Chapter 1

The sun was setting on the small town of Bridgecreek, Montana. It was the beginning of summer and the temperatures were starting to really warm up. The hotels were booked due to a major motion picture being filmed there. Most of the cast and crew had arrived, setting up shop for the four-month shoot.

Lillian Connor absently brushed a piece of dark blonde hair out of he face as the last of the movie people left the diner. She shook her head as she carried a few plates back to the back. This was going to be a long four months, she thought. Most of the people she waited on tonight thought she was their personal slave. And they hadn't tipped well at all.

As she was wiping down the last of the tables, the bells on the door jingled. With a groan, she stood up and stopped short. The most gorgeous man she had ever seen walked in. He had to be over 6 feet tall. His shoulders were broad and muscled, leading down to huge biceps and thick forearms. His chest and stomach had to be just as muscled under the soft t-shirt that outlined just how big his chest was. A pair of worn jeans that hugged him when he moved encased his toned legs. She quickly looked back up and noticed his hair was messily shaggy and almost black. Their eyes collided and Lillian almost gasped out loud. They were the lightest blue she had ever seen. She started towards him when it hit her that she was supposed to be working.

Garrick McAllister watched as the woman started walking towards him. She was beautiful. Nothing like the women he typically dated. He ran a large hand through his hair as he studied her. She had dark blonde hair that was pulled up into a long ponytail. He noticed there were lighter blonde streaks mixed in. And they looked natural. He smirked. That was hard to find these days, he thought. Her eyes were the color of honey, warm and loving. She wore a horrible looking uniform that clung to her ample chest, buttoning up the front. The skirt hung down to her knees, a pair of white sneakers on her small feet. He loved that fact that she wasn't model thin. She had meat on her bones, making her rounded and fleshy in all the right places. And, she couldn't be but a few inches over 5 feet.

"Hi…Welcome to Kelly's Place…table for one tonight?" Lillian asked.

Garrick almost groaned, barely managing to nod. Her voice was smooth and slightly raspy. "Please."

Lillian led Garrick to a booth in the back corner and laid a menu on the table in front of him. Garrick slid into the booth and smiled up at her. Lillian smiled back. "My name's Lillian and I'll be your server this evening. What can I get ya to drink?"

Garrick sat back in the seat. "I'll have an iced tea please."

Lillian quickly nodded and turned quickly, walking off. Garrick smirked as he noticed her hitch in breath. He absently looked through the menu while he waited on Lillian. Lillian…that is such a pretty name, he thought.

There was suddenly an iced tea in front of him. Startled, he looked up and smiled. Lillian smirked and slid into the booth across from him, setting her pad of paper on the table. "Did you look at the menu?"

"Yes, I did. But, I don't know what I want. How about you recommend something?" Garrick asked, folding his arms across his chest.

God, he's English, Lillian thought. His accented voice wrapped around her, putting her under his spell. "Um…well…you strike me as a meat kinda guy."

Garrick laughed. Lillian took a deep breath. Man, his voice was deep and sexy, even a little husky. "I am a meat kinda guy."

"All right. I would say get our sirloin, but it's pretty disgusting. Way too chewy. So… you should get a cheeseburger."

Garrick looked at her and smirked. Lillian smirked right back at him. "I'm a little surprised you know about meat. But, pretty much every woman I know, only eats fish and salad." Garrick said, impressed.

Lillian laughed, then shook her head. "Does it look like I'm a fish and salad kind of girl? No…I don't think so. If I was that kind of girl, I'd look like Maria Gonzalez." Maria Gonzalez was a very popular actress, as well as the lead girl in the movie filming in town.

Garrick shook his head. "You shouldn't want to look like that. That's unhealthy and unnatural. Did you know the average woman weighs around 140 pounds?"

Lillian smiled and blushed a bit. "I didn't, but that makes me feel only a fraction better." Then she laughed. "So, a cheeseburger?"

Garrick nodded. "With fries please."

Lillian stood up and grabbed his menu. "K. I'll be back in a couple minutes." She walked towards the back, disappearing through the swinging doors.

Garrick sighed softly. She knew who Maria was, did that mean she recognized him? He frowned. No, he didn't think so. She seemed totally clueless about who he was. Then he smiled. It was nice not to get recognized as Garrick McAllister, movie heartthrob. He was happy that the most beautiful woman he had ever seen had only recognized him as a man.

Filming was due to start in a week and he wanted to take in the town and site see before he started the long hours of filming. He would have to ask Lillian if she could show him around.

Lillian set about closing down for the night. She knew it was going to take forever because Kelly was just going to sit and watch. She glanced over at Garrick and found him looking at her. He smirked and waved her over. Lillian headed to his table and smiled. "Can I help you?"

"Actually yes. I was wondering if you were busy for the next week?" He asked softly.

Lillian shrugged. "Not really. I have to work some dinner shifts, but that's it. Why?" She replied calmly while her insides flipped with excitement.

"Good. Then how about being my tour guide. I'm in town for a bit and would love to site see before I have to work."

Lillian smiled and nodded. "I'd love that. I always wanted to be a tour guide." She smirked and absently brushed at a strand of hair. "I'll have to take you to the movie set. They are filming a western type movie here. It's been really great for business. Especially for Maggie. Her hotel is booked for the next four months."

Garrick managed to keep a straight face. "That would be cool. I hear movie sets are interesting. Who's in it?"

Lillian shrugged. "Maria Gonzalez. Morgan Jones plays her father… and some Garrick guy is the lead. People always look at me funny because I still don't know what he looks like."

Garrick chuckled nervously. "I'm sure he looks like any normal guy."

"How do you know?" She asked.

Garrick smirked. "Because even I know who Garrick McAllister is."

Lillian laughed. "I guess I am just weird. Oh well…I don't mind. Maybe I'll meet him sometime in the next few months and see what everyone is talking about. Your food should be ready. Be right back."

Phew, that was close, he thought. He was sure he was going to give himself away. He would have to tell her who he was before she found out from someone else.

Twenty minutes later, he was finished eating. He looked up to see Lillian scrubbing everything down with a rag. She had been doing that for a while now. Then he saw the other lady just sitting there filing her nails and sending annoying glances at Lillian.

Lillian looked up and saw that he was finished. She washed her hands before heading over to him. She smiled. "Finished? You like it?"

"You were right. Better choice than a steak. Now, who is that lady and why is she just sitting there?"

"Because she's the owner, therefore she's the wicked stepmother and I'm Cinderella. She hates me because I have natural blonde hair and she doesn't. And, I'm nice and nobody likes her."

"I can see why. You have to clean everything by yourself?" Garrick asked, his eyes wide.

Lillian chuckled. "I always do. Don't worry, I'll only be here another hour." She rolled her eyes. "Story of my life."

"So find another job."

"It's not that easy. I'm in beauty school. I want to do make-up and hair for movies. This job works well with my school schedule."

Garrick beamed. "Make-up and hair, huh? They can really pull in some money. But I hear things can get pretty hectic and crazy, especially when you have over 200 people for make-up and hair."

Lillian nodded. "I know. I can do it though. This coming semester is my last and I can get out of this dead end job and tell Kelly to stick it where the sun don't shine." She gasped and blushed. "I'm sorry. I don't normally talk that way."

Garrick laughed and shook his head. "No worries, love. Here…what can I do to help? I can clean out here if you'd like."

Lillian studied him a minute before saying. "You'd really do that?"

Garrick nodded. "The sooner you finish, the sooner I can spend time with you."

Lillian blushed and stood up, picking up his plate. "All right. But you don't have to do this."

Garrick nodded and stood up, towering over her. Lillian tilted her head back to look at him. "How tall are you?"

"6'5"…How tall are you?" He smirked down at her.

"5'3"…man you are a huge guy." She walked towards the back. "Wait here and I'll be right back."

A half hour later, Garrick had swept and mopped the floor, cleaned the tables and helped Lillian restock the condiments. Kelly had protested Garrick helping, but he had shut her up with a smile and a shrug, saying he wanted to help.

Now, he waited for Lillian by the front door. She wouldn't let him pay for his meal, telling him it was on her. He smiled. He often got meals for free because of who he was, but none because she simply wanted to take care of it, for him, Garrick.

Lillian came walking out dressed in a pair of jean gaucho pants and a black t-shirt that hugged her chest and slightly rounded stomach. She had let her hair fall free, hanging down to past her shoulder blades. A pair of flip-flops were on her delicate feet. She smiled up at him. "Ready to go?"

Garrick nodded and opened the door while slipping a baseball cap on his head. He didn't need to get recognized until he told Lillian who he was.

Lillian headed down the street. "Mind if we drop my stuff off at my apartment? Then I was thinking we could walk up to the park."

Garrick nodded. "Sure. Sounds like a good plan."

Lillian smiled up at him. "You know, you never told me your name."

Garrick looked at her and smiled. He couldn't exactly tell her Garrick. "It's Mac." McAllister, Mac for short, he thought.

"I like it. So what are you doing in Montana?"

"Oh…just passing through on my way back to England. I'm making a stop in at least one city per state. I'm almost finished." He lied easily.

Lillian nodded and slipped her keys out of her purse as they headed up the stairs to her apartment. Lillian walked inside and dropped her bag on the couch before turning towards Garrick. "Want anything to drink?"

He shook his head. "No thanks, love. I'm all right. I like your apartment. It's so…cozy in here." He turned in a circle, checking it out.

Lillian smiled. "Thanks. It's home. Has been for the past five years."

"How old are you?" He asked.

"Twenty-two. What about you?"

"Twenty-six. You were on your own at seventeen?"

Lillian shrugged. "Sixteen, actually. I just couldn't get an apartment. Finally, I ran into a friend of mine who happened to live here and she rented it to me."

"Why were you on your own at sixteen?" He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, feeling lightning pulse his senses at the soft touch. He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms.

"My mom died when I was nine. She had cancer. After that, my dad didn't want me. So, I was sent to my aunts. I stayed long enough to go to school. I dropped out at sixteen, then got my GED that next year after I got here and got settled."

Garrick frowned. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that. That's really terrible. How could your dad not want you?" He asked softly.

Lillian smiled sadly. "I ask myself that everday. Especially after he remarried and had kids with her. Hey…enough about me. Let's go to the park. The lake is so pretty at night. You'll love it." She grabbed his hand and headed towards the park.

Garrick squeezed her hand and didn't let go. Holding hands, they headed a couple streets down to the lake and park. Lillian led him towards the large body of water off to the side of the park.

Garrick nervously glanced around, thankful there was hardly anyone at the park. He came to a halt when Lillian stopped. He almost knocked her over, his arms closing around her soft body and bringing her flush against his hard chest.

Lillian gasped and clutched at Garrick's forearms, catching her balance. She bit her lower lip as she felt his muscled chest. He was as hard as a rock. She felt Garrick chuckle, she started to laugh herself. "You all right, love?" He asked softly in her ear.

Lillian nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Are you all right?"

Garrick nodded and pulled her closer again, resting his chin on top of her head. "I'm fine. Even better now that I found a way to hold you in my arms."

Lillian blushed and looked up at him, smiling. "You just should have done it. I wouldn't have minded. Now, look at the lake. I come here a lot when I want to think."

The moon reflected off the lake, small ripples going across the surface. The water was a calming blue color. Garrick sighed softly and hugged Lillian. "Very beautiful. Like you."

Garrick turned Lillian around and wrapped his arms around her waist and sighed. He pushed his hat off his head, bringing himself closer to her. Lillian reached up onto her toes, sliding her hands up his arms to wrap around his neck. Garrick's lips barely brushed hers when a camera flashed in their faces. "Garrick! Over here!"

With a gasp, Lillian jumped back. Garrick cursed softly and pulled Lillian to his chest, hiding her face. The paparazzi had found him. He sighed. He watched as the little man ran off. Lillian pulled back and stared up at him. "Garrick? I thought you name was Mac."

Garrick pulled his hands through his hair. "Garrick is my real name. And my last name is McAllister, hence Mac."

Lillian stared up at him, confusion in her eyes. "I don't understand…" Suddenly the light came on. She gasped loudly. "Oh my God… you're Garrick McAllister."

Garrick smiled sheepishly and threw his arms out wide. "That's me, love."

Lillian ran a small hand through her hair and groaned. "Oh my God… I am such a fool. You…I…I need to go. I'll see you later, Garrick." With that said, Lillian started back towards her apartment, her pace brisk and slightly unsteady.

Garrick stared after her and groaned. Damnit, he should have been up front with her right from the start. He paced around a bit before dashing after her. "Lillian…Wait!"

Lillian whirled to face him. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I should have told you who I was. I didn't mean to lie to you. But you didn't recognize me. And it felt good to know I could still attract a woman as a man. Can you understand that?" Garrick said, his voice raspy and low.

Lillian took a deep breath before looking up at him. "I can understand that. But that makes me think that you aren't even attracted to me, just the idea."

Garrick started to shake his head, but Lillian held up a small hand. "Stop, Garrick, please. I think I've been humiliated enough. Good luck with the movie. I'll see you around." She turned around again and headed towards her apartment.

Garrick watched her and sighed. He slipped his hand back on his head and waited until he saw her go onto her street before heading for the hotel. He would prove to her that he liked her and not the idea.

Phew! That's it kids…Another story ready to go. Sorry, I was inspired by Orlando Bloom's accent. It's very dreamy. I hope you guys like this one… let me know what you think! Please review! Lots of Love Cat :o)