Follow My Lead (Stepping Up 2)

“Meagan hates scandal,” Darla warned. “You have to know that.”

“And the studio likes ratings,” Lana assured her, making Darla’s argument irrelevant. She scooted her bag in Blake’s direction. “I do love a man with muscle and manners.”

Ratings. Darla heard that familiar bad word with shattering clarity. Lana was going to turn this into ratings, and say to hell with Meagan. Darla knew Meagan trusted her to help maintain a certain image for the show. She didn’t want to be the ratings boost—at least, not like this. She had to say something, do something. Fix this.

“My father,” Blake said, speaking up in what Darla hoped might be that “fix” because she really had nothing of her own, “raised a scandal-free gentleman. He taught me that a good man carries a lady’s bag, holds doors and generally uses good manners. Most importantly, he taught me that a gentleman keeps his private life private. Exactly why I keep my attention, and camera, keenly focused accordingly.”

In other words, Darla thought, reading between the lines, Blake wouldn’t be giving Lana any feature on his show if she burned him. Darla was thrilled. This was a perfect “fix.”

Blake turned to Darla, his eyes lighting on hers as he added, “And a gentleman always catches a lady when she falls.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re to blame for both of my falls,” Darla accused in jest, trying to play off his comment so that Lana wouldn’t pick up on the obvious deeper meaning. “The only two times I’ve stood close to this man, I’ve tripped over his big feet.”

“Oh, I see,” Blake said, motioning them all forward. “Is that how it is? It’s my big feet, not your clumsiness?”

Darla fell into step with him at the same time that Lana did. “I’m only clumsy when your big feet are in the way.” Her shoe caught on the carpet in that instant and she tripped, stumbling and barely catching her footing. She righted herself and ignored Lana, who most certainly was laughing. Her attention flashed to Blake and her gaze found his, they both burst into laughter at the same time.

“Okay fine,” she admitted. “I’m not the most graceful person on the planet, but that only makes standing next to those big feet of yours all the more dangerous.” There was a lot about him that was dangerous.

Lana punched the elevator button. “Big feet, big—”

“Lana!” Darla objected, appalled she was going there.

“I guess I do have big feet,” Blake agreed.

“Neither of you are funny,” Darla said, heading into the elevator. Blake joined her, standing beside her, the suitcases parked in front of him. When his arm pressed against hers, Darla felt that one small connection like an electric charge that spread through her entire body. Lana stepped to Blake’s other side. Darla turned to rest against the side wall, facing them both. Blake’s lips twitched and she knew he knew why she’d moved.

Lana settled against the wall across from Darla. Her gaze slid to Blake and then back to Darla and her lips twisted in an evil little smile. “You really are going to have to lighten up to be on this show. Actually. No. Maybe you don’t. I think you might amuse the viewers.”

“Amuse the viewers?” Darla asked, feeling like she’d just been insulted. “What exactly does that mean?”

“Your response defines what I mean,” Lana replied in an amused tone.

Darla never got the chance to respond. The elevator doors opened and Jimmy Davis, one of Meagan’s production assistants, stood waiting for them.

He flipped his cell phone shut and threw his arms in the air. “Thank goodness.” He hit the mic peeking from his mop of blond hair. “They’re here.” He focused on Darla, Blake and Lana as they exited the elevator. Tall and thin, he was dressed in jeans and a tee that looked like they’d been crumpled by his suitcase. “Damnable mountains in combination with the hotel tower is making cell service impossible. We’re doing makeup here. It’s just too much of a madhouse at the audition locale.” He motioned them forward and Darla and Lana scrambled toward him. Behind her, Darla heard him add, “Blake, stay. You’re going down to the garage. We’ll take the suitcases, which I assume are the ladies’. Meagan has a situation. She needs you over there with her, as in yesterday. We have a car waiting.”

Darla turned to find another crew member retrieving the bags from Blake. “What situation?” Darla asked. “What’s happening?”

Jimmy made a shooing motion. “What’s happening is you’re going that way to makeup. Go, go, go!” Another crew member appeared, a young girl Darla had never met. “Follow Allison.”

Darla drew in a breath. Lana shrugged and fell into step behind Allison. The elevator doors shut and Blake was gone with so much unsaid between them, so much unclear.

Jimmy grimaced at Darla. “Please, Darla. I need you out of the main lobby, where we might draw attention.”