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We did as he said, staggering out past the bodies. Lifting our faces to let the sun kiss our cheeks. The clouds rolled away for maybe ten seconds, and we made them count, reaching for those sunbeams like heaven’s own gates. Then the light died again and Berg shoutedcut.
“You can’t script for that! That timing, that sun… That was God telling us, telling me I’m a genius. Eric, did you see that? Lacey, did you—”
Eric caught hold of me. “Lacey? You okay?”
“Huh? Yeah, of course I am. What are you—”
“Your pants are all bloody. Shit, that looks real.” He dropped to his knees and rolled up my pant leg, and sure enough, my knee was a mess. I’d gouged it deep without feeling it, and the sight made me dizzy, my own blood thick and dark, spilling down my leg. I shivered and swayed, and Eric held me steady.
“Come and sit down.”
I took one step and I suddenly felt it, and I bit my tongue to hold back a squeak. They were crowding us now, half the cast and crew. Some extra yelling he’d taken a first aid course. Berg came charging in, scattering gawkers, and Eric yelled at all of them.
“Everyone, get back. Give her some space.”
“I know how to do stitches!”
“This is my set!”
I cringed against Eric and let him shoo them back. My head had gone funny from the sight of my blood, and all I wanted to do was curl up somewhere comfy. Lie down, close my eyes, and let the wooziness pass.
“We’ve got medics,” yelled Eric. “Everyone, scram. Come on, clear a path. Where’s that first aid trailer?”
“Up this way,” said Berg, and started back up the beach. The crew was already wrangling the extras, pushing the lookie-loos back and forming a circle around us.
“It’s not that bad,” murmured Eric, soft in my ear. “You just got it wet is all, so it looks like more blood.”
I couldn’t tell if Eric was right, but his voice was soothing and I focused on that. He seemed to understand my need for comfort, and he kept talking even when he had nothing to say.
“Almost there now, and I doubt you’ll need stitches. Just a wipe and a Band-Aid, and you’re going to be fine. The rest of those scenes today are just with the extras, so we can go to my suite after this. I have the night off. We’ll order in ice cream, whatever you want. All of the comfort food… yeah, you’re okay.”
He scooped me up at the foot of the steps to the trailer, and though I felt a bit silly, he carried me in. Turned out he was right, and my wound wasn’t deep. The on-set medic cleaned it and taped it up tight, and gave me some apple juice to boost my blood sugar. Eric kept talking to me through my ordeal, and when I was patched up, we headed back together.
Back in my suite that night, it felt like before — before our big date and the distance between us. Eric was so warm and so attentive, I started to wonder if I’d imagined it all. He’d been busy. It’d been Sam’s fault. We’d been joined at the hip since we got married. Of course there’d be times we had to live our own lives. This time, it happened to be Eric’s life intruding, but when it mattered, he made time for me.
I cuddled up closer to him on the couch. Something was buzzing, my phone fallen between us, but when I grabbed it, I saw it was Eric’s. I handed it up to him.
“Here. You’re vibrating.”
He glanced at it, and I thought he’d toss it away. Instead, he thumbed it to life and fired off a quick text. A reply bubbled up and he sent back another.
“My next project,” he said. “Travel arrangements.”
I chuckled at first — it seemed early for that — but then I remembered: we’d hit the home stretch. We had a few days left of filming, then voiceover recording, then this job would be over. None of this was forever, this movie, these suites. Only Eric and I had a chance to go on, but only if he wanted that as much as I did.
I smiled up at him and Eric smiled back. He brushed my hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear. Of course he’d want more of this. To see where love could take us. All I needed to do was tell him how I felt, and he’d sweep me into his arms and kiss me so deeply, and that kiss would answer all my unanswered questions.
Eric’s brow furrowed. “What are you thinking?”
I kissed his wrist. “You look cute.”
Tomorrow, I’d tell him.
I’d be brave tomorrow.
CHAPTER 19
ERIC
