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Audrie had been trying to cut her chicken breast with a plastic knife when she heard Poppy’s voice next to her. Her tone was polite enough, but there was a little strain in it. Glancing over to her right, Audrie confirmed that Jessica had just plopped down in the seat next to Poppy.
“I think Christian was going to sit there,” Rourke said.
Jessica shrugged and pulled her napkin from under her fork, holding the fork down with her ring and pinky finger. “Things change,” she said.
Wow. Audrie shared a look with Poppy and resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but she had bigger problems than Jessica stealing Christian’s seat. Jessica was now at the table with her and Landon. Would the actress start up the flirting again?
“Landon, I’m going to need a little more help with the horse,” Jessica said, leaning forward to look past Poppy and Audrie at him. “We’re doing that scene soon where Peter and I ride together.”
“Do we have a saddle for that?” Landon looked around. Nobody at the table seemed to know.
“I’m sure Christian can answer that,” Poppy said under her breath, but Audrie heard it, and that meant Jessica probably heard it, too.
“What kind of saddle would that be?” Rourke asked when nobody else spoke.
“There are saddles for two riders,” Landon said after swallowing his latest bite of broccoli salad. “But Jessica’s small enough that she and Peter can ride double on a regular saddle without issue.”
“Good,” Rourke said. “I’m learning if we need something delivered here quickly, we’re kind of out of luck. This definitely isn’t L.A.”
Audrie could’ve told them that. Getting everyday items here wasn’t much of a problem, but if she needed special supplies for her business, she always knew to plan ahead.
“So, maybe we can meet for breakfast again like we did today?” Jessica asked. “I’m really enjoying getting to know you a little better.”
At those words, Audrie suppressed a groan. Getting to know him better? Wasn’t he just helping her with the authenticity of her scenes? She was clearly flirting with him, but was there something to worry about here?
“I can do that, but maybe we should meet at the barn with Peter, too. You up for it?”
Peter was looking from Landon to Jessica, his eyes narrowed slightly. He nodded.
“Can do,” he said. “I guess I need to learn the ropes, too, since this production doesn’t provide a stunt double.”
That last statement was a bit accusatory, but it was said in a nice voice. From that, Audrie assumed a stunt double was typical in these situations. She could see why actors wouldn’t want to risk injury if they didn’t have to.
“Since I’m the one controlling the horse, I think I need to have the most training,” Jessica snapped at Peter. “Besides, Landon and I work better one on one.”
What did that mean? Audrie squirmed in her seat a little, hating the way this whole conversation made her feel.
Making matters worse, Jessica punctuated her statement with a look at Landon. She just stared past Poppy and Audrie like they weren’t even there. She smiled then, lifting her eyebrows. It would read to anyone watching that the two of them shared some sort of secret.
But if that were the case, Landon didn’t seem to be in on it. He was chewing and staring in Jessica’s direction with a blank expression. Audrie saw it out of the corner of her eye as she tried to pretend she wasn’t focused on what was going on between the two of them.
Audrie still had the impression this was all one-sided, but how long would that continue? Most men would have a hard time resisting someone as beautiful as Jessica for long, wouldn’t they?
“I’ll pick you up at the hair trailer,” Landon said. He glanced at Audrie and smiled, giving her a wink. That wink went straight to her heart.
“No, if I’m going to be out practicing in the heat, I need to go back to my trailer and shower and then get made up,” she said. “Pick me up around seven at Trailer City.”
Trailer City was the area they’d set up on Snowy Canyon Ranch for everyone to sleep at night. It would serve as their home for the two weeks they’d be doing this production, then the next cast would come in and take over the cast trailers while the crew stayed on. It was how they did things in a town with no hotels or inns. That was how Tracie had explained it to her, anyway.
“You have to loop in Peter at some point,” Rourke said.
“I’ll join the two of you after I get my hair and makeup done,” Peter said. “Can someone give me a ride over?”
“I will,” Audrie said. “I’ll take you over as soon as your hair’s done.”
Rourke spoke up then. “I’ve been thinking we should move the hair trailer, actually. Since we’ll be doing most of our shooting out at the barn for the next few days, Trailer City would be closer.”
“Couldn’t we just move it near the barn?” Landon asked. “Save some time shuttling people back and forth?”
