Scandalous, page 29
Scandalous
Hollywood is full of scandals…what’s one more?
When Amelia’s identical twin sister, Zoey, asks her to step in for her at a conference for supernatural TV shows while she auditions for a blockbuster movie, Amelia reluctantly agrees. She could use the money to keep her mini highland cow rescue, Mizzou Moos, afloat. She can pretend to be famous for twenty-four hours. What could possibly go wrong?
Lindsay Brooks hates playing babysitter to the stars, but that’s part of her job as assistant producer for the breakout show Thirteen Witches. Things get confusing when sparks fly between her and one of the main leads at the con, and all hell breaks loose when evidence surfaces of the actress and her identical twin switching places. Everyone’s in an uproar about getting duped, but Lindsay’s more concerned about finding out which twin she made out with.
That kiss made her melt and no one else has ever made her feel like swooning, but tracking Amelia down and getting to the truth might change the course of her career. She’s prepared to lose her job, but losing her heart would be scandalous.
Acknowledgments
This was a hard book for me to finish because too many things were happening at once, and life became overwhelming. I knew I was going to finish, I wanted to finish, but I needed more time. Trying to be creative when it feels like we’re rolling back into the past is hard. Will our books still be available to our readers? Will I be able to find steady ground to build my stories?
The answer is yes. I love this book because so much of what I enjoy is on the page. A mini-animal rescue? Yes, please. Sign me up! It’s the ultimate job for me. Helping animals survive and thrive would be ideal. That’s the great thing about being a writer. If I can’t have it, I can write about it. Thank you to Bold Strokes Books for giving me time to finish this at my own pace.
Shout-out to Stacy’s cousins, Tristen and Leigh, for letting me get up close and personal with their mini-Highland rescues and learn about the ins and outs of farm life. Massive thank you to the real boss, Ashley, for pushing me to write a meatier story. It’s been over ten years and our writer-editor duo is still going strong. All the love.
I will always be thankful and appreciative of the friendships I’ve made in this community. My lifelong nuggets, my writing buddies KB Draper and HS, my new friends, my old friends, and everyone who encourages me to continue to write. Deb’s always given me space to create but stays close when I need her. That’s a delicate balance that a lot of people don’t understand so I am fortunate that she’s in my life. And now I have baby Lincoln. And a car seat in my car. Who am I??
Most importantly, thank you to the readers for reading our books, dropping reviews, and encouraging other readers to give our books a try. You’re the best. You make our dreams come true.
Dedication
To my Patreon family
because we are doing great things for animals
Chapter One
Just because you found it in the grass, doesn’t mean it’s yours.” Amelia put her hands on her hips like a scolding mother would do with a petulant child in the throes of a tantrum. She huffed out a sigh and brushed the curly, reddish-brown hair out of Pippin’s soulful eyes. She softened her stance and gave him a quick hug. He liked her hugs, and the moment she felt him relax against her, she grabbed the crushed juice box from his mouth victoriously. “Ha! Sucker.” She held the slobbering mess over her head feeling dots of spittle spray her arms and instantly regretted the move. “Well, this is gross.” She threw the litter in the bin outside his stall and held out a carrot for him to chew instead. “It was probably that little boy who screamed the entire tour yesterday.”
Pippin stared at her while happily munching on his carrot. Either hearing her voice, or smelling the carrot, Patches, another red mini highland rescue with a unique, brown patch of long fur on her back, trotted into her side of the barn looking for treats. She lacked Pippin’s curls and her horns were smaller, but she was just as precious.
Amelia held up an orange stalk and leaned over the railing that separated the males from the females when Patches got close. “Don’t worry, sweet girl. I didn’t forget about you.” Patches snorted a thank you and left the barn with the treat firmly clamped in her muzzle. Snacks were a luxury as the grants and donations had thinned over the last six months. She wasn’t on high alert yet but was getting close.
Amelia’s shoulders sagged when the soft jingle of an incoming phone call filled her ears. She took a deep breath before she tapped her knuckle against her AirPod. “Mizzou Moos. This is Amelia. How may I help you?”
“Sis! What’s up?”
Hearing her sister’s voice was a nice surprise, but a flutter of panic tapped lightly against Amelia’s heart. Whenever Zoey, her identical twin, called, it meant something big was happening. They texted regularly, but phone calls were scarce because Zoey worked in television and Amelia ran a miniature livestock sanctuary that had grown over the last three years. Their schedules were opposite. Zoey was on set until late in the evenings and Amelia was up before dawn getting breakfast ready for six mini cows, two mini donkeys, pygmy goats, babydoll sheep, chickens, and two faithful dogs who were dumped on the farm when they were puppies. There were a handful of cats who cleared the barn of mice and other rodents. Amelia always made sure they had a hearty kibble breakfast.
“Hey. Just hanging out with some cute gingers,” Amelia said.
“Maybe one day you’ll find one who doesn’t snot all over your clothes or try to trip you,” Zoey said. Amelia laughed at the memory of Mimsey, the smallest rescue mini highland cow, knocking down Zoey hard the last time she visited.
“Hollywood’s softened you. You need another summer at the farm to toughen you up,” Amelia said. It had been almost six months since she last saw Zoey. When they were little, they were inseparable. Even though they had their own rooms growing up, they slept in each other’s beds up until college. When Zoey moved to Los Angeles after graduation to pursue her movie star dream, Amelia encouraged her and helped her pack. Her love for Zoey outweighed the selfishness of wanting her always by her side. “Are you calling because you’re coming to visit?” Amelia heart wobbled and sank when she heard the slight hesitation and deep breath before her sister answered.
“I’m calling to tell you I have an audition for Bounty Hunter 2 with Alec Montgomery.”
“That’s great news!” Amelia squealed with excitement. Bounty Hunter was last fall’s blockbuster hit, and Alec Montgomery was the fastest rising star in Hollywood. “Oh, my God! Tell me everything.”
“They are looking for somebody to play his sister who gets kidnapped.”
“The sister? Why not the love interest?” Amelia asked.
“That’s already been filled. But the sister is really a big part. She gets kidnapped, but it’s a lot of on-screen time. I get to fight, go through emotional stuff, and fight some more. It’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I can finally show off my acting skills,” Zoey said.
“Listen, Thirteen Witches shows off your acting skills, too. Don’t sell yourself short. The episode where you got stuck in a time loop showcased your ability so well. You laughed, you cried, you got angry. You nailed it. I think that was the episode that made you a fan favorite.” Pride, not jealousy, filled her heart whenever a neighbor stopped her in town to congratulate her on having such a talented sister. Zoey was living her dream.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I owe the series everything. It’s just nice to be recognized outside of it. I don’t want to get stuck where the only acting job I get is as a witch,” Zoey said.
“Stop it. You’re amazing. You always have been.” Amelia walked out of the barn and squinted as the hot, blazing sun momentarily blinded her. Summers in Missouri were miserable. She wanted to head inside the main house to cool off, but she still had to check on the two mini donkeys in the small barn. She acquired them last week from a rundown mine in New Mexico and was slowly introducing them to the goats. She wiped her hands on the rag hanging from her back pocket and tugged the brim of her Mizzou Moos ball cap lower on her forehead. “It’s time the rest of the world knew. You’re going to nail that audition.”
Zoey had always been the center of attention since they were children. Maybe it was Zoey’s brightness that made Amelia take a step back. She didn’t want to take away something her sister desperately wanted. Zoey wanted all eyes on her, and Amelia wanted whatever her sister wanted.
“I’m glad you said that.” Zoey dragged out her words and paused dramatically.
“Why?” Amelia’s voice came out sharper than intended.
“Hear me out before you say anything, okay?”
Amelia placed her palm on the aging wooden door of the small barn and waited for Zoey to say what was on her mind. Out-of-the-blue calls from Zoey came with a price. She rolled her tense shoulders and nervously chipped away at the dull, cracking paint around the lock with her fingernail. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“I know things are hard at the rescue. I know you’re struggling, and I wish I could send more, but I know a way you can make thousands of dollars for just working a few hours,” Zoey said.
“Whatever this is, it sounds shady and I’m not that kind of girl.” She was half-joking. Amelia knew her sister wouldn’t put her in danger, but when something sounded too good to be true, it probably was. But she was still intrigued. She needed money for hay, vitamins, salt licks, protein packs, medicine, and farm necessities. The tractor needed new tires and the barn needed a bigger junction box. Those were the pressing issues. While a lot of vendors reduced fees because of the good she was doing, all of it added up to more than what she had and she was starting to stress.
“You said you would hear me out,” Zoey said.
Amelia nodded even though her sister couldn’t see her. “You’re right. Please continue with this very not shady idea. I’m all ears.”
“You know I’m appearing at the HEXPO Conference next weekend in Vegas, right? Well, it also happens to be the same time I’m supposed to audition for the movie.”
“That’s bad luck,” Amelia said. It wasn’t sinking in.
“So, I need you—no, I’m asking you to please fill in for me at the con Thursday night and Friday until I’m done with my audition,” Zoey said.
Amelia’s mouth dropped open at her twin’s audacity. They hadn’t switched places to fool people since their senior year in high school. Need pushed its way through anger, disbelief, and a held back “hell, no.” She needed the money. And it wasn’t hard being her sister for a day. But their lives were so different. Amelia doubted she could pull it off like she could ten years ago.
“My anxiety just hit a ten. This isn’t high school or us playing a joke on Mom and Dad. I can’t pull it off today. We don’t share the same world. I don’t know your friends or even your coworkers.”
“Sis, you know the show. You never miss it. You’re the one who finds flaws when our writers don’t,” Zoey said.
“I don’t know the actors. The minute I share space with them, they’ll know.” Amelia said.
“They’re not going to know. We look the same, we sound the same, and you know all the gossip about everyone. We can go over every single cast member before the con. Just so you know, they stagger the actors so you won’t be with the cast the entire time. I only need you to pose with a few fans for photos. Don’t worry about talking to them. The con staff will shuffle them in for photos and immediately out. You won’t have time to chat with them so it won’t trip you up. According to the schedule, Friday morning there’s a panel where you just show up, and in the afternoon, there’s a photo shoot with four other actors with the cauldron and maybe a selfie station after that. And I’ll be there Friday night and we can switch back.”
“It sounds too complicated. What if somebody figures out I’m not you? We don’t have the same hairstyle, wardrobe, or even voice. Listen to my voice. We don’t even sound the same anymore,” Amelia said.
“Your voice is higher because you’re nervous. Come on, Amelia. We sound the same. You can always say you have allergies or you’re getting over a cold. It’ll be fine. You’ll get my commission for being there and all the selfie money. You know I make a ton more working cons than I do on the show. For now, at least. I’m pretty sure the standard is forty dollars a photo. It adds up quickly, I promise,” Zoey said.
Amelia knew Becks and her wife, Robbie, could run the farm for an extended weekend. Although she was nervous and didn’t like crowds, getting away for a few days to be someone else sounded a little fun. She didn’t want to cave quickly like she always did though. “I don’t know. It sounds like stress I don’t need.”
“But think of the money. That’ll help so much. And if I get the movie contract, I can donate more to Mizzou Moos. Plus, it’ll mean more exposure for you. They’ll want to know more about me and I can tell them about the rescue. People love people who save animals.” Zoey was pushing all the right buttons.
“Walk me through exactly what I need to do hour by hour, day by day.” Amelia winced when her sister squealed with delight.
“Fly here Wednesday so we can sync up and go over things. I can send you a ticket with my airline points. They have me flying to Vegas Thursday afternoon. There’s a VIP dance party that starts at ten. Some of the crew will attend but it’s not mandatory. Friday morning there’s a kick-off panel. It’s more for the writers but you’ll have to at least be in attendance. Then the photo ops with fans. I should be there by six. You can fly home then or Saturday morning,” Zoey said.
Amelia knew her staff could handle her being gone, but could she? She was right in that delicate state of introducing animals to one another and she didn’t want a setback. And would Becks remember to never turn her back on Mimsey during feeding time or give Pippin extra love every morning? She would have to leave her truck for them to pick up the supplies, but then how would she get to the airport? It was a two-hour commute. There were so many things to plan and organize before she could fully commit, but for some reason, she said, “Yes.”
“Great! I’ll send you a ticket to fly here and you can use my ticket to get to Vegas,” Zoey said.
“Look, I don’t want to commit a felony so let’s just book a flight under my name from there to Vegas. We’ll just make sure it’s the same flight in case they are expecting you at a certain time. Do you have enough points?” Amelia asked.
“Definitely. Okay, when can you get away?”
“Let me check with Becks and I’ll get back to you. Nobody’s going to know, are they? Like you’re not telling anyone on the show what we’re doing?”
“Absolutely not. We’re the only ones,” Zoey solemnly said.
“Isn’t your agent going to know? I mean, you can’t be in two places at once.”
“Silvia says it’s a bad idea, but she also knows it’s the only way this is going to work. Don’t even worry about her, though. Just send me a text so I can book your ticket. Thanks, sis. I really owe you for this.”
Immediate regret and guilt replaced the excitement from thirty seconds ago. It was fun when they were kids and fooled everyone. The stakes weren’t high. “Let’s get through this without any issues. Then you can really owe me.”
“I love you. Talk soon,” Zoey said.
“I love you, too.” Amelia disconnected the call and texted Becks to check her schedule. Once everything was cleared and a plan set in place, Amelia gave Zoey the green light hoping it wasn’t going to be the biggest mistake of their lives.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Zoey hugged Amelia and pulled her into her apartment. “I’m sorry you had to take a Lyft. I’m going over the lines for the audition and didn’t want to stop.”
“Don’t worry about it. You just stay focused on learning your lines. I didn’t mind the ride at all. Beats driving in this traffic, that’s for sure.” Amelia dropped her bag on the beat-up leather recliner in the small living space. When Zoey said she moved, Amelia thought she meant to a bigger, nicer space. The only advantage this place had over the other one was that it was closer to the studio. “Do you need my help going over them?”
“Yes, but let’s get you ready first,” Zoey said. She circled Amelia like a drill sergeant inspecting her hair, her makeup, and how her clothes fit. Amelia preferred baggy and comfortable to chic and form-fitting. Zoey clucked her tongue and pulled at Amelia’s shirt that was a size too big. “I can tell you’re losing weight.” She raised an eyebrow and continued to scrutinize Amelia. She looked at Amelia’s wavy hair. “It’s amazing how much the sun bleaches your hair. Don’t you wear a hat?” Zoey asked.
“Sometimes the cows like to try to pull it off my head so not all the time.” Amelia felt self-conscious in front of her sister and smoothed down her hair. “Why? Does it look terrible?”
Zoey pulled Amelia’s hand away and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Oh, my God, no. It looks amazing. I hate that the show makes me dye my hair dark. Apparently, it’s more witchy. We can use temporary coloring that’ll wash out in a week if that’s okay. That way we don’t have to permanently change anything about you.”
“Except for hacking off a solid four inches,” Amelia said. She wore it back every day so it didn’t matter, but it was fun teasing her sister.
“Or you can just wear it up in a bun the whole time.”
“Absolutely not. I’m just kidding. We need me to look like you as much as possible,” Amelia said. This was really happening. She pressed her fist against her stomach to ease the guilt that burned inside. She was going to be her outgoing, famous sister for twenty-four hours. What if she forgot her manners and said something rude to a fan? Or worse, ignored one? Or two? Or all of them? Zoey cupped her chin and made her look at her.
