“Sync your phone to it so you can drive hands-free,”
David said.
He got all five of them in the back seat while Cassidy figured out how everything worked. David got into the passenger seat and got his phone out.
“Welcome. I am S. How shall I address you?” came over the speakers.
Cassidy and all the munchkins perked up. David had shown them movies where the cars could talk. It took Cassidy a second to figure out he’d sent her phone a message, and the car’s infotainment system had read it for her.
“Cassidy is fine.”
“Thank you, Cassidy. I see you have guests. Who might they be?” S asked.
“Dave, Allen, Dawson, Coby, and Carol.”
“Did they wash their hands before they got in? I don’t want sticky fingers messing up my interior,” S said.
That made them giggle.
“Carol? Are those new shoes?” S asked. “They make you look like a princess.”
Twenty minutes later, S was a massive hit as all his kids wanted to ask her questions. His mom rapped on the window, so David rolled it down.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Everybody, straighten up. Nana is speaking to your dad,” S said.
His mom saw them all sitting perfectly still and smiled.
It wouldn’t be long before all the cars kept his munchkins in line.
“Rosy has snacks,” David’s mom said.
Coby was by the door and opened it to set them all free.
That was why all their cars had child safety locks on the back doors, or his son would open them whenever he decided he was done riding.
David followed his kids inside as Cassidy took his mom for a ride around the subdivision.
◊◊◊
On the way home, David mentioned that he had to film a few scenes for his soap.
“I’ll drive you,” Cassidy said.
She gave him a glance and then added, “I want to meet the cast.”
“I doubt there’ll be any nudity. We’re filming at the coffee shop.”
“Oh,” Cassidy said, sounding disappointed.
“I can drive myself. I’ll be sure to call when I know the cast’s getting naked so you can drive me then.”
“You’re the best,” Cassidy said.
“Did you talk to Greg and Joey about your rehab?” David asked to change the topic.
“I don’t know why you think I need a babysitter.”
“Slow your roll, Speed Racer.”
“Who?” Cassidy asked.
“It’s an old cartoon I found on an anime site … You know what? Never mind,” David said when she gave him a look like he’d lost his mind. “I was trying to say that you are in charge, and they only want to help you.”
“Oh.”
“Besides, you know Joey can get your arm back into shape. And Greg will give you massages and help you with stuff.”
“I suppose.”
David had talked to her dad, and Tony said she was sensitive about ‘needing help.’ But with her arm in a cast, there were just some things that were difficult for her to do, like buttoning her jeans or tying her shoes. Greg had agreed to swing by the townhouse after dropping his kids off to help Cassidy get her day started.
David also knew that if he even hinted that he would help, she would have him as her slave. He doubted she’d ever get better if that happened. With that in mind, he’d never made the offer.
Luckily for him, they’d arrived at his dorm.
◊◊◊
David was surprised because his first scene wasn’t at his dorm; it was at his apartment set. He and Nikki were on the couch, kissing. He broke the kiss.
“Wow.”
“Talk to me,” Nikki said.
“Okay … erm … I went job-hunting today,” Mick said.
“No, no, no, no, no …” Nikki interrupted. “Talk dirty to me.”
David gave her his combination of confused three-year-old and wet puppy look.
“Wha … what now?” he stammered.
She leaned in, and he leaned back as she got into his personal space.
“Say something hot.”
Mick began to mumble and look confused as she crawled onto his lap.
“What?” Nikki asked.
“Labia minora,” Mick blurted.
“And cut!”
◊◊◊
The next scene had Mick in Dexter’s apartment.
“Labia minora,” Dexter said disgustedly.
“I panicked. She surprised me, but it wasn’t a total loss.
We ended up with me getting to drive her home.”
“Oh, wow, did you walk her to her door?” Dexter asked as if he were in awe.
“Bite me. I don’t think I’m the dirty-talking kind of guy.”
“What’s the big deal? You just say what you want to do to her. Or better yet, what you want her to do to you,”
Dexter said. “I’ll help you. Talk dirty to me.”
David almost laughed because Dexter acted like he really wanted David to talk dirty to him.
“Not happening,” Mick/David said, going off-script.
“Okay. I’ll start,” Dexter said, ad-libbing.
“Please don’t.”
“Oh, Mick. You get me so hot. I want your lips on me now,” Dexter said in a breathy voice.
Again, David almost laughed. Instead, he gave Dexter a disbelieving look.
“Good, right?” Dexter said with a big smile.
David/Mick gave him a look he would give a pedophile who tried to seduce him.
“Now you say something,” Dexter encouraged.
“I really don’t think so,” Mick said.
“Come on. You really like Nikki, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
“You want to see her again, right?” Dexter asked.
“Sure.”
“If you can’t talk dirty to the Dexter, how will you talk dirty to Nikki?”
“’The Dexter’ … really?”
“Just go with it, dude, and answer the question,” Dexter said. “Tell me you want to grab my butt.”
“Okay, I give up. Turn around because I can’t do this with you looking at me.”
“Fine.”
“I … uhm … I … uhm … want to kiss the back of your neck,” Mick said.
“Good, now say more.”
“I … uhm … want to take my tongue and lick your skin
…”
“And I thought I was the bi one,” Forest said behind them.
Dexter and Mick both nearly jumped out of their skins.
The director had Forest sneak in when the two of them went off-script.
“And cut!” Abigail called out. “That was good, guys.”
◊◊◊
Emily found Crystal in David’s room. They were headed to the roof.
“Can I come with you?”
“David might even give you access,” Crystal said.
“What’s the big deal about the roof?” Emily asked.
“Wait and see,” Crystal said as David led them upstairs.
She walked out and looked around.
“How come I didn’t know about this?”
“When we started to come up here, it was some lawn chairs and a cooler. Alex decided to make some upgrades,”
David said.
There was a raised wooden deck with a gas fire pit and an outdoor refrigerator. David got out three beers and handed them out as they sat in deck chairs.
“Can I really bring people up here?” Emily asked.
“As long as you don’t abuse it. And replace any beer you take,” David said. “I’ll get security to add you to the access list. Then you can just use your keycard and PIN.”
Emily’s stomach was churning because she wasn’t sure if she should tell Crystal about her being with Lars and Chuy. Finally, she just blurted it out.
“Tell me what happened,” Crystal ordered.
She told them the basics and how stupid she felt when she figured out they were just out for sex.
“Did they promise anything more?” David asked.
Emily had to think back.
“They promised I would be safe.”
David followed up with, “Did they force you?”