Behind the Film Star's Smile. Kate HardyЧитать онлайн книгу.

      CHAPTER ONE

      OMG. LUKE MCKENZIE.

      When Jess had taken the assignment from the temp agency to work as a production assistant for a film company, she’d expected it to be a low-budget affair with actors she’d never heard of. Not Luke McKenzie, who’d been named as the most beautiful man in the world for three years running. Luke McKenzie, the favourite actor of both her sister and her best friend, and whose films they dragged her to see at the cinema, even though Jess would rather watch a decent sci-fi movie than sit through a rom-com for the umpteenth time.

      Luke McKenzie, who right now didn’t look very happy.

      Neither did the chocolate Labrador who was sitting beside him, radiating guilt.

      Well, this was none of her business. She was meant to be sorting out some paperwork, not gawking at an A-list movie star or listening in to her boss’s conversation.

      ‘Jess, can you come here a second, please?’ Ayesha Milan, the production manager, called.

      ‘Sure,’ Jess said, expecting to be sent on an errand.

      ‘Can you look after Mr McKenzie’s dog today?’

      Jess froze.

      Look after a dog.

      That was precisely why she’d left the career she loved and had become a temp. So she’d never have to look after another dog again.

      ‘I...’

      ‘She doesn’t bite,’ Luke said, rolling his eyes. ‘Just steals things and chews them. She seems to have a particular taste for Louboutins.’

      Expensive designer shoes. Well, that would explain why he didn’t look too happy—the owner of said shoes had probably had a mammoth hissy fit on him when she’d discovered the damage, and replacing them would be far from cheap.

      ‘Jess, are you scared of dogs?’ Ayesha asked.

      ‘No-o,’ Jess said hesitantly. She wasn’t scared of dogs. She was scared of bonding with them. Of having her heart shredded again. It had taken her more than a year to get to where she was now. The thought of having to look after a dog was bringing everything right back to her.

      ‘Then can you take charge of...?’ Ayesha looked at Luke to prompt him for the dog’s name.

      ‘Baloo.’

      ‘Baloo,’ Ayesha finished, looking straight at Jess.

      Oh, help.

      As a production assistant, Jess was basically meant to do anything she was asked to do. Saying no would be tantamount to cancelling her contract. Even though she’d worked for the temp agency for nearly a year now, it would still make her look unreliable if she walked out of this job less than an hour after she’d started it, leaving the client in a mess. Which meant they’d be less likely to give her any more assignments, and she couldn’t afford to lose her job.

      But saying yes meant putting herself back in a vulnerable position. Something she really didn’t want to do.

      ‘I’ve got to get back to the set. I don’t have time for this. Here,’ Luke said, and handed her the dog’s lead.

      Before Jess could process what was happening, he’d stomped off.

      Leaving her with the dog.

      ‘I—look, don’t I have other stuff to do for you?’ she asked Ayesha, inwardly panicking. Please let her not have to do this. Please.

      Ayesha spread her hands. ‘The big thing is to keep the stars happy. We have to tiptoe round them.’ She sighed. ‘I expected Mimi to be the difficult one, not him.’

      ‘Why did he bring the dog on set? Especially if he knows that she chews things?’

      Ayesha shrugged. ‘I have no idea.’

      ‘He could’ve brought a crate with him. Where the dog would’ve felt safe instead of worried by all the people round her, and—’ Jess stopped, aware that Ayesha was looking curious.

      ‘You