Page 78 of One Kind Hand

When he didn’t elaborate, she tried Austin’s phone again, but the result was the same as before. They arrived at the set a few minutes later and Charlie was immediately whisked off by Janice and one of the producers to talk about how she’d approach with her chopper, the logistics of picking Austin up, and how they wanted her to fly him off. She understood everything they told her and was ready to do the job she’d been hired to do.

What she wasn’t ready for was Cody.

“Some notes before the driver takes you back to the airfield for your deathtrap with rotors.”

“At no time was Austin’s life in jeopardy,” she said. “I was in control of my chopper the entire time.”

“Except you shouldn’t have been over water or doing stunts in the first place.” Cody’s jaw clenched. “For this scene today, you will not talk to Austin. You’ll follow the directions you’ve been given to the letter. That means no hot shot moves. There are scenes that call for tricky maneuvers, but luckily today’s scene is a standard flight.”

“How is Austin? Can I talk to him before we shoot this?” Charlie hated begging Cody for anything, but she had to know Austin was okay. That he wasn’t still afraid.

That he didn’t hate her.

“He’s fine,” Cody said, “for a man whose life flashed before his eyes.”

“Why is he afraid of the water?”

“None of your fucking business. You were hired to fly your chopper. That’s what you’re going to do. Leave managing Austin to me.” He stormed off before Charlie could say another word.

“Ms. Moyen?”

She turned to see the driver who had brought her to the set.

“I’m ready to take you back to your helicopter.”

Charlie nodded, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of Austin. Finding none, she followed the driver to the car and got in the back again. On the drive, she berated herself for putting Austin in this situation. She knew having to unexpectedly face a fear was terrible and a fear of the water was a big one.

The only thing bigger was her fear of losing Austin.

Chapter Fourteen

Austin couldn’t get his hands to stop shaking. He hadn’t been anywhere that close to water since . . . since his parents died, and he hadn’t been at all prepared for the eruption of PTSD Charlie’s flight had sparked. Every time he thought he’d gotten himself settled, he’d picture that lake—wide, deep, waiting to absorb him—and his heartbeat went wild in his chest again. Flashes of that night with his parents caused a fresh sweat to break out under his clothes and yet, he was freezing.

“Honey,” Maria, the makeup artist, said. “You’re sweating and shaking too much for me to get these fake bruises on your cheek right.”

He glanced in the mirror. The scene he’d filmed yesterday involved a hand-to-hand fight with one of the bad guys who had abducted Cassandra’s character. They were picking up from just after that so he needed a fresh set of bruises on his face. Charlie was supposed to pick him up in her chopper during this next scene so he could continue his hunt for justice.

But he didn’t want to continue anything. What he wanted to do was go home to New York and lock himself in his home for days. It was taking every ounce of his strength not to totally come undone here, and he knew he was doing a shitty job. If he were by himself, however, he could loosen the reins on his emotional trauma and maybe drown the episode in expensive whiskey. His sisters would be there to comfort him. Of course they thought his fear of the water was simply because their parents had drowned.

That wasn’t the only reason.

A hand on his shoulder made him jump a mile out of his seat.

“Whoa, buddy.” Cody massaged Austin’s shoulders for a moment. “How can I help you relax?”

“Knock me out?”

“If you give him real bruises, then I’ll be all set,” Maria said, frowning at Austin’s cheek.

“Give us a minute, Maria?” Cody gestured behind him. “The croissants you love are at the buffet table.”

Maria set her makeup brush down and went in search of croissants while Cody pulled up her stool and sat beside Austin.

“Take a couple of deep breaths with me.” He took in an exaggerated inhale then gushed it out loudly.

Austin did the same a few times, but he didn’t feel much better. In fact the entire exercise made him feel as if he were gasping. Underwater. Fuck. He couldn’t even look at the filled water bottle Maria had at her makeup station without shuddering.

“I don’t think I can—”