“I hear you. If it’s important to you, we’ll do what we can while you’re away. We support you fully, Nate. Whatever you want to do.”
“Thanks, dad. I’m so sorry about all this. The wedding and everything you and mum have organised so far—”
“Don’t even give it a second thought at the moment. Mum’s working things out. The rest can wait until you get back.”
“Thanks again. Really.”
“Son, I—” His father’s voice wavered and he paused, silence filling the phone line. “You’ll be okay.”
“Yeah. I know.” The sky outside the windows had darkened, creating shadows around the trees, and Nate took a deep breath, feeling calmer with his dad’s reassurances. “I should probably head to bed, Dad. Early start tomorrow.”
“I love you, son.”
“Love you too.” He hung up the phone and sat for a moment, staring into the darkness. Everything would be okay, eventually, but right now he was exhausted, emotionally and physically. His plans for keeping the apartment and starting over would have to wait until he’d had a decent night’s sleep.
JESS JOINED THE CAST AT THE BAR IN TOWNafter filming, not sure if she was hoping Nate would be there or not. If he was, she decided, she’d buy him a drink and apologise for being so weird last night. For running off. She wasn’t sure how she’d explain it, but the least she could do was say sorry.
When he wasn’t at the Five Stags, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps he’d be asleep by the time she got back to the cottage, and she could avoid the conversation altogether. Pretend nothing ever happened.
It’s not like a lot happened. They kissed. That’s all. It shouldn’t even be a big deal. She’d hooked up with men she’d worked with before and it hadn’t been awkward. Okay, so often it was awkward and she’d end up avoiding them, but only because some of them got clingy if she paid them the slightestattention. It didn’t have to be awkward if he was cool about it. Why should it feel different with Nate?
It shouldn’t. But it did. Nate made her…
Jess drank the feeling down with a shot of vodka. Plastering on a smile, she rejoined the light-hearted banter around the large table packed with various film crew and actors.
“Jeeesssss!” Laney squealed, returning to the table with a tray full of drinks. “I’m so excited you finally joined us! I bought you a drink. This ginger cider is the best!”
“Thanks, but I’m driving.”
Laney pushed the cider toward her and screwed up her face, like a tantrumming child. “No, no, no. You’re out partying with us tonight. I’ll get you a cab later.”
Partying was another thing Jess had promised herself she’d avoid—her chaos-to-calm plans proved harder to stick to than she’d expected—but a couple of quiet ciders with Laney and the crew in a country pub probably didn’t count. Laney’s positivity could be a little much, but the girl was sweet. It would take her mind off Nate at least, and she could avoid an encounter with him at the cottage tonight.
“You convinced me.”
“You don’t look like a girl who needs much convincing,” Frankie winked at her playfully. “One drink and you’re all ours.”
“Just yours, Frankie,” she flirted back.
He dramatically gushed, hand to chest.
This was what she needed. Playful fun with friends, not another disastrous fling with a hot guy. Even one as lovely as Nate Mitchell.
FILMING WRAPPED UP FOR THE DAYand, keen to get his stuff and get out before Jess got back, Nate rushed to the cottage. It was empty when he arrived, Jess’s car nowhere in sight. She wouldn’t even be aware he knew her secret about Dave. If she came back, he’d play dumb and say he was going out for the evening. No need for a confrontation. She wasn’t who he thought she was, and it wasn’t worth the breath arguing with her.
Avoiding her on set for a second day hadn’t been hard. In fact, he hadn’t seen her all day. She must have been busy in the writers’ room. It bugged him he’d thought of her so much, wondering where she was. What he wanted to do was forget about her and their ‘date’, or whatever they’d had, altogether.
In the lounge, he stripped the couch of bedding and folded it up, placing the sheets and pillows neatly on the cushions. He packed his bag quickly, retrieving his toothbrush and toiletries from the bathroom. As he passed the bedroom, he paused. Was that a groan?
Nate’s pulse shot up. Was Jess here and in bed with Dave? Her car wasn’t in the driveway. He stood perfectly still, his toiletries clutched in his hand, and held his breath, listening. No, that wasn’t a groan. A muffled sound familiar to him from the hospital came through the closed door. Vomiting.
Slowly turning the handle of the bedroom door, he cursed himself for not getting out of there while he could. Why did he do this to himself? She didn’t deserve his help or compassion. Still, he couldn’t just ignore her. His conscience wouldn’t let him. She might be an awful person, but she sounded ill, and he needed to at least check how ill before he left her to it.
“Jess?” He peeked around the door into the dark room. The acidic smell of vomit hit him immediately. “Are you okay?”
“I just vomited a dozen times, so what do you think?”
Still sassy. That was a good sign.
