ThunderSnow

CHAPTER SEVEN: Chateau Colton

After breakfast, they walked out to the car together to drive to the set. Eli's entire body was on alert as they crossed the parking lot, his head swiveling as his eyes panned back and forth across the parking lot like a searchlight.

Eli exhaled as they arrived on set without any disturbances. He knew it was coming, though. The story would certainly hit today, and Lyn would fall victim to the dark mechanisms of the Hollywood rumor mill, the underbelly of fame. She would be collateral damage in the sick, twisted game of tabloid wars. Who could get the biggest scoop? Who gets it first? Who can write the most salacious, scandalous headline?

His mouth pressed into a tight, thin line as his eyes darkened. He shook his head and focused as he realized Lyn was talking.

"... of course Prince made several references to his hometown in his music, not just Lake of the Isles. We're pretty proud of our hometown boy, and I think he was proud of Minneapolis, too. Oh, and several of the exterior scenes of the Mary Tyler Moore Show were shot right here around this lake. The house is just a few blocks that way," she said gesturing toward her driver's window.

Today they were shooting several interior scenes at a beautiful home in the Lake of the Isles neighborhood just outside downtown Minneapolis. He loved how Lyn always shared little tidbits of information about each of the shooting locations they had been to. It was like he had his own little hometown advantage.

"I always loved that show. It may have been before my time ... but really, it's timeless. It's classic." A slow grin crept across his lips. "I think every guy had a crush on Mary at some point in his life."

Lyn laughed. "Well, I think every Minnesota girl at some point in her life has stood in the middle of the intersection of Nicollet and 7th and tossed her hat into the air." Her eyes twinkled. "I'll have to take you to the statue downtown."

Eli's eyes widened and he laughed. "There's a statue?"

"Yep. It's downtown, right at the location where she tossed her hat in the opening sequence. It's a bronze depiction of the iconic scene, hat and all. Minnesota; we love our 'Mare'." She smiled widely, her eyes dancing with humor and pride.

He almost uttered the words that entered his mind, but his brain halted them before they crossed his lips. They may have come from the heart, but his brain was still firmly in charge of the speech department. He let them echo in his mind instead. A strong, beautiful, caring, and intelligent woman who can 'turn the world on with her smile'. There's a lot to love...

Eli cleared his throat and reached for his door handle. He opened his door to get out, but then stopped and turned back to Lyn.

"Lyn... I would really love it if you would stay on set with me today. I don't really want you to be alone." He smiled. "Besides, it would be fun to have you there."

Lyn's eyes widened. Usually she dropped him off and then found somewhere to park and wait if it was a short day, or on long days she would leave and come back later. She had never actually been on the set.

"Are you sure it's okay?" she asked softly.

Eli nodded, tipping his head with an amused smirk. "I own the production company. I think they'll allow it."

"Oh."

He laughed as he quickly climbed out of the backseat and ran around to her driver's door. She looked up in surprise as he held out his hand and helped her out of the car. He squeezed her hand gently for a moment, then dropped it and returned his hands to his pockets.