Page 23 of One Kind Hand

“Then I got a rescue call,” Charlie said. “That’s probably a good thing because I’m not sure what would have happened if he’d joined me on that bed.”

“Hopefully you’ll be in that situation again,” Isabel said.

“Not sure we will be,” Charlie said.” Making the movie will be the main focus now.”

“But you won’t be shooting twenty-four-seven,” Isabel said. “Even famous actors have to eat and sleep, two activities that are always more fun with a buddy.”

But would Austin pick her as his . . . buddy?

“What did you do today?” Charlie asked in an attempt to stop thinking about Austin.

Isabel puffed out a long breath. “Yell at construction workers mostly. They put the wrong windows on two of the new cottages.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Yeah. And I basically got an oopsy as the reason why. There better not be any more oopsies or they are going to get a version of Isabel Perri they aren’t going to like.”

“Focus on how awesome it’s going to be when it’s all done and packed with happy guests.”

Isabel sighed. “I can’t wait.”

They chatted until the ice on Charlie’s elbow melted and Isabel made her promise to get some candid photos of Austin the next time Charlie saw him. She hadn’t thought to ask for any photos today. She’d been too busy waffling between being starstruck and being oddly comfortable with a man she’d just met. A rollercoaster of a day.

After squeezing the excess water from the towel she’d had around the ice, Charlie bent her arm a few times, pleased with the reduction in swelling. She’d be fine by tomorrow.

Tossing the towel into the laundry basket, Charlie used the bathroom then returned to the couch and her beer. She reached for the TV remote, but her phone chimed so she grabbed that instead.

A number she didn’t recognize flashed onto the screen. Normally she’d ignore such calls, not wanting to discuss an extended warranty on her SUV, but something made her hit accept instead of reject.

“Hello?”

“Charlie?”

Her feet slid off the coffee table when Austin’s deep voice filled her ear. She stood and immediately got to pacing across her small living room.

Oh my God!

“Yeah. Hi.” Brilliant, moron. A famous movie star had called her personally and all she had was a yeah hi.

“Hi. I hope you don’t mind me calling you. I got your number from your entry form.” Which meant he had her address to. She looked down at her baggy skull pajamas pants. Thank God Austin hadn’t stopped by.

As if movie stars stopped by remote Vermont towns to see women they’d known for barely a day.

“I don’t mind.” Was there someone who would mind Austin Rayhill calling? “Did you call because you’re afraid of how dark it gets in Vermont at night?” She amazed herself with her ability to sound semi-flirty.

Austin’s quiet chuckle caused certain parts of Charlie to vibrate. “No. I’ve got my fierce watchdog, Berto, here to protect me from mountain monsters and such.”

“You’d better hope those mountain monsters and such aren’t bigger than flies if that’s the only protection you’ve got.” Which made her wonder. “Hey, do you have bodyguards?” She hadn’t seen anyone that looked like a bodyguard, but blending in was maybe the point.

“Not right now,” Austin said. “I have some from time to time, but you saw how easy it was for me to disguise myself today.”

“Do you like being recognized while off screen? Or do you prefer to have the privacy?”

“Privacy is nice, but as long as people are cool, I don’t mind interacting with fans if they figure out who I am.”

That was a sweet answer and somehow what she expected him to say.

As if you know him. She smacked her forehead, hoping to knock some sense into herself.