something to keep her mind busy. Like those balls you can stuff with treats, and the dog has to work hard to get the treats out.’
Jess sounded as if she actually knew what she was talking about. ‘You know stuff about dogs?’ he checked.
She looked wary. ‘A bit.’
‘Jess, I need help. I know nothing about dogs. I’ve never had one.’
‘So why did your aunt ask you to look after her?’
‘It’s a long story.’ He looked at her. ‘You’ve probably been in here since the crack of dawn, and you’ll be expected in at the same time tomorrow. I can’t hold you up any longer. That’s not fair. I’ll take the dog and let you get on.’
She looked surprised, as if she hadn’t expected him to notice the kind of hours the production team worked. And he could hardly blame her. She’d accused him of acting like Mr Big Shot Actor.
Which, admittedly, he had.
‘I’m not usually this much of an idiot,’ he said. ‘Without a good support team, no matter how many awards the cast has won between them, a film just won’t happen. You need the whole crew to work together, whether they’re in front of the camera or behind the scenes.’
‘Right.’ She looked thoughtfully at him. ‘I can stay a bit longer. How about I make us a cup of tea and you tell me about Baloo?’
‘How about,’ he said, ‘I make the tea?’
‘But you’re—’
‘Part of the team,’ he cut in, not wanting to hear her repeat that he was Mr Big Shot Actor. ‘If you’re going to tell me things that can help me deal with a shoe-stealing dog who chews anything she can get her paws on, then making you a cup of tea is the very least I can do.’
* * *
Was he still acting? Jess wondered.
Then again, Ayesha had said that Luke used to be a total sweetheart, but he’d had a hard time over the last year and it seemed to have changed him.
Maybe this man was the real Luke McKenzie, rather than the arrogant, grumpy man she’d met this morning.
And everyone deserved a second chance.
Well, nearly everyone. There were a couple of people that Jess hoped would stay in prison for the rest of their lives. Though now wasn’t the time to think about that.
‘Thank you, Mr McKenzie.’
‘Luke,’ he reminded her.
This was surreal. Since when would an A-list movie star ask you to call him by his first name? She pinched herself surreptitiously, just in case this was some weirdly realistic dream. It hurt. Not a dream, then. ‘Luke,’ she repeated. ‘I like my tea very weak and milky.’
‘So the tea bag says hello to the water and disappears again? That’s utterly gross,’ Luke said, ‘but OK, if that’s how you want it. Sugar?’
‘No, thanks. Tell me about Baloo.’
‘My aunt volunteers at a home for abandoned dogs,’ he said. ‘Baloo was—um—oh, just cover her ears for a second, will you?’
Cover the dog’s ears? Jess didn’t get it, but she did as he asked.
‘She was on death row. Monica—my aunt—smuggled her out. The problem was, Monica had to be at the airport six hours after that, and all the kennels were full.’
Jess smelt a rat. A very, very big one. ‘All the kennels were full?’
‘According to Monica, yes. She didn’t actually tell me why Baloo was on death row, but I’m guessing it’s to do with the stealing and chewing.’
‘Normally it’s because they’re an older dog who’s been abandoned, or because the owners can’t look after them any more—’ Jess forced herself not to think because they’d died ‘—and none of their friends or family has room for a pet. She’s young and healthy.’ She shrugged and stopped covering Baloo’s ears. ‘You’re probably right about the chewing. I’d guess it’s separation anxiety, especially as she wanted to be with you and she doesn’t cope with being left alone. But your aunt must’ve realised you know nothing about dogs.’
‘Yeah. Half the time, I’m not even in London; having a pet wouldn’t be fair because it would spend half its time in kennels.’
‘But you still agreed to look after Baloo.’
‘Temporarily. We’re rehearsing this week, and Monica’s back the day we start shooting.’ He raked a hand through his hair. ‘I had no idea that looking after a dog would be this hard.’
‘A dog who’s been kicked out of at least one home, to be on dea—well, in the position she was,’ Jess amended. ‘A dog with special needs. Not the easiest starter dog for a rookie owner.’
‘You know about dogs.’ It was a statement, not a question.
A lie would be too obvious. ‘Yes.’
‘Can you help me?’ he asked. ‘Please? I know you’re a virtual stranger and I have no right to ask you for help, but apart from my aunt you’re about the only person I’ve met who knows anything at all about dogs.’
Which wasn’t her problem. She could just walk away. This wasn’t part of her job description. She didn’t have to deal with the dog.
But Jess had never been the sort to walk away and refuse help when someone needed it. Saying no would be denying who she was.
‘Please, Jess?’ he asked again.
‘You’re the star of a movie, where I happen to be the production assistant and I’m supposed to do whatever I’m told. All you have to do is tell Ayesha you want me to jump, and she’ll ask you how high,’ Jess pointed out.
He winced. ‘God. I always swore I’d never be like that. And I was horrible, this morning. Worse than Mi–’ He stopped abruptly.
Jess could guess whose name he’d just cut off. Mimi, his co-star. Owner of expensive designer shoes, and clearly also hater of dogs.
‘I’m sorry,’ he finished.
She was pretty sure now that he wasn’t acting. His eyes were almost silver in this light. And they were utterly sincere. ‘Maybe you were having a bad day,’ she suggested.
‘A lot of bad days all in a row,’ he said, wrinkling his nose. ‘But that’s still no excuse for treating people badly.’
Did he have any idea how cute it made him look when he wrinkled his nose like that?
Yes, of course he did. He must do, she thought. It was his job, after all. Hunky movie star. The job description no doubt included the line: must look gorgeous and appealing to all women at all times.
‘Jess, can you help me? Please?’ he asked again.
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