I look up to see a familiar face, but I can't really place him.
"Yeah."
"James Holbrook. I came here—"
"James Holbrook the actor?" I interrupt, confused.
"Yes," he says, grinning.
"Dude, you have James Holbrook in your club?" Maverick asks, sounding as stunned as I am.
"Yeah. I'll call you later."
I hang up before he can argue, and I give my attention to the visitor that hasn't explained himself.
"Are you here to see the band? Because they won't be on for at least another three hours."
He laughs while taking a seat in front of the bar, and I stand on the other side, keeping a wary eye on him.
"No. I came to meet you before I'm cut out of the movie. Apparently I'm nothing like you, and I really need this role. It's going to be a huge part, and my career could use the boost."
Dude has seriously lost his mind.
"Sorry... I have no idea what you're talking about."
He gives me an incredulous look, as though I'm the one confusing him, and then he leans forward.
"You're Dean Easton."
Yep. He's crazy. I've heard a lot of actors are mixed in with drugs. I guess he fits the cliché.
"No. I'm Dane Sterling. You just asked me that like five minutes ago."
He laughs low and throaty while shaking his head. "No, I mean you're Dean Easton from the Easton Boys. Rain Noles's biggest new hit. They're filming, and I'm supposed to be Dean—you. Problem is, Rain has already had numerous other Deans cut, and it's looking like I'm next. So I'm here to find out how I'm supposed to be."
After opening and closing my mouth several times, I finally give up on speaking. Rain wrote a book I didn't know about?
"I've read all of Rain's books, but I've never heard of a Dean Easton. I think you're mistaken."
He laughs while grabbing the whiskey from just behind the bar and pouring himself a glass. I'd kick someone's ass for that normally, but I'm more curious than angered right now.
"That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Tell me more. You've read all of her books, except these, obviously. That means you're one of those guys that holds back, right? It's obvious you care about her, yet you're too scared to tell her or something? This is the depth part I need to keep Rain from kicking my ass off the set. And this will be a four-movie deal, so I really want to keep it."
"I'm... I don't... I didn't hold back from Rain. She left me. I told her I loved her, and even asked her to move in. What'd you say the name of those books were?"
He looks amused as he pulls out his phone and makes a note of what I've said.
"So she left you. Did you cheat on her or something? The books depicted you as having a constant fling with one girl or another. Is that what happened?"
Motherfucker. I'm going to strangle this douche.
"No. What'd you say the books were called?"
"It's the Easton Boys series. It's under a different pen name. So these—hey! Where are you going?" he yells as I rush away from him, weaving through the mess of people who are clearing out tables.
I'm in my car and on the road in less than a few seconds, and I head straight for the biggest bookstore in Sterling Shore. It doesn't take me long to get there, and people watch with intrigue as I dart across the parking lot.
"Dane," Cindy says as I walk in. "Do you have an order?"