"That's such good news," I said. "I knew you would make it happen. I can't wait to watch the final result. It makes it even more amazing that it's a true story. I keep forgetting that part."
"I know," he said, nodding. "Most of it's true. There's a love connection with Sam's character, Tommy, and the sister who stays in Missouri, and that's embellished. But I had to add a little romance."
"That is just so cool. And the actresses? Do they look alike?"
"Yeah, they're sisters in real life. Friends of mine from back home. The main actor, Sam, is a friend of mine from college. None of these people are famous or anything."
"And you still live in Los Angeles, right?"
He shrugged and nodded. "That's where I live now. I grew up in Monterey, and I spend a lot of time there, too. I know the girls from Monterey. We grew up together. I know Sam from L.A. Judd and Cameron, too."
"Hey, Luna, your friend's here!" It was Carly's voice who said it. She was calling from the front.
Then I heard my sister's voice from the other side of the partition. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. Hey, Josie, I talked to Maddie this morning. She's picking Lu up to go hang out with her little girls. I'm in the weeds over here. Can you walk her out there, please?"
I made eye contact with Alex. "I'll be right back."
Chapter 8
Alex
Alex found himself sitting at that same dreaded table where his grandfather had looked him straight in the eyes and left him hanging out to dry. The thing was, it wasn't dreaded at all. In hindsight, everything had worked out for the best. And truly, it was a lovely little table. He glanced around at the nook while he was alone in there. There were toys, and he smiled, thinking about her sister getting better.
"Hey, Alex, push that wall back!"
Alex heard Josie's sister's voice just as he was thinking about her. He stood up and took a couple of steps until he could peer around the partial wall. She was looking that way, and she smiled at him. She reached up and adjusted the volume on the stereo, and the room got quieter.
"That wall right there," she said, beaming and nodding at him. "Just put your hand on it and push it all the way back. I'll hang out with you two while you eat. I only had it closed so Luna could be in her own little world back there." Alex had been looking forward to hanging out with Josie, but her sister didn't look like she was going to easily forget aboutthe wall. She pointed and motioned to it. "Just push it back," she said again. "It'll fold back like an accordion."
The other cook came into their area with plates as Alex pushed the wall back.
"The ones he just brought in are for you and Josie," Audrey said to Alex. "I'll come set them on your table just as soon as I'm finished with these others."
Alex figured the best thing for him to do was to get out of the way, and he sat down as soon as he had pushed the wall back.
Within a minute, Audrey was there next to him, setting two plates of food on the table. He thought she would rush off, back to her station. But she didn't. She leaned against the empty chair where Josie and Luna had been sitting. "I'm Audrey. Did Josie tell you my name? I can't remember."
"Yes, and I'm Alex."
"Did you say something about a movie?"
"I did. I'm, we're making a film project here in Montana, a miniseries thing."
"Down in Darby?"
Alex tilted his head at Audrey, wearing a surprised expression. "Yes, actually. We're not filming in Darby right this second, but we are doing some scenes there. Have you been to Darby?"
She shrugged and smiled. "I've been an extra in a movie that was filmed down there. It was a made-for-TV thing. I still have that dress I wore." Sheturned and motioned to her own ponytail, at the huge strip of bright pink hair that was covering the underside. "I didn't have this back then. But even now, it can all be covered up with the way I style my hair. If you need extras for your thing, I'm down for driving to Darby. I can get a sitter for Luna whenever."
"Okay, that sounds good. I'll have to let you know when we start filming over there."
Their eyes met. She looked similar to her sister. More mischievous. She grinned flirtatiously at him. "That's cool, I'm excited!" she said. She braced herself against the sliding wall and groaned a little as she pushed it back as far as it would go.
"Whoa," Josie said when she came back into the room and noticed the change.
"Yeah, I just had this closed for Luna. I served your food, and I was talking to Alex about his movie. I still have those clothes from that Hallmark thing I did, Baxter Canyon. Remember that? I was telling him I've been an extra before." Audrey's back was turned to them as she spoke. She paused and glanced over her shoulder at Alex. "We can go to Goodwill and get stuff for my sister, too. Is it the wild west, pioneer days, or what?"
"Yeah, early nineteen hundreds," Alex agreed.
