22
TASHA
Tasha found it difficult to concentrate on what Lettie and Callum were saying as she lifted her phone slightly to peek at the screen and check whether she had received a response. She had enough on her plate with Riley’s personal dramas right now not to want him to have another tantrum over changes to the filming schedule.
She hoped the director’s secretary got back to her soon with her boss’s thoughts about considering Callum to take over from the upset actor. She liked the idea of spending more time with Callum and couldn’t deny that she was liking him more the longer she was in his company.
She realised her right heel was bouncing up and down as it sometimes did when she was nervous and that Callum was trying to act as if he hadn’t noticed. Forcing herself to sit still and at least try to appear calm and less agitated, Tasha willed the production team to hurry up and look at his photos. Perhaps someone else had come up with an alternative suggestion. Her heart dipped at the thought. Surely not. She gritted her teeth. No, she would focus on everything turning out well, at least until it didn’t.
Baby Isla began grizzling so Lettie stood. ‘She’s hungry, I’m afraid. I’m sorry to cut this short but I’d better prepare her bottle before she really gets in a state. My daughter isn’t known for her patience.’ She moved Isla up and down in her arms and kissed her on the top of her downy head.
‘No problem at all.’ Tasha got to her feet, as did Callum. ‘Thank you again for allowing us to come and look at your stunningly beautiful farm and gorgeous animals.’
‘It’s no problem at all. I’m happy you enjoyed it.’
Lettie kissed Callum on his cheek. ‘I look forward to seeing you both here again very soon.’
She was walking back to the car with Callum when her phone rang. ‘Ooh, hopefully they’ll give me a decision about you being cast,’ she whispered to Callum. Her mood dropped when she saw it wasn’t them calling, but her boss. ‘No such luck. It’s Riley.’
Not in the mood for any dramas from him today, Tasha took a calming breath and forced herself to answer his call. ‘Riley.’
‘Where the hell are you?’
Tasha saw Callum glare at the phone, unsurprised that he had heard Riley’s angry tone. ‘I’m at Hollyhock Farm with Callum.’
‘Why aren’t you here where you should be?’
Feeling her temper rising, Tasha closed her eyes briefly to steady herself before answering. ‘He invited me to have a drink with his friends, which I thought was lovely,’ she said slowly and without bothering to hide her irritation.
‘Tasha, I’ve no idea what you’re going on about. All hell has broken loose here and I need you back at the cottage. Immediately.’
She was about to continue speaking when the line went dead. ‘Cheeky sod,’ Tasha groaned. She looked up at Callum. ‘That man can be incredibly rude sometimes.’
Callum scowled. ‘I’ve no idea how you put up with him.’ He got into the car and waited for her to do the same and strap herself in. ‘He did sound irate though. I wonder what might have happened to cause it.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘Or is this his usual way of speaking to you?’
Not wanting to admit that Riley’s rude tone was something she often heard, Tasha sighed. ‘It did sound as if something had happened – to upset him quite this much.’ She smiled at him. ‘I suppose we’d better get back so I can find out what it is and start sorting this latest drama out.’
She was relieved they weren’t too far from the cottage and as Callum’s car took them down the beautiful leafy lanes, Tasha wondered how much longer she could work with such an insufferable man as Riley. He really was impossibly rude at times and as much as she didn’t like his attitude it was times like this – when another person had heard how Riley had spoken to her – that she really found mortifying.
When Callum didn’t speak, Tasha wondered whether it was because he was angry with Riley, or – worse – that he was disappointed in her for taking such abuse. She considered trying to justify why Riley behaved this way but decided that there was no excuse for this nastiness and lack of consideration for her feelings.
Callum slowed at a yellow line, waiting for several cars to pass. He gave her a sympathetic look. ‘You OK?’
She shrugged. ‘I’m getting to the point where I feel ready to try and find another job,’ she admitted. ‘But there aren’t that many around. Only working for people not much better than Riley.’
Callum drove on again as soon as the road was clear. ‘You’ll do what’s best when the time is right.’
She went to thank him but saw he was concentrating on the road. It was refreshing to have someone not try to force their opinion on her about her boss, like her parents did whenever she spoke to them. Tasha thought back to the times she had confided in her mum or dad about something Riley had done or said to her and it was only afterwards they began suggesting she find somewhere else to work that Tasha realised that although she soon got over each unfortunate event, her parents loved her and would probably never be able to do so. She wished they would trust her ability to make her own decisions. Surely that was what being an adult was all about. That, and making different choices when the initial ones hadn’t worked out.
Callum drove down the long driveway, insisting that he was happy to drop her off before driving back up to the house. ‘I’ll come in with you and help you explain to Riley why you were at the farm. You were trying to help his filming schedule after all.’
‘It’s fine,’ she insisted. Tasha’s stomach lurched. She shouldn’t feel this way about seeing her boss; it wasn’t right but knew she could handle Riley, regardless of how annoyed he might be.
She got out of the car and turned to wave goodbye when she heard screaming and ranting. She stared at Callum, unable to speak for a moment, when a large smashing sound came from the house. Tasha gasped.
‘That’s it,’ Callum said, immediately getting out of the car. ‘I’m coming inside with you.’
Tasha liked being an independent woman and had learnt to deal with most things in her job, but she daren’t imagine what was going on in the cottage and was happy for the backup. ‘Thanks, I think I’d like that.’
