“As long as at the end of the weekend you get to go home?”
“Exactly.”
He turned his attention back to the contract, then signed his name on the line. Annelise passed him the other copies and he did the same.
“I’ll call them right away and let them know it’s a done deal,” she told him. “The locations will be nice. I’ll have to visit you there, too.”
“You’re always welcome.”
Amish Revenge 2 would be filmed in Pennsylvania, but there was also going to be at least six weeks in the French and Italian Alps. Madeline’s parents had talked about wanting to travel more. He wondered if they would enjoy France or Italy. While he would be busy filming, there would be down days when he could show them around.
He shook his head, knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone, especially himself. While he liked Loretta and Joseph, the person he would most want to see in Europe would be Madeline.
Caryn, a tall, twentysomething brunette with streaks of purple in her short hair, walked in with coffee. Jonny took one of the mugs.
“You did a nice job with the decorations,” he said.
Caryn smiled at him. “Thanks. I have fun playing in Annelise’s office. We only do it at Christmas. Now if you could talk her into decorating for every holiday, that would be great.”
“Not going to happen,” Annelise said cheerfully. “But you can keep asking.”
“I will.” Caryn took the empty tray with her as she walked toward the door. “How’s your shopping coming?”
“Mine is easy,” Jonny told her. “I just have Ginger, and this year I’m giving her a wedding.” And a honeymoon, but she didn’t know about that. He and Oliver were keeping it a secret until just before the big day. As far as she was concerned, they were going to stay in their apartment for a few days before classes started. Instead, the newly married couple would be flying to Hawaii to spend six nights in an oceanfront suite he’d rented for them.
“Lucky you to be done already,” Caryn said. “I have brothers and sisters and now a sister-in-law and my parents. Plus the work presents, but those are fun because I’m not spending my own money.”
With that, she walked out of the office. Jonny reached for his coffee.
“Work presents? For the office?”
“No, for clients.” Annelise looked at him. “All the things we send out on your behalf.” He must have continued to look baffled, because she added, “Gifts for your accountant, your lawyer, the assistant you use on shoots. Like that. There’s a long list.”
He supposed on some level he’d known this was happening, but he’d never much thought about it. “Shouldn’t I buy the presents myself?”
“No. It’s part of what we do for you. Besides, most years you’re off filming. When would you have the time? Don’t worry—we only send nice things. You get very lovely thank-you notes.”
“What about you? Does Caryn buy your gift, too?”
“I don’t need anything. Jonny, what’s going on? You’re not yourself.”
“Then who am I?”
Annelise picked up her coffee and sipped without saying anything.
He sighed. “I don’t know. I’m fine. Just thinking about things. In Fool’s Gold I’m not famous. I’m just a regular guy. I like that. Regular guys buy their own presents. They don’t hire it out.”
“You can’t walk into a mall somewhere and shop. Besides, regular or not, you don’t particularly like shopping. It’s a long list. Do you really want to take it on?”
“No.” It was just... He would get Annelise something, he decided. A gift he bought himself because he knew she would like it. And because somehow, in that small act, he would be just like everyone else in Fool’s Gold.
* * *
Madeline studied the petite blonde with big brown eyes. The dress—a princess style with a full skirt, as requested, hung on her. While it was pretty, it wasn’t amazing.
“I don’t know,” Janet said, then wrinkled her nose. “Am I being too picky?”
“No. Did I say no? Because no. It’s your wedding gown. Janet, honey, you have to be picky.”
Janet was a sweet girl on her first dress-shopping trip. For reasons she hadn’t explained to Madeline, she’d come on her own, which was rare. Brides tended to travel in packs. They might hate Mom’s fashion sense but they still wanted her along.
Movement caught her attention. She turned toward the mirror in time to see Jonny walking into Paper Moon. She hadn’t seen him in three days and, according to the sudden pounding of her heart, that was two days and twenty-three hours too long.