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I pulled my hand free, spinning her so I could press my lips to hers right as the kids stomped up the stairs and ran toward our hiding spot.
* * *
We spentthe evening laughing while making dinner together. We did spaghetti with meatballs, and the kids helped Bexley shape the meatballs, which was a huge hit. They laughed and made jokes, and we had some kid show on in the background. After dinner, we walked outside, where my garden was set up with outdoor string lights and a huge patio set.
The kids played in the massive yard I had meticulously landscaped while Bexley relaxed on a lounger with a glass of wine. It was the perfect night, and it ended with making love to the only woman I had ever wanted that kind of intimacy with.
Now we were pulling into the studio where my last few movies had been filmed. Massive warehouse buildings lined the lot, the sky was cloudy overhead, and a light drizzle hit our faces.
“Hey Tom.” I waved as he drove past our group in a golf cart.
“Who was that?” Cole asked as he tilted his head back, taking in how tall the building was. This particular studio was much taller than the others. It was often used for the more detailed sets: superheroes, magic—anything that required special effects and involved large props.
“Security. Want to see half of an airplane? There’s one inside.” I leaned down, grabbing Bella’s hand.
“Cool!” Cole said as we made our way in.
No one was currently shooting or doing anything other than set design and prep for a flick that was set to start filming in just a few weeks. I’d be returning to work soon too; the reminder was a sting in my chest I couldn’t rub away. I’d be leaving my little paradise with Bex and the kids, and I had no idea what that would mean for us.
Inside there were overhead lights on, showcasing the massive front half of an airplane, along with a few sets being painted. Paints, ladders, sawhorses, and drop cloths were scattered everywhere, which was normal as pre-production began to come together. They’d need all the sets finished first, then we could start setting up the scenes and what not…at least that was the little I knew about set production. I often missed big components because I was focused on my lines and my own role, which required meticulous preparation.
“Hey Ryan!” Tamara, one of the set designers, saw me and called out with a smile.
“Hey, Tam. Wanna meet my people?” I swung Bella’s hand in front of me while walking toward her. I knew Bex was still on edge about mixing her world with mine, but Tamara was one of the good ones. She’d often invite me to her family’s house when she knew I wouldn’t be able to make it home for a holiday, or if she knew I was missing my parents. She was always looking out for me, so as far as mixing went, I wanted her in it.
Tamara’s beautiful brown eyes that nearly matched the hue of her dark skin went wide as we neared. She stood from her prop, dusted her hands on her work apron, and walked toward us. Her tight ebony braids were bound at her neck with a large hair tie, and they swooshed as she hurried toward us.
“Ryan Prince, have you been holding out on me?” She eyed the kids and her mouth worked into a massive smile as she watched my free hand grab Bexley’s waist out of habit.
“It’s new…newish,” I said, feeling a blush creep up my neck.
“I can’t wait for Grant to see this. This is just… My god, I’ve been waiting for you to get your head on straight.” She beamed, sticking her hand out and making introductions with Bexley. The women talked, laughing and discussing kids and whatever else while I focused on the idea of Grant being here…which meant Shelly might be here, and I really didn’t want Bexley to meet either of them.
Jerry, my agent, had already let it slip that he felt like Bex and the kids were a distraction I didn’t need at the moment. He said it wouldn’t do any favors for my image and I needed to lean into the Shelly meeting. They wanted to boost publicity for the movie, and in turn it would boost good publicity for me. He’d no doubt been talking to Grant, and the director too, which was total bullshit, but I supposed if I really wanted to know the finite details, I could just answer their calls. I’d avoided talking because I only had one message for them and that was to fuck off with the publicity bullshit, but still…I didn’t want any of that to get back to Bexley.
“Is Grant in this studio…or Jerry, for that matter?” I asked Tamara, who was busy talking to Bella about making princess dresses.
Tamara worked primarily in wardrobe—she was one of our top designers—but occasionally they’d pull her into set design as well because she was so talented.
“I saw both of them milling around, but I have no clue where they went. It was like an hour ago.” She looked past my shoulder briefly then returned her attention to the five-year-old in front of me.
I nodded and let them continue their conversation.
After showing them the set, I took the kids to one of the buildings set up specifically for our kid actors. It had a massive playground inside with a ball pit, tunnels, arcade games, a huge theater, and a virtual reality station.
“Are you serious right now?” Cole yelled, taking in the immense setup of tunnels and slides, the colorful walls and leather chairs for gaming.
“Have at it,” I said, settling into one of the leather couches with Bexley.
She was staring at her phone with that same worried look she’d had the day before. I hadn’t missed how her phone had vibrated on the counter this morning, several times in a row.
“Do you need to take it?” I asked, worried again if it was Shay or…maybe it was Logan; I was positive she wouldn’t have ignored her best friend this long.
“No, it’s fine,” she said easily, shoving her phone back into her purse. I tried not to get frustrated by her dismissal, but a small part of me wanted there to be transparency between us, a trust where we could tell each other these things.
Hypocritical of me considering I didn’t want her to know what my agent and producer were likely planning to set up behind my back, but just the same, I wanted her to know I was here for her.
The day passed with more laughter, fun, and an unforgettable lunch inside the studio cafeteria where the kids met two of my costars, both of whom happened to be huge A-list celebrities. Bexley even looked a little starstruck when she met Tom Dallanger.
