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“Fucking hell,” I sigh. “I don’t want him to think I’m some groupie stalking around.”
“Look, girl, if he thought that at all, unless he was a manwhore, he wouldn’t have taken you out in public and showed you things that are personal to him. You feel a connection to him. I’m betting he feels one with you too. Ava, if it makes you feel better, there is a park next to the house. There is no reason we can’t be out enjoying the day and taking in the sights.” She caps the convincing with a wink and a smile.
“Taking in the sights? Oh, is that what we’re going to call it when we’re busted outright?”
“Ava, if we get busted, we’re out of practice. We need to walk off all this food anyway. I cannot go back and lie by the pool feeling like I should be beached instead. Think of it as a mercy walk if you need to. Come on!” she begs.
“Oh my God, fine. If it will make you stop whining.”
“Whine? Me? Would I do that?”
I laugh, “You do, and often.”
We clean up and gain the motivation we need to move after about twenty minutes and a ton of water. Sylvia leads the way and I follow close at her side. I feel like we’re on a normal walk for the first three blocks, then when we turn that last corner to go the extra two, I suddenly feel very self-conscious and shy. I’m pretty sure that the word shy has never been linked to my name, but it’s how I feel.
I no longer want to look around. I start picking at an imaginary thread on the hem of my top. I even trip over a crack in the sidewalk because I’m not even paying attention. “You good?” Sylvia asks.
“No. This isn’t a good idea. I can feel it. I have this really great memory from last night, and now I feel like it could blow up in about thirty seconds. Let’s go back to Casa Bella. Please?”
“This is not you. You’re usually a tiger. Why is this different?”
“I don’t know. If I knew I’d tell you, I swear. Just chalk it up to my intuition or something.”
Before I know it, we’re stopped about one hundred feet from the corner of the property. The whole area is buzzing. Both sides of the street are lined with cars, I don’t know if those are for the shots or transportation. People are going both in and out of the house and on a path around it to the backyard. The yard is completely enclosed with a wooden privacy fence that has vines wrapped around the peaks. The stunning English ivy contrasts so beautifully against the dark stain. If the outside looks anything like the inside, no wonder they chose this for a location.
“Okay. I know you’re freaking out,” she whispers, “but we’re already here. Go into work mode if you have to and consider it research. We can just watch for a minute then stroll on. No one will know.”
She’s right. I know she’s right.
We blend in with the landscape. No one seems to care if we watch or don’t, as long as we stay out of the way. Sometimes with exterior shots, they have some form of barricades. There are none. We stand by the small slope that leads up to the flat of the front yard when we hear the word action. I freeze and hold Sylvia by the wrist. Looking up at the front door of the home, it flies open and Rafael bursts out. I can hear him running a dialogue argument with someone on the inside of the house. She is calling after him and he keeps walking down the sidewalk.
Rafael stops halfway and turns back to where his acting partner is standing, he delivers a short monologue, then they film him walking away. I’m sort of frozen watching the scene. The two times I’ve seen him, he’s been nothing but calm, quiet, and even a bit cool, in a good way. This scene was so full of fire, angst, and passion. I’m taken aback. His face turns a shade of rich pink and his hair flips from one side to the other.
When the director calls cut, I jump a little. Sylvia leans into my ear. “Holy fucking shit.”
“I know, right?”
I don’t know how I’ve missed seeing any of his work. One thing I’ve learned, the good ones only run things once. The great ones want multiple takes because they have ideas and want to see if they will work. That’s what happens here. He stands for a moment with his hands on his hips, taking a breath. I’m finding it hard to keep my eyes off him.
Before hair and makeup descend, Rafael threads his fingers through his hair and looks in our direction. I don’t have enough time to dive behind a bush or a parked car. We lock eyes instantly. Rafael curls up the corners of his mouth slightly as his director walks over to him.
They are locked in conversation. I can’t hear what is being said, but it’s clearly a very animated discussion. After about thirty seconds, I hear her asking for five minutes to reset then they will go again. Rafael takes a quick drink of something handed to him, then finds my eyes again. Fuck. Oh fuck.
Sylvia leans in. “He’s looking at you like you’re lunch.”
I smack her. “Stop. He is not.”
“Don’t look now, bestie, but Mr. Dark and Mysterious is coming this way.”
Everything inside me melts inward, cementing me in place. He walks down the small slope and stops in front of us. “Ciao, Bella.”
“Hi,” I say quietly. “That seemed intense.”
“I thought the opposite, which is why I asked to do it again. Hello, you must be the friend I’ve heard about.” Rafael politely extends his hand.
“I’m so sorry. Sylvia, this is Rafael. Rafael, my best friend, Sylvia Garcia.”
Sylvia softly chuckles. “Nice to meet you, Rafael. Thank you for seeing that Ava got home safe.”
