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She walked back into the room and leaned down to kiss me. She tasted like mint toothpaste. “I promise. Now get up. We’re going to be late.”
The location was stunning. Beyond stunning. It was the kind of place that made you understand why people used words like sublime and magical. A literal version of heaven right here on earth. We’d driven up a winding mountain road, past frozen waterfalls and snow-laden pine forests. We emerged onto a plateau that felt like the top of the world.
The mountains rose around us in every direction. I had thought we were at the top of the mountains, but nope, they went even higher. The light was extraordinary, making our sunglasses absolutely necessary.
“Holy shit,” Lucy breathed beside me.
“Yeah.”
She shook her head, apparently unable to find the words. “This is incredible.”
The crew was already setting up. Sebastian directed traffic, his voice carrying across the snow as they positioned lights and cameras and reflectors. The wardrobe tent had been erected near a cluster of pine trees, its sides flapping gently in the wind.
Lucy squeezed my hand. “Go. Work. Be brilliant.”
“You’ll be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll find somewhere warm to sit and watch you do your thing.”
I kissed her forehead, then headed toward wardrobe to get ready.
The shoot was intense. Sebastian wanted to capture something about the relationship between man and nature. I didn’t get it, but that wasn’t my job. I spent hours in various poses, various outfits, various configurations with the landscape behind me.
But through it all, I kept an eye on Lucy.
She’d found a spot near the production monitors, wrapped in her massive coat and a heated blanket someone had given her. Probably Bernadette. She was watching the screens, occasionally typing something on her phone. She looked engaged, almost like normal. But she still had that general worn-down look. She wasn’t herself. I tried to focus on the work, but my mind kept drifting back to Lucy.
During a break between setups, I watched her stand up from her chair. She stretched, rubbed her lower back, then started walking toward me with a smile on those pretty lips that tempted me to kiss her in front of everyone.
“Hey,” she said when she reached me. “You’re killing it out there.”
“Thanks. How are you doing?”
“Good. Fine.” She hesitated. “Actually, I’m going to head into town for a bit. I need to find a pharmacy.”
My stomach dropped. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing serious. Just need something to settle my stomach. The altitude, maybe. Or the travel. Something’s just not sitting right.”
“I can come with you.” I started to shrug off the coat, ready to tell Sebastian I needed a break.
“No, don’t.” Lucy put her hand on my arm, stopping me. “You’re in the middle of the shoot. Sebastian will murder both of us if you disappear now. I’ll be fine. It’s just a quick trip. I’ll grab some Pepto or whatever they have here and be back before you finish.”
“Bernadette has all that.”
“I know, but I don’t want to ask her for meds every time I feel the need to throw up. I forgot my makeup remover wipes, too.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” She smiled, and this time it looked a little more genuine. “Stop worrying about me. I’m a big girl. I can handle a trip to the pharmacy and I want to see the little village.” She reached up and touched my face, her fingers cold against my cheek. “I’ll be careful. You go and look smoldering.”
“Okay.”
I watched her go, tracking her progress across the snow until she talked to one of the drivers, climbed into the back of an SUV, and disappeared down the mountain road.
“Jeremy!” Sebastian’s voice cut through my thoughts. “We’re ready for you!”
I turned back to the shoot, forcing myself to focus. But as I hit my mark and the cameras started clicking again, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. I’d just have to get through the rest of the shoot and then I could get back to the chalet and take care of her.
