“Is everyone feeling nourished?” Della asked, gesturing to the pastries and coffee.
A chorus of yesses rose from the assistants and the other producers who’d filtered in.
Our director grinned and clapped her hands together. “Fantastic. Then let’s begin.”
I’d bet myself five bucks that Joan would be waiting by the entrance to the orchard the following morning, and, wouldn’t you know it? I was right.
Being able to accurately predict her motivations didn’t really account for the relief I felt at seeing her, though. It couldn’t explain the sudden nervous energy buzzing beneath my skin either.
“Good morning,” I called as I approached.
She eyed me cautiously, like I might pull a knife on her instead of the smile I was already wearing. I hadn’t bothered with the sunglasses, but the beanie was necessary. It was cold this morning on my newly shorn scalp.
Joan grunted something that might have been “good morning” or “hurry up.” I wasn’t sure, but when she took off down the gravel path at a brisk jog, I moved to keep up.
I fought against my amusement at her surliness as I forced myself to focus on my pace and breathing—like she’d taught me. But after a few minutes, I couldn’t take it.
“So, you’re mad,” I said.
“Nope.” The word snapped out and landed with the subtlety of a live grenade.
Well, at least she wasn’t starstruck. If she’d shown up this morning a staring, bumbling mess, I would have been strangely disappointed. Impressing Joan was one thing; using my celebrity status to do it was something else entirely.
But we were obviously back to square one. She was spooked and distrustful, and had basically reverted to ignoring me and giving one-word responses.
“Listen, I won’t bother your family anymore if you don’t want me to,” I told her, not entirely sure how to keep that promise should she demand it. I already had plans with her brother and a group chat with her mom and dad.
“None of my business,” Joan bit out before picking up the pace a little. It was her way of shutting me up. If I couldn’t breathe, then I couldn’t yap.
Unfortunately, I was persistent, often to my own detriment. Who needed oxygen anyway?
“You seem like a private person, and I get that. I really do,” I said, panting a little. Okay, a lot. “But we’re neighbors for the time being and I don’t mean any harm. I want to be on good terms with you and your family. Friends, you know?”
She didn’t answer.
“So how long do you think you’ll be mad at me? You’re not breaking up Team Turkey Trot, are you? Because I already registered us, and I think we can easily place in our age groups.”
Joan cut me a look sharp enough to impale before facing forward and rolling her eyes.
That was progress.
I needed to get this next part out. There was a hill coming up, and I’d be fighting for my life just to make it to the top. “Feel free to punish me for encroaching on your home life. You can make me do sprints after our run, or, hey, you could spank me, if you wanted.”
She stopped so abruptly that I nearly stumbled before turning to face her.
Joan’s glare was worse than incendiary; it was stone-cold.
I raised my hands in surrender. “You’re right. That was inappropriate.”
“Do you think this is funny?” she gritted out.
“No?” I replied warily. It was clear from her tone that the question had been rhetorical.
“All some big joke? Tricking me into thinking you were just someregular guy?”
“Oh, that.” I chuckled. “I mean, yeah. It’s a little funny. No one actually thinks that you can hide Superman with a pair of Clark Kent glasses, but itactually happened. You didn’t recognize me with my sunglasses on.” I laughed again, but Joan didn’t.
“You cut your hair,” she accused.
