Page 80 of Cast to be Mine

By the time I called wrap, I was spent. It had been a long day made longer by the tension I now felt. Grace disappeared into one of the transport vans without a backward glance.

I stood there like an idiot, watching the van pull away, feeling the distance between us like a physical ache.

“You okay, boss?” Toby appeared at my elbow.

“Fine. Just tired.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he was smart enough not to push.

“Van’s ready whenever you are.”

The ride back to the hotel was quiet. I stared out the window, not really seeing any of the stunning scenery. My mind kept replaying our conversation. I’d disappointed her.

She was right. I had been letting my personal feelings compromise the shoot. I’d been so focused on protecting her that I’d forgotten she didn’t need protecting. She was a professional. A damn good one. And I’d treated her like she was fragile and couldn’t handle the demands of her own job.

No wonder she was pissed.

Back at the hotel, I showered and changed into casual clothes. I thought about texting her. Apologizing. But that wasn’t what she needed.

She needed space and I had to respect it.

And I needed a drink.

The hotel bar was one of those open-air setups. Bamboo furniture, tiki torches, and the scent of lush vegetation. A few other guests were scattered around, but it was mostly quiet. Perfect for wallowing.

I ordered a whiskey and found a seat at the far end of the bar, away from the main cluster of people. The bartender poured generously, probably reading the mood on my face.

“Rough day?” he asked.

“Something like that.”

He nodded sagely and moved on to other customers, leaving me to my brooding.

The whiskey burned going down, but it didn’t do anything to quiet the chaos in my head. I hated that look on her face—disappointment. In me. Like she’d expected better from me and I’d let her down.

That was worse than anger. I could handle anger.

I signaled for another drink.

I was supposed to just compartmentalize? Flip a switch and stop caring about her safety, her feelings, her everything, the moment we stepped on set?

I didn’t know if I was capable of that.

“Mind if I sit?”

I looked up to find Toby hovering awkwardly, a beer in his hand and uncertainty written all over his face.

“Free country,” I said, gesturing to the empty stool beside me.

He sat, taking a long pull of his beer before speaking. “You looked lonely. Like you might want some company. Or not. I can leave if you want to be alone.”

“Stay.” I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts anymore. They were terrible company.

“So, the shoot’s going really well,” Toby said enthusiastically.

“Yeah?”

“The footage looks incredible. The crew seems happy. Even Jack’s been relatively manageable.” He paused. “Today’s cliff stuff was intense, but we got some amazing shots.”