Dean scrolled through his phoneâs contacts list, a twinkle in his eyes. âIâve got a good rapport with quite a few movie moguls-old friends from my heyday. If you fancy a meet-and-greet, I can rustle them up for a get-together sometime.â
Ivy was flabbergasted by the offer. She well knew the clout behind the names in Deanâs Rolodex.
For an up-and-comer like her, rubbing elbows with just one of these heavyweights could catapult her to stardom.
But Ivy was already committed to a film project, and she was determined to earn her future roles through grit and talent.
âNo need, Grandpa,â she insisted, âIf Iâm hankering for a role, Iâll hustle for it myself!â
Alyssa beamed at her response. âBless your heart, child. But remember to come to us when youâre in a bind.â
Still, the Howards were bound to have Ivyâs back. The string of mishaps on set was a clarion call they couldnât ignore.
[Ivy, you alright? Heard thereâs been a bit of a ruckus on your set lately. Hope it hasnât thrown you for a loop.]
Ivy glanced at her phone and saw the message from Nolan.
âGrandma, I need to shoot a text back to a friend,â she said, excusing her screen time. Checking her phone incessantly at the dinner table was a downright faux pas.
Alyssa chuckled and nodded. âOf course, dear. You young people need to keep in touch.â
[How did you catch wind of the set drama?] Ivy texted back. She always found it easy to be candid with Nolan. No beating around the bush.
[Câmon, you seriously think the grapevine doesnât reach Coltonâs set? Youâre shooting a film, not holed up in a monastery. The internet is abuzz with every cough and spit from set.]
Ivy was taken aback by Nolanâs reply. She rarely paid heed to online chatter.
[Is the rumor mill really churning that fast? Nolan, did you entertain any suspicions about me?]
Ivy sent this message half-jokingly.
If Nolan truly suspected her, he likely wouldnât have messaged in the first place.
[Ha? Doubt my trust in you? How could you even pull off such antics? The folks online donât know you like I do. Youâre the one whoâs practically meditating on set, then vanishes once the director yells cut.
Itâs almost eerie! Thatâs the real you. Sure, the keyboard warriors might get the wrong end of the stick, but you donât need to sweat their spiel. They donât matter!]
Ivy snorted with laughter and quickly typed a response to Nolan.
Alyssa stealthily peeked over, curious about the cheerful exchange.
âSeems like sheâs having a whale of a time chatting there?â She nudged the stoic Dean.
Dean asked, âDidnât you say young people should mingle more? Ivyâs doing just that.â
âTsk, I was hoping Ivy would spend more time with Balfour! Look at them-one upstairs, one downstairs, one working, one chatting, but never together. Howâs romance supposed to bloom like that?â
Alyssa fretted, especially seeing Ivy all smiles in her conversation, and not because of her grandson. A hint of unease tugged at her heart.