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“Aw, sorry. That’s right,” Micah said, unapologetically. “Mind if I sit?” He gestured to an empty chair to the left of Sam and directly across from Maddie.

“That’s where Leila was sitting, but I think she left already, didn’tshe?”

Micah didn’t know who Leila was, but several members of the group affirmed that she had indeed left. He nodded, stealing a glimpse of Maddie’s bosom as he sat. She had removed the button-down shirt she wore earlier over her tank top, giving a much-improved view of her goods.

“How did you know we were out tonight?” Sam asked, after Micah had gotten the waitress’s attention and ordered a Guinness. “Not that you’re not welcome. The crew said the actors didn’t usually comeout.”

“I don’t usually. But I was invited.” He wanted to brag that it was Maddie who had extended the invitation, scream it across the bar, but he didn’t need gossip to spread through the crew about him and the leggy brunette sitting across fromhim.

“I invited him,” Maddie said, not seeming to care about the rumor mill. “Beaumont had me running lines today, can you believe it? No offense, Micah—“

“None atall.”

“—And it just sort of came up.” She stopped, blushing, and Micah wondered if she was recalling, as he was, exactly what had come up between them earlier thatday.

“Beaumont’s got his head up his ass,” Joe said, possibly already drunk. “I’m sorry he did that shit to you. You’re too damn good at your job to be expected to waste your time on that fucking shit. No offense, Micah.”

Micah raised a hand to say it was okay and focused on Maddie’s response.

“It’s fine. Whatever.” Maddie blew it off, but he could clearly see it botheredher.

“I can’t believe Beaumont doesn’t respect you more,” Sam offered. “Doesn’t he realize you’re qualified to be running the camera? Why aren’t you a camera operator, anyway? You have the resume forit.”

Envy squeezed Micah’s chest. He wished he knew these things about Maddie. He wished he knew these sorts of things about anyone. He was rarely close enough to anyone for long enough to learn what they were good at, what their dreamswere.

Maddie sighed. “Camera’s not my endgoal.”

Micah stilled, remembering again the night they’d met. She’d wanted to direct and write, wasn’t that it? Though he was curious whether or not she still had that dream, he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Those were the kind of jobs that a guy like him could arrange for a girl like her. And he didn’t want to put himself in the position to be taken advantage of. Again.

But Sam asked. “What do you want todo?”

Micah braced himself for her answer.

But she didn’t give one. She just shrugged. “Not camera.”

Micah forced himself to relax. Why did he always have to be so mistrustful? Just because he’d had a past girlfriend—someone he thought he loved—use him for his connections, didn’t mean that all women would. But how could he ever get close enough to a woman to test that theoryout?

He couldn’t. That’s why he didn’ttry.

And he wasn’t trying now. He was simply fooling around with a co-worker, something he’d done many times before. He bided his time, drinking his beer and enjoying the crew’s banter and talk about their real lives. Particularly, he focused on the angel in front of him, realizing that this unique venture into her world provided more insight about who she was as a person than any encounter he’d had with her so far. Before long, he determined she was a workaholic, unappreciated by her boss, and exceptionally passionate about her craft.

He also recognized that she wasn’t the type to hook up with men she barely knew. This awareness both delighted and saddened him. He wondered why she’d made an exception for him. And would she be willing to do it again?

Only one way to find out. At a lull in the conversation, he put on his best smile and said, “So, what are your plans for the day off tomorrow?”

“I’d love to find a way to Breckenridge.” Maddie leaned back in her chair, giving an even better view of her amazing tits. A bit on the small side, but definitely real, a nice change from what Micah was used to. “The Breckenridge Film Fest is going on this weekend. I’d like to catchit.”

“That’s not even a film festival,” Joe said, his words slurred. “It’s a festival of crap. It’s like a fake film festival ofcrap.”

Maddie laughed. Damn, it was the sweetest sound Micah had heard in a long time. “I know. But I like film. Period. You never know when you’re going to find agem.”

Micah grinned. “Agreed.” Hitting California film festivals used to be a favorite past time of his. He couldn’t remember the last time he went to anything indie. “I got my current agent from the Topanga Film Festival.”

“The Mission’s Warrior. Like I said, agem.”

He was impressed and in awe. Not many people had ever heard of that early film of his, let alone seenit.

“It had its weaknesses,” she continued. “Mainly the script. The directing was solid and the cast was really strong.” She blushed. “In my opinion, anyway.”