The man looked back at them with a curious expression. “Well… yes. He was standing in the frame with the young women, speaking to them, really connecting with them. It was a beautiful scene.”
“I don’t want to be in the movie!” Ben insisted. Phil suddenly got a look in his eye, and Ben frowned at him. “No! It’s not supposed to be about me!”
“It isn’t! Hear me out!” Phil said, raising his hands, gesturing for Ben and Hank to get closer so he could speak softly. Ashley joined them, and Phil glanced at her with a smile and nodded. “We use the scene in the end credits as a surprise bonus. We tell no one about it, but word of mouth will spread like wildfire, and it may draw people to the movie who wouldn’t normally see it!”
“Ashley was in the scene as well, wasn’t she!” Ben asserted, and Hank nodded.
“Camera two caught your security as well,” Hank said.
Ben shook his head. “I don’t want my story to detract in any way from theirs,” he growled.
“Ben, maybe this small amount of your story will make it possible for their story to reach more people,” Ashley suggested. “You aren’t divulging anything intimately personal, just the truth about your own path in life. This isn’t something you’re ashamed of, or you wouldn’t have supported Phil’s movie about others following a similar path.” She smiled gently and placed a hand on his chest. “Think of this as a gift for them.”
He looked troubled. “Are you sure you want your face up on the big screen? Up until now, you’ve been flying under the radar. This could make you a target for the media.”
She gave him a sweet smile. “I’m not ashamed of my relationship with you, and I have nothing I’d share with them.”
Ben huffed a breath, then looked at Evelyn and Liliya and gestured for them to come closer.
“They filmed us speaking with Renata and Serina. Just a short clip, but your faces are visible.” Ben looked to Hank for confirmation and got a nod. “Do you have concerns about this being included in the film?”
Liliya snorted softly and shook her head. “The paparazzi already have many pictures of me with you. My undercover operative days are well and truly behind me.”
Ben nodded slightly and looked into Evelyn’s blue eyes. She seemed surprised to be asked. “I-I don’t mind.”
Finally, Ben turned his attention back to Phil. He held the man’s eyes for a tense moment, then nodded. He lifted a finger to keep his focus. “Don’t advertise it. Don’t even hint about it to anyone.”
Phil nodded and struggled to keep from grinning.
Hank gestured for Ben to move out in front of the cameras. “Okay, I need you back on the set for the missing shot. Hold up the phone as you held it before, with the image on the screen.”
Ben sighed and stood where he was asked and held the phone out for the man to get his shot.
Moments later, Hank nodded to Phil.
“That’s a wrap, Ben,” Phil said quietly. He nodded to some people waiting at the side of the room, and they quickly began dismantling the set and packing up the equipment.
“I’m going to take what we got today to the studio. It was great meeting you, Ben.”
“You as well,” Ben said. “Though, it was a pretty sneaky move filming me without my knowledge.”
Hank chuckled. “Learned that in guerilla documentary film making one-oh-one.”
Phil’s PA returned and grinned hopefully at Ben. “Would you have a moment to greet the crew? They’re all in the gym downstairs having a little informal celebration.”
Ben glanced at Phil, who smiled, so he nodded to the PA. They followed her to the stairs and down to the gymnasium where tables and chairs had been set up. Phil did the introductions to the crew, and Ben was amazed at how many people were part of a film production like this.
Then Phil began introducing the people who were actors portraying the people the film was about. They were all young unknown actors who were more starstruck to meet him.
The last group Ben was introduced to began with Renata and Serina, who grinned happily at Ben. Behind them were more young people who were pulling themselves out of poverty through their own efforts. Ben glanced at Phil, then took more time with them, learning their names and a little bit about them. They seemed to appreciate this.
Then began the photo session as everyone wanted their picture taken with Ben.
While this happy chaos was happening, Ben caught sight of someone he wasn’t expecting. His smile widened, and he waved to the beauty standing just inside the doorway, speaking to someone. Was she wearing that lovely dark green dress he recalled from their date night in Cannes, France?
“Gabriella!” he called out over the noise.
The gorgeous brunette turned to fully face him, and Ben’s expression froze as she smiled joyfully.
It wasn’t his beautiful neighbor after all, but someone dressed and made up to match her.
“Lorraine?” Phil said to her as the woman crossed the distance to join them.
“Hello, Phil,” the beautiful brunette said, taking his hand.
“Not that it isn’t delightful to see you, but what are you doing here, and why do you look like this?” Phil asked.
“Before we play answering games, why don’t you introduce me to your friend who can’t keep his eyes off me,” she purred.
“Ben Shepherd, meet Lorraine Tyler. Lorraine, Ben,” Phil said stiffly.
Taking the woman’s hand, Ben smiled awkwardly. “Hello. You do bear a strong resemblance to my neighbor Gabriella Wallace, and you’ve dressed like her, but the question remains, why?” He released her hand.
“And what are you doing here?” Phil repeated.
Lorraine pouted and looked at Phil. “Instead of grilling me, you should be congratulating me for landing the role of Gabriella Wallace in the Ben Shepherd movie with Dwayne Johnson.”
“Ah. So you decided to play dress-up and crash the party to see Ben’s reaction?” Phil said as he figured it out.
“And it was perfect! He thought I was her,” she said smugly.
“Until you turned to face me. There are differences,” Ben insisted but refrained from identifying the actor’s less curvaceous anatomy.
“Did I see Gabriella arrive?”
Ben turned to see Ashley arrive to join them. Her smile became a curious look. He wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her gently to his side.
This move wasn’t lost on Lorraine. “Another woman? Should I be jealous?” she said with a coy smile.
“Now you’ve spoiled the illusion completely,” Ashley said with a sympathetic smile that wiped the smug from the actor’s face.
“Who are you?” Lorraine asked in confusion.
Ashley looked to Ben in question, so he answered her silent question first. “This is Lorraine Tyler. She’s playing Gabriella in the new movie about me.” He looked at the actor. “This is Ashley Beaumont. My beautiful friend and neighbor.”
Lorraine frowned slightly. “What would Gabriella say about this?”
“She’d say you need to research the woman you’re portraying much better than this,” Ashley said gently. “You may have some similarities in looks, but Gabriella’s nature as the Goddess of Love is completely missing in your portrayal.”
“Goddess of Love?” Lorraine asked weakly.
Ben nodded happily. “Gabriella understands the true nature of love.” He nodded to Phil. “I think we’ll be going. See you at the restaurant tonight?”
Phil’s smile couldn’t be wider as Lorraine’s mouth moved in silent protest. “Yes, see you there.”
Ben guided Ashley out of the Gym and waved to the cast and crew as they left.
Instead of going straight back to the hotel, Ben took Ashley shopping in some of the areas Gabriella brought him and Hannah. He managed to convince Ashley to allow him to buy her some clothes she liked.
She also picked up a new dress for their dinner engagement that night.
Liliya and Evelyn refused to try anything on.
Once Ashley was finished, they returned to the hotel and prepared for dinner.
Ben hoped Phil didn’t plan any more surprises for him.
Carmine Marino once read that revenge was a dish best served cold. But ever since he returned from visiting Sicily and discovered his extended family had been… erased, his need for revenge burned deep in his guts. He wasn’t a Solerno, but he’d been a favorite nephew to Don Solerno and looked up to the man like a father.
His own old man was a nobody, a loser who managed a grocery store and was happy with his simple life. His mom had once been part of the Solernos, a third daughter, but she married into the Marinos and was content to be disowned by her birth family. They cut ties with her, but Carmine never found out why.
That she would turn her back on that in favor of life as a Marino pissed Carmine off royally. Since he was a young boy and learned of his mother’s family, he’d wished he was a Solerno. They were rich and powerful! Respected by the other rich and powerful families.
Instead, he was the youngest of the five Marino kids and the only one to feel this discontent.
He’d worked hard to come to the notice of his uncle, and when the man finally learned who he was, he’d taken him under his wing. He saw a young man with potential!
As a present for his twentieth birthday, Don sent him to Sicily to meet with some people who’d teach him a thing or two about the business. While there, he met two other young men training to be soldiers in their family businesses.
Dante Vitale was a joker with a quick mind but a quicker temper. The Vitale family in New York were old school, and Dante had been sent to Sicily to learn some control.
Renzo Messina was a quiet brute with a cruel streak. Carmine thought he might be a psychopath and assumed his family in New York sent him away because they were scared of him.