I know I've said this before, but I'm sorry for taking a while with these chapters! I've been working a lot, and I've just been really beat. I switched to part-time, so hopefully I'll be posting sooner. Thanks for your patience, and thanks for sticking with the story my lovely readers!! ❤😁
~ ~ ~
As I stood there in the palace set, I couldn't help but let my gaze linger on Elvis and Alan standing over by one of the tall cameras. The two were standing apart, and Elvis was talking with Gene. I let air escape out of my mouth in a sigh as my mind ran with what Elvis told me about twenty minutes ago.
"Everything alright?" asked one of the palace maid ladies, Minerva, who wore that orange bikini top outfit.
"Yes, everything is alright," I said. "I think."
She followed my gaze, and she nudged me in the arm with her elbow. "Is Elvis making passes at you again? That man really has a hard time staying in control around the ladies."
"Actually... no. As surprising as that is."
I didn't want to get more into it since I barely knew this woman. She said nothing more, thankfully, and I watched as Elvis talked with Gene for a minute more, then stopped and came into the scene. After all of the irritating passes he had made to me with that quirky lop-sided smirk, his facial expression looked a tad... mean. His icy blue eyes linked with my eyes for a second, and there were razors. Serrated ones.
My chest hurt. I hated it when I felt guilty. My gaze went to Alan, and he smiled at me. Gene wasn't starting the scene, so would there be enough time for me to skedaddle off of the set for a minute and tell him I changed my mind? Yes, Alan seemed like a great guy, and he was hot, but I wasn't all that interested in him. I just needed him to spite Elvis.
"Maybe I can..." I mumbled and about took my first step, but Gene called for all of us to get into our places.
"Okay, now, we're going to have Johnny escape the palace," said Gene. "Ladies, you will shuffle off the set as the guards start to set in, and Elvis... are you prepared to get wet again?"
"Prepared enough," said Elvis. He glanced at me, then looked back at the director. He still didn't seem happy. Really, did I hurt his feelings that much? Well, he was human, not a famous robot, as much as he seemed like one since he was pushed incessantly by his manager. Plus, I heard that the guy was very emotional, on both sides of the spectrum. Those temper tantrums could clear a house, according to Grandma.
We all got into place, and the scene started. Us girls sat around Elvis as he talked with the thief, and once the other ladies and I came off of the set, we watched as Elvis played out this scene of hiding inside the pond in the palace courtyard to hide from the guards. He first stepped into the shallow pond and dunked under. Some of the crew gasped as he did so.
"Really, it's not like the guy doesn't know how to hold his breath," I muttered.
"This is pretty excitin', watchin' this," I heard, and I turned my head and faced Alan. The other women playing the palace maidens were staring at him. Figures. He was a women's gaze magnet.
"I suppose so," I said, turning away from him and watching the scene. Elvis came up out of the water, drenched, as Gene talked with him. My heart jumped. He looked... really good dripping wet, with water sliding down his face from his hair, and his skin shining where you could see some of his chest near the base of his neck. How come I didn't notice this the last time he was soaked after the scene where Johnny meets the princess?
"You kiddin'?! This is amazin'!" Alan enthused, which snapped me out of watching Elvis, it seemed, in slow motion as he ran a hand through his dark wet hair. My heart jumped around inside of me, and my face felt hot. I really had to get it together. Boy, Elvis would love to know that I had this reaction of him. But maybe he wouldn't care. He was ticked with me. It should be relieving that he was, but I just felt rotten.
My I was the overly emotional one at the moment. It was another curse in my family among the women, like the bosom thing. And, like Elvis, it went both ways. I could be a real hot-head, or I could be crying like a baby over nothing. "Uneven hormones," as my mom called them.
"I could do this all day, watching Elvis Presley act in one of his movies... in person!" Alan said, almost like a giddy girl. I had to let out some laughter.
"You're really pathetic, you know that?"
"What? I bet on the inside, you're just as excited."
He didn't need to know that on the inside, my organs were turning to goo at the sight in front of me. Thankfully, Gene got off the set, called "Action!" and Elvis went under again, along with the man helping out his character.
"I admit it's really interesting watching the making of a movie," I said. "Especially one that takes place around where my family's from. That's how I was able to get this part."
"You mean, since you are of Eastern descent, you were chosen for the role?"
"M-hm. Gene wanted authenticity. The other women are beautiful, but I doubt there's any Eastern blood in them, at least the Middle East. My family's from Israel."
Gene nodded. "That's pretty neat. And well... I think I find Middle Eastern women more attractive." My brows creased, and I looked over at him. He saw my expression. "What? I'm allowed to say that since you agreed to dinner, right? After first rejectin' me?"
I pressed my lips together. He gave me the perfect lead-in for what I needed to do. But could I just cancel with him and say that we shouldn't do it, especially after rejecting him and then accepting him? Maybe I should just ease into it.
No. I was a journalist. I was trained to be forthright and step on some toes. "Alan..."
He eyed me for a second with those brown eyes of his, and I knew he was reading me correctly. "Wait, after you just said you would..."
I never knew that I would be such a heartbreaker, and to two hot men. "Look, Alan, I was just caught up in the moment, that's all. Plus, you're leaving in a few days back to the South."
He huffed air out of his nose and folded his arms, and I noticed the muscles in his arms as he did so. WOW. "We discussed this already, and I thought you were okay with it. Plus, goin' out with a very beautiful woman before leavin' would be the cherry on top to this incredible trip. And I mean more than sellin' Elvis Presley a car. That's sayin' somethin'."
I looked over and watched this scene play out, with Elvis and the man playing the thief standing up out of the pond, but they had to duck under again when the guards arrived. My mind reeled with this insane situation. "Gosh, this is a mess..."
"It doesn't have to be," Alan said. "C'mon. Just go to dinner with me once, hm?"
Really, I just wanted to write my story and be done with it, but these two men were making it very difficult. Gene called "cut" and Elvis and the other man came out of the water, and Elvis was handed a towel as Gene talked with them and the men playing the palace guards.
This was so frustrating. I was being so indecisive regarding going out with Alan just because of what Elvis told me. As Gene talked with him and the cast in the scene, Elvis was eyeing me. Maybe I should throw out another reason why I was hesitant about stepping into the dating scene again. First, though, I had to tell Alan the truth.
"Alan," I said, and he turned his head to face me. I met his gaze, and we both faced each other.
"Look, there was a reason why I accepted you, and I admit, it's really amateurish. I'm ashamed of it, really, since I'm not the type of person to act in such a way."
"I'm not sure I'm followin'."
It was as if I was staring at the front of a magazine cover, so much was Alan's good looks at the moment. "I acted idiotically. I accepted you since I knew Elvis was watching, and I wanted him to see that he shouldn't go after me when he has a girlfriend and other women are throwing themselves at him."
Alan glanced over at Elvis, then back at me. "You... accepted me just to teach Elvis a lesson?"
"Yes, I suppose so. I'm sorry."
"But there was more to it, right?"
I saw the hopefully gleam in his brown eyes that had some green in the center. "What do you mean?"
He stepped close to me, and his cologne was overcoming my senses, as well as his heated nearness. For a moment, I forgot where I was and who could be watching this. Alan said in that low, sexy Southern voice, "I mean that you've had stars in your eyes since we met. And don't go makin' excuses about that."
What I wanted to lead into pushed at my noggin, but my mouth wouldn't cooperate. I didn't want to even think about what Elvis might be thinking or feeling if he was watching this. "Alan..."
"Go out to dinner with me," he ordered in that same tone of voice.
"I came out of a bad relationship not that long ago," I blurted out.
"Well, goin' out with someone else is a good way to move on from that."
It was a tad surprising that he didn't seem fazed about me getting out of a past bad relationship. Even though I wasn't looking, I could feel Elvis's glare on us. Maybe I should just do what I originally thought—throw Alan a bone.
"Okay, Alan, okay. I'll go out to dinner with you."
He grinned. "Wonderful. I knew you would come around eventually."
"You did?"
He leaned in closer, and I heard a woman gasp somewhere. Alan was close, so it probably looked like he was going to kiss me. I stepped back, but he still said, "You're a hard-headed woman, but you're still a woman who's impacted by a man."
It was annoying that he saw right through me. I looked over at Elvis, and he was still staring at Alan and me. I had a feeling he knew what was going on here, and he probably sensed that it wasn't a good idea. Heck, I even sensed that, but Alan didn't deserve to be tossed around like a hacky sack.
Well, I still wanted to prove to Elvis that he didn't have a chance with me, regardless of those sad blue puppy-dog eyes.
~ ~ ~
"Rebecca, you look absolutely beautiful," Mary Ann complemented as I stood in her room in front of her full-length mirror, and she had let me borrow one of her dresses. This one was a modest but slimming purple evening dress that had cupped short sleeves and went to the knee. It showed every blessed curve that I was given.
"I think we're overdoing it here," I said as I adjusted my long hair that was curling down to my waist. "This is way too much for a first date."
"I don't think so. And you think there's going to be a second one?"
I huffed. I really shouldn't be going on this date. Elvis's blue eyes would be in my mind's eye the whole time, and I could hear him reprimanding me. "No."
"Exactly. Just wear this. It's going to make Alan want to take trips out here more often." She winked, and I rolled my eyes.
"Really, Mary Ann. I should just change."
"Don't you dare! Alan's going to be here any minute."
Really, I didn't have much of a choice since Mary Ann was insisting. "Okay, okay." We both heard knocking at the door. My heartrate shot up. "Oh, boy. I haven't been on a date in two years."
"Well, what better time than the present to start again?"
"Well, the present for you. It's the past for me."
I already let her know my true story. "Just have fun on your date, okay?"
We both left the room and came out into the living room. Alan knocked again, and I went to answer it as Mary Ann went back into her room and shut the door. No doubt that she had her ear pressed again the door so she could hear what Alan and I would say.
I opened the front door and saw Alan standing there, dressed up in a brown suit that matched his eyes. We both stared at each other as our eyes widened and mouths opened as a reaction to each other.
"Wow, look at you," he awed. "You are incredibly stunning."
"Thank you. You are as well."
I grabbed my little clutch purse, and we headed out into the hallway. I was a little more at ease since he was wearing a suit. I wouldn't feel out of place with him, wearing this dress. We were probably headed to a fancy place. Of course, he was basically a CEO of a car company, so that was most likely where we were headed.
We eventually came out of the apartment complex, and I saw the car we would be traveling in, and it wasn't the car he drove to and from the set the last few days. I stared at it, wide-eyed. "Holy cow!"
"You like 'er?" He placed his hand on the black, shiny beauty. This car gave Elvis's a run for its money.
"Yes, I do. Did you rent this one out?"
"I'm the head of the Ford company in Tennessee. I can borrow a car from any Ford dealership if I so desire."
I thought as much. "I see."
"Shall we?"
He opened the passenger's side door for me, and he went off into the front seat. Soon, we were on the road, and I looked out the window at passing buildings. My nose took in Alan's cologne since the inside of the car smelled heavily of it. It was a very pleasant scent, but it was strong. Thankfully my perfume was just so as well.
"Somethin' on your mind?" I heard Alan ask.
"A lot of things."
"Penny for your thoughts? Or, let me guess..."
"You don't have to. I just feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment with what I'm doing right now. I mean, I'm a reporter who was asked to cover a story about Elvis's life, and here I am, tangled up with said life when that was farthest from my mind when I agreed to write the story."
"Wouldn't talking to the subject be wise, though?"
I wouldn't go into the fact that I was from the future. "Nevermind. I just feel in over my head. I've never been at a point where I wanted to completely halt the story altogether."
"Elvis has gotten that under your skin, huh?"
"Indeed, he has. Let's just not talk about it."
"Deal."
We came up to a restaurant, and as expected, it was pretty posh. We were seated at a table with a white tablecloth, and there was a rose in a single little vase in the center of it. The lighting was dim, and all the people around were finely dressed.
"This is quite the place," I commented.
"I wanted to impress you. Is it workin'?"
I had to stifle a chuckle. "Somewhat. I'm just glad I didn't underdress."
"You still would've been the most beautiful woman here, even if you wore just slacks and a blouse."
His brown eyes glistened from the single candle that was on the table as well. "Thank you."
A man dressed in a fancy waiter outfit came up to us and asked us for our drink orders. Of course, expensive wine. Did I even want to look at the prices on the menu? I had no other option. It was robbery, really, what they were offering for a small plate of pasta. After doing the inflation math in my head, I realized that my order alone was around one-hundred dollars.
"So, you're liking acting along with journalism?" Alan asked as he sipped his red wine. I had to move passed how expensive this dinner would be. Thankfully, Alan was paying for it.
"Yes, I am. Well, it's different. I've done some crazy things for a story, and I have to say, this tops all of them." And that was minus the traveling almost sixty years into the past. "People just don't get tangled up with celebrities like I have. I mean, I've followed celebrities in order to get a few questions answered, but never has this happened."
"And it's Elvis, so it's even more outlandish."
"M-hm. Exactly. I just hope I can get this story and not completely lose my mind."
He knew that I mean my relationship with Elvis. The fact that he rubbed me the wrong way didn't need to be discussed again.
The food came out, and we enjoyed the meal while he talked about his work, not mine, thankfully. I asked as we exited the five-star restaurant, "So, have you been successful in selling Elvis a car?"
"I have, actually. And he's interested in another. He told me that his guys would be by the main Ford dealership here in LA to pick up his cars and drive 'em back to Memphis."
"Psht, figures," I said in a snicker. "That Elvis is so predictable. The main things he loves, other than singing and dancing, are cars and woman. He has a hardcore love affair for both of them."
"I have to agree with that." We came to the car, he opened the door for me, and he came around. As we drove off, he said, "If Elvis isn't known for his incredible voice and dance moves, it's his love for cars and women. I'm hopin' that I can sell him at least one more car."
"This is going to do really great things for your business, isn't it?"
He made a side-glance at me. "Is this going to turn into an interview?"
"If it is, I wasn't meaning it to be. Give me a break. I've been a journalist for a decade."
He laughed, which was low and rumbled attractively in his chest. "Okay, okay. And, yes, it will do great things for my company. In fact, just because Elvis already bought two of our cars from the LA dealership, reporters have been on our tail."
"And the public has read that Elvis did so, so they want to also."
"Exactly. And this was the whole point of this trip—have Elvis buy a car or two, and then let that be the reason more people buy from us, simply because their favorite star did."
"Sneaky and maniacal."
He shrugged. "I know. But we have to do what we have to do to gain business."
We made it to the apartment complex, and I came out of the car. Alan walked me up to Mary Ann's apartment, but we stopped before we turned into the hallway. He stopped me and leaned in suddenly, and I found his lips on mine. My heart jumped up to my throat at the sudden gesture, and I grabbed a hold of his muscular arms. Oh, how wonderful it felt to be kissed by such a hot man! I responded, and he leaned more into me, and I felt his hands grip the small of my waist.
My face felt heated, and I continued kissing him. His hand started traveling lower...
"Alan," I softly reprimanded as our mouths were right near each other. He didn't say anything, just kissed me again, and his other hand went lower while the other one didn't move. "Alan," I said more forcefully.
"What? You're liking this."
"You're going too far," I countered. "I think we should just say goodnight and go our separate ways."
"I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I wanted to leave you with an impression."
"Yes, and that impression is, you don't know when to stop."
"Women like this, though. And you're just like the rest of 'em."
Something sharp pierced my chest, and I pushed him away, realizing now what kind of man he was. "You're a womanizer just like Elvis. I should've known. Good looks, head of a car company... Gosh, I was brainless to not see it, either that or I was just too distracted to look farther than the outer appearance."
I promptly left him and turn the corner, and he grabbed my arm. "Hey, c'mon, you liked this evenin' out."
"Probably because you knew how to wow a woman. You're the stereotypical womanizer. Tell me, how many women have you taken out while you were here, huh?" He didn't answer, and that made my chest burn with fury. My eyes started to leak stinging tears. "I was seriously an idiot. And don't you dare follow me."
"Rebecca," he called after I turned again and walked on down the hallway.
"Have a nice life, Alan," I spat, and I couldn't help the tears that formed.
Why did I have to attract men whose specialty was to woo women? Well, no more. Thankfully, I didn't know Alan all that well, or else this would hurt. I was only emotional since I was angry with myself for accepting his pleading for a date. I should've never given in.
I came to the apartment door and took a deep breath and let it out. I really needed to talk with Mary Ann and tell her just what kind of man her better-than-perfect cousin was.
I opened the door and immediately saw someone sitting with Mary Ann in the living room on the sofa. Confusion filled me, as well as more irritation. I knew that both of them could see my teary, makeup-streaked face and bloodshot eyes. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" I hollered and left, slamming the door.
"Rebecca!" I heard Mary Ann call, but I was already heading down the hallway.
"I am so done with men, especially men like them."
I stopped at the elevator doors but didn't press the button. Seriously, I wanted to just go back home. But that wasn't an option. I was stuck in 1965 until further notice. Actually, there wouldn't be a notice! What if I was stuck here?
"I just wish I could go home and never come back," I said to the shiny doors, but someone else heard me.
"Hopefully not," he said, and I instantly recognized the voice. I groaned.
"Lord, what the heck are you even doing here?" I demanded and looked over at him. His eyes saddened, most likely because of my state.
"Mary Ann and I were just runnin' lines for a scene we're doin' tomorrow. That's all. So... I take it your date tonight didn't go so well."
I pressed the elevator button, wanting to get away from him. "What was your first guess?" I asked dryly, and I wanted to scream. It was so hard to hold it in. "Why'd you follow me? I thought you were upset with me."
"I just wanted to see if you're okay."
"Well, obviously, I'm not." I huffed. "Nevermind. Really, I've had enough of all this. I never even wanted to do this story in the first place, but my boss begged me. I just want to go home and be done with men who really have a knack for making me furious with them."
Elvis stepped up to me, his expression serious, and his brows creased. "What'd he do to you?"
"I do hope you know that you're one of the men I'm talking about," I snapped. "Can't you just, for once, leave me alone?!"
I didn't mean to shout that last bit, but it came out like that. Elvis wasn't fazed in the least. "I'm really sorry he did somethin' that caused you to be like this."
"You good-looking men are all the same. I'm so done with all of you." The elevator door opened. "Gene said I won't need to be on the set tomorrow, so I guess I won't see you for a while. Thank the Lord."
I went on into the elevator, but Elvis stopped the doors like the last time. "Rebecca, please, what's really goin' on here? What'd that guy do to ya? I can make sure he pays."
"How? Buy throwing out your famous card somehow? No. Don't get involved. Please. Now unblock the door so I can get out of sight of you. Really, I never liked you, even in my time."
"I'm not gonna take any of that personally since you're hurt. And okay. I'll leave, but just know that I really am sorry for everythin' that you've gone through. And I'm sorry I've been such a nuisance to ya. I'll keep my distance, okay? I promise."
"That's probably the most sensible thing you've decided to do since I met you."
"That won't stop me for from feelin' somethin' for ya, though."
His blue eyes were firm and serious, but it only made me more irritated. "Enough! For the love of God, enough! Go and do something about Priscilla before you even think of flirting with me or any other woman again. And while you're at it, run your own life! Get back into music! Stop being pushed like dog!"
"Rebecca..."
"Please, just get out of my sight, Elvis. I was never your fan, and I never will be. I'm just trying to do my job. Now unblock the doors!"
Those blue eyes started to become bloodshot, and he stepped out of the way finally. Like the last time, I saw him through the gap until the doors closed. I sniffed, and a sob erupted out of me. Several. In spasms.
Well... this wasn't the way I imagined changing things.