in the doorway of his office, stifling a yawn as she scribbled in a spiral-bound Mead notebook. "We're fast-tracking that episode and airing it a week from-I'm sorry, am I boring you?"

Melissa snapped to attention. "No, no. I'm writing all this down."

Trevor sighed. His employees were going to have to get used to coming in early on Sunday mornings if they wanted to rise to the top at PopTV. L.A. Candy Season 2 was already surpa.s.sing Season 1 in ratings, which meant working around the clock if necessary to keep it that way.

"I want the story to make this week's issues so that people watch that episode next week. Mention that Jane and Caleb went to La Dolce Vita last Thursday. They were 'holding hands and looking very cozy,' etc., etc.," Trevor said. "Paint a picture-you know, first love, high school romance, he went away to college, can they rekindle the flames?" He added, "Get something in there about Jesse, too. Don't talk about his DUI. I'm thinking along the lines of, 'Can Caleb help Jane get over her broken heart?' If they bring up the DUI, just say that Jane is happy that Jesse is getting the help he needs." Jesse had checked into a rehab clinic in Palm Springs and was apparently going to be there for a while. Which was good news. It occurred to Trevor that Jesse might not take the news of Jane and Caleb's rekindled relations.h.i.+p too well. He only hoped it wouldn't derail Jesse's new sobriety.

Melissa nodded. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Yeah, but I'm still working on it. Check back with me in half an hour. No, give me an hour. Madison's coming in at nine thirty to talk to me about something."

"Okay, then, I'm off to be another 'anonymous source.'"

Trevor used to be annoyed by leaks to the press about upcoming L.A. Candy story lines. But after a while, he realized that they were actually good for the show and for ratings. Viewers read the stories in the tabloids, then tuned in, curious to see what would happen: Was Jane getting back together with her old high school boyfriend? Would Jane's best friend and Caleb's best friend hook up? Who was spotted kissing, and where?

This was especially important right now, since the footage from Jane and Caleb's official first date as a newly reunited couple needed some . . . editing. Their chemistry wasn't exactly obvious. Hopefully that would change. In the meantime, their story line would have to get by on media hype, clever editing, the right music (A Fine Frenzy?), and Caleb's cla.s.sic good looks.

Trevor knew that Annabelle Weiss, Gaby's publicist, had also been feeding stories to the press-about Gaby and Madison allegedly feuding with Jane and Scarlett-which had not only helped ratings but increased Gaby's visibility as well. Speaking of Gaby, he wondered when she was due back from her "vacation." He would have to check with Annabelle so he could arrange the shooting schedule.

Trevor turned back to his desk and pulled out his notebook, a brown crocodile-skin Smythson, definitely a step up from a spiral Mead. His wife had given it to him for his birthday so he could start "keeping a daily journal" and "learn to be more in touch with his feelings" or whatever. Of course, he had no interest in writing down his moods . . . but the notebook was useful for jotting down ideas about the show.