inside knowing there was one thing she was good at that Chynna couldnât master. âGive it time.â
âHow much?â Chynna asked, ringing her hands. âIf I donât pull it together quick, the director will replace me. Do you think perhaps while weâre here, you could run lines with me?â
âSure.â Kenya wasnât sure what good it would be, but she would give it the old college try.
After nearly an hour, Kenya surmised that Chynna just didnât have it. That it that directors looked for, but she supposed that with a whole lot of editing, the movie studio would figure out how to make it work.
âIâm bad, arenât I?â Chynna asked.
Kenya tried to hide her frustration over Chynnaâs inability to really let herself go there. âYou need to be more vulnerable,â she stated.
âIâm trying,â Chynna responded fervently.
âWell, itâs not translating to me,â Kenya said. Sheâd run lines before, but never so painstakingly.
Chynna huffed and stood up. âIâm not into this acting thing. I just want to sing and maybe design an outfit or fragrance, but acting, quite frankly, bores me.â
âThen you should never have let them talk you into it. Whereâs the bullheaded Chynna I know and grew up with? Where has she gone?â
Chynna stared out at the fading sunset and then turned around. âHonestly, I donât know.â
âPerhaps itâs time you find her.â
âAnd how would I do that?â
Kenya pondered the question. âI donât know, but somethingâs gotta give.â
Chapter 3
C hynna couldnât remember the last time sheâd felt truly relaxed and in control of her own destiny than she did over the last week and a half. No schedules, no meetings, no tapings, no concerts. Sheâd woken up when she wanted, no matter the time of day. She was sure Kenya thought she was crazy sleeping half her morning away over the last week, but she didnât careâshe needed to catch up on her sleep.
Between the concerts and the late nights afterward, she was usually up all night and only able to sleep a few hours during the day. Since sheâd been at the resort, she went to bed at midnight and got up at nine or ten oâclock, which was quite early for her.
Her twin, on the other hand, was usually already up, had gone for an hour-long run, showered and was sitting at the breakfast table eating an egg-white omelet the chef had prepared. Theyâd both been blessed with baby-making hips and each had to run or, in Chynnaâs case, work with a trainer to keep their bodies tight. And tight hers had to remain. Eli was always telling her the camera put on fifteen pounds and that she had to stay within her target weight. Not so easy to do when she was on the road, eating fast food and not getting enough sleep.
She felt better mentally and physically this week than she ever had. She and Kenya had done yoga, Pilates and Zumba. Sheâd had a massage and facial just about every day, and her pores and skin never seemed so clear. Despite Deaconâs protestations, coming to the ranch was a gift.
âHey, sis,â Chynna said, walking into the dining room where Kenya was seated and finishing her omelet.
âCan I have another one of those?â Chynna asked the patient chef, who always waited for her to wake up before starting her breakfast. âBut make mine with smoked Gouda, spinach, sautéed mushrooms, onions and some bacon crumbles.â
Kenya laughed as she placed another forkful of omelet into her mouth. âYou had me until the bacon crumbles.â
âHey, bacon makes everything taste better,â Chynna said, plopping in the cushioned chair beside Kenya and folding one leg underneath the other.
âSure thing,â the chef said and busied himself with making her order.
âSo what are we going to do today?â Kenya asked.
âI