Hello, my alien lovers!
A couple of weeks ago, I told you about a telenovela I'd started watching. I called it quits after four episodes.
It was a fun show to watch, but I had a difficult time identifying with wealthy people fighting hard to keep the social status quo.
I know stories are supposed to provide an escape, but when capitalism is slowly killing us all, I'm finding myself aching for more stories that speak to the transformative social change our societies are going through.
Lo and behold, Spanish television had the perfect show for me (again!).
Inspired by a book written by feminist and communist Luisa Carnés in the 1930s, Salon de Té La Moderna's cast is predominantly working-class characters, with the main character's family being kicked out of their apartment in the first episode for unpaid rent.
In Episode 5, Mathilde, the main character, starts questioning the fact waiters get paid tips but not waitresses. The show is about social classes, the struggles to survive in a capitalistic economy, and, of course, women's fight for equity.
We made it to Chapter 20! How will Maple handle the one-bed trope situation she's stuck in?
Read along to find out, and get ready for another secret sexy alien superstar twist.
Enjoy!
L. 🩷
If you're new to the story, start with Chapter 1
If you missed the last chapter, Previously on Perilous Love Stars
Maple was very familiar with the one-bed trope. She’d build her romance career on tropes, from royalty to grumpy-sunshine, with secret babies being her favourite. But she’d never been a fan of the one-bed trope. Maybe it was too chaste for her, too simple. Why spend precious time sharing a bed? Weren’t there more exciting things to explore, like more secret babies to be had?
So, of course, the irony that Maple was stuck in a bedroom for the night with Salvatore and that there was only one bed to share was not lost on her. Like the rest of the motel, the room was small and cheap, and the double bed occupied most of the space. There was an even smaller bathroom in the back, one dresser with suspicious stains, and the chairs Ludovick had mentioned. Nothing she could use as an alternate bed. She couldn’t even sleep on the floor. There wasn’t enough free space for her to fit in.
She moved to the window, eyeing with suspicion the other rooms outside. Were they all empty? She didn’t trust that Ludovick guy.
“If you’re anxious about sharing a bed with me, don’t worry, “ Salvatore said, his low voice cutting through the worried silence Maple had been living in since she entered the room. “We can take turns sleeping if that makes you more comfortable.”
She turned to watch him. He’d brought a duffel bag from the car with him, his only clothes with the collection of funky socks. He opened the bag and unfolded a pair of sweats.
“What would the other do while they’re awake?” Maple asked.
For an instant, the idea of Salvatore watching her sleep crossed her mind. She bit her lips, whisking it away.
“I don’t think sleeping half of the night is going to be very comfortable,” she continued, trying to sound as practical as possible. Nothing about the situation or the fuzzy feelings inside of her were practical. But she had to hold on to something. She was a professional sharing a bedroom for the night with her employee. She could do this. Right?
“I could sleep in the car,” he said. “But it’s more difficult to keep an eye on you from there.”
Maybe he shouldn’t be keeping his eyes on her. That was the problem. She couldn’t think when he looked at her with those brooding green eyes. And there wasn’t any desk in this room. How could she be a practical professional who didn’t cross boundaries if there was nowhere safe to think? Where was her emotional bunker? She was just a dumb human with needs who needed a safety plan to get through the night. If anybody should sleep in the car, it was her.
She gripped the nondescript brown curtain to calm herself down. She couldn’t lie to Salvatore, and since lying was the best way she knew how to handle any remotely challenging situation, she resolved to do the next best thing. Tell him the truth.
“I guess, practically, it makes sense that we both sleep on the bed,” she said decisively, as much to convince him as it was to herself. “But we need to establish some ground rules.”
“Oh? What ground rules?” He stared back at her with a naive smile.
His gaze was sharp. He knew exactly what he was doing. Salvatore wasn’t going to make it easy for her.
She didn’t understand because he knew the consequences of even playing with flirtation. She was his boss, and they worked in an industry reeling with predators. Maple wouldn’t want to become one of them.
“Obviously, this is not an ideal situation,” she started, gathering her thoughts and thinking of the best way to phrase them. “We have to share a bed, and I’m your boss.”
“Technically, Bōøbol and Ersweld Included are my bosses. You work for them, and so do I.”
Maple wanted to retort that she could fire Salvatore, that she had more powers than he did. That was how the industry worked. But she wasn’t so sure anymore. Salvatore was a superstar. She was a disposable showrunner with a show in trouble. Maybe the imbalance of power wasn’t as clear as she thought.
“We work together,” she tried again since nothing seemed to cool Salvatore’s burning eyes on her.
“We’ve been working together for years. I’m technically employed by Ersweld Included, not you.”
“I’m still your boss.”
He smiled. “You’re a rule breaker. Why be such a stickler for them now?”
“I value professionalism,” she responded. It was easier than admitting she was scared of giving into Salvatore’s incessant flirtation and giving up control.
“Sharing a bed isn’t professional, but we don’t have a better option,” she said, hoping to convince herself. “So, let’s just agree to sleep, each on one side, and that’s it. We’ll leave early tomorrow and maybe book ahead for the next night so we don’t have to share another bed. Yeah?”
He took his sneakers off, then pulled the large black hoodie he wore off to reveal a tight tank top, hugging his well-defined muscles. His nipples were hard under the cotton fabric. Maple couldn’t not notice them. She turned back to the curtains and closed them, giving herself something to do instead of devouring her employee’s body with her gaze.
“That’s fine by me, Boss,” Salvatore said all too casually. “I usually sleep naked, but I could make an exception for tonight.”
Maple watched as he took off his pants and meticulously folded them on one of the chairs. His boxers weren’t tight, and they didn’t need to be. Salvatore’s package was on display enough as it was.
She averted her eyes, blushing like a middle school girl whose crush just kissed her on the cheek. “Great. Perfect. Wonderful.” She grabbed her bag and rolled it to the bathroom. “I’ll go change.”
He grinned before sliding into the bed. “Sure. Boss.”
She locked the bathroom door behind her, reminding herself to breathe. This was going to be a long night.
A knock on the door woke Maple. She blinked and groaned. Her back was killing her.
“Maple? Are you okay?”
Salvatore’s voice carried through the door. Maple rubbed her eyes, slowly taking in the room she’d spent the last few hours in. The shitty motel bathroom. The surface beneath her, cold and burnished by usage.
She’d spent the night in the motel room’s bathtub.
“Maple?” The knocks on the bathroom door intensified. “I let you sleep in there to respect your space. But if you don’t give me a sign of life, I will have to burst the door open.”
“I’m okay!” she said, panicked that he would follow through. Her mouth was dry, and she could smell her armpits. She needed a shower and some mouthwash before she could face him.
“Good. I have coffee for you.”
Oh, God! She really wanted coffee. But she wasn’t ready to open the door. “That’s very nice of you. But—”
“Cappuccino, triple shot, extra hot with half-half coconut-almond milk,” he interrupted her. “Just like your craft order on set.”
Oh, God (the sequel)! He'd memorized her coffee order? How had he found almond and coconut milk in the middle of nowhere? It didn’t matter. There was fresh, hot coffee on the other side of the door. She couldn’t resist that, especially after sleeping in the tub.
Last night, after brushing her teeth and doing half of the skincare routine Storm had forced her to adopt after commenting on Maple’s “precocious wrinkles,” Maple had wanted time to think before she joined Salvatore in bed. She’d laid down in the bathtub, hoping to get some time to figure out her next move. They had at least three more days before they reached Daphne’s house. The forced proximity with Salvatore was driving her hormones insane, and since she hated not being in control, she’d wanted a solid plan on how to face the next few days with him. But she’d been so tired after the week she’d had that she’d fallen asleep in the tub. Now every inch of her body was sore, screaming at her in revolt.
She uprooted herself out of the tub, grumbling as her muscles ached. It was still dark outside as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She didn’t look bad per se, but she certainly had better days. Maybe if Salvatore saw her in this state, he would stop flirting with her.
Maple decided against the shower and the mouthwash, hoping it would be repellent enough to keep Salvatore at bay until they made it to Daphne’s. She’d figure out how to send him back to Sobriquet Lake without her. If she convinced Daphne to come back to the show, there was no way the actress would agree to a road trip anyway.
Maple opened the door. Salvatore was standing there, holding two take-out cups. He smiled when he saw her. “Morning,” he said, looking as fabulous as always. How had he managed to sleep, wake up, get coffee and still look this hot without a bathroom stop?
Maple hated actors.
“Good morning.” She stepped out of the bathroom, accepting the cup Salvatore was offering. She took one blissful sip of the hot beverage. “How do you know my order?”
“I pay attention to important things.”
“Like how I take my coffee?”
He chuckled. “I pay attention to you.”
Oh, God (the trilogy)! Maybe if she blew some of her morning breath in his face, he’d finally stop being so sexy with her?
His demeanour shifted after Maple took another sip. “We should go.” He was tense, his easygoing attitude gone. “Before the other motel guests awake.”
“You’re afraid people will recognize you?”
She’d also worried about that. What awful lie would the tabloids publish if someone caught them together on the road? They’d given fake names to Ludovick and paid the room in cash, but if he’d recognized them, the precautions might turn futile.
“Yes, and…” He gave her one stern look. “I’m afraid people will see this.”
He pulled up his left sleeve to reveal an arm Maple had seen thousands of times before. But this time, the tanned skin that usually covered it was glowing with bright colours. Red, blue, and yellow.
“What the fuck?”
“I know,” he responded calmly. “And it’s only getting worse.”
from: loretta.herrera@ersweld-included.com
to: maple.defleuvier@ersweld-included.com
subject: phone off!!
Cariño, your phone is off! turn it back on! We need to talk! ARE YOU DATING SALVATORE?!!
If you are, STOP! Remember what happened between my mom and Fran… their breakup almost derailed production! Well, one might argue our production is already pretty derailed… still!! be careful, mi cariño. Men are cruel, they break our hearts.
TURN YOUR PHONE BACK ON POR FAVOR!!!!
LORETTA
from: eduardo-cruz.nimri@ersweld-included.com
to: maple.defleuvier@ersweld-included.com
subject: question?
hi boss,
your phone is off.
What is going on between Salvatore Suarez and his boss?
is that you?
from: little-D-slut-2000@gmail.com
to: maple.defleuvier@ersweld-included.com
subject: omygaaaaad!!!!!!
hiiiii girl boss,
I lost my password for my professional account and I.T. is ghosting me apparently??? l know you said you had this under control, but REAL talk, do you???
also: What is going on between Salvatore Suarez and his boss?
are you fucking salvatore????? please, send DETAILS
xx davenport
to: loretta.herrera@ersweld-included.com, eduardo-cruz.nimri@ersweld-included.com, little-D-slut-2000@gmail.com
from: maple.defleuvier@ersweld-included.com
subject: Automatic reply - Away for now
Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out!
Unfortunately, production on season 73 of Betteraves & Betrayals has officially shut down as of May XX, 20XX.
I will be crying in a corner somewhere and will respond to your email when we are back in production. If that doesn’t happen, please note I will never answer your emails and instead will find a way to enter a different reality where our show hasn’t been cancelled.
Sincerely,
Maple Defleuvier (she/her)