Thinking about Dave fuelled her anger toward Nate, which she knew was unfair, but she couldn’t help it. He was clearly one of those men, too. The fake charmers.
Growing up, she’d watched her poor mother fall for men like that and get hurt again and again. It had ruined her mum’s life, and left her depressed and barely able to care for Jess. When her stepfather came into the picture, he’d started cheating as soon as they got back from the honeymoon—not even trying to be subtle about it. Then he’d charm his way back into her mother’s arms, saying all the right things, and she forgave him every time. Even Jess’s birth father, another dark-eyed, handsome wannabe-actor, had said “I love you” after only a week and left her motherpregnant and alone to raise the baby while he ran off searching for stardom.
“Love bombing,” she muttered.
An Australian lifestyle blogger she liked had posted about it recently. Love bombers had fooled her too, in her late teens.Like mother, like daughter.
Except she’d learnt from her mistakes. There’d be no repeats. She kept things casual and didn’t allow anyone close enough to break her heart. When Dave said the L-word, she’d seen the red flag waving and taken her cue to run as far away as she could.
And that’s exactly what she did.
Jess opened a cupboard next to the bathroom. It proved to be a God-send. From top to bottom, neatly folded linen, blankets, and spare pillows filled the shelves. Selecting a peach-coloured fluffy blanket, two cotton cream sheets, and a feather-filled pillow, she arranged them on the couch.
Making the couch up eased some of the heat in her chest. The lovely cottage was exactly what she needed right now. A quiet country escape; her very own cosy space to relax and be alone at night, emphasis onalone: a chance to get her thoughts straight. Maybe she’d been a bit harsh with Nate, but he could still leave in the morning. This was her cottage retreat, and she planned to fight for it.
Jess slipped between the sheets and rearranged the bedding around her, tucking the blanket like a scarf around her face, her cheek pressed into the soft pillow. The couch was a little on the short side, and she’d probably be stiff in the morning from having her knees bent all night, but it was better than nothing. The anger fully gone now, an empty, lonely-feeling hung in her chest. Spending nights with men like Dave, and Nate, alwaysleft her feeling empty and far more vulnerable than she liked to admit, even to herself.
She allowed one small tear to slip down her cheek before she wiped it away and drifted off to sleep.
5
NATE SLEPT FITFULLY.When the alarm on his phone went off at 6 am, he was already staring at the ceiling, watching the light from the gap in his curtains cast strange shadows in his room.
They were expecting him at the shoot by six thirty, but he wasn’t ready to encounter Jess again. She stirred up too many memories of Samantha, and proved to be just as fiery. He knew his anger towards Jess was outsized, that the fast fury rising in his gut when he saw her, misdirected—he was mad at Samantha, not Jess—but he couldn't help it. Something in him wanted to hold stubbornly onto his anger like a shield around his heart. Anger was better than brokenness.
“You’ve landed yourself in a fine conundrum,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. They’d probably be bloodshot from stress. He wouldn’t be surprised at all if he found a new grey hair or two this morning in the mirror. Frankie would give him a hard time about both. Greys they could cover, but bloodshot eyes weren't a good look for on-screen closeups.
Nate pulled on the closest pair of blue-black jeans and a crumpled white shirt from a pile on the floor—the costume team would have him in something else soon—and, reluctantly, he made his way to the kitchen.
Thankfully already dressed and not in her underwear this time, Jess sat at the wooden table, cradling a coffee in both hands. Her outfit was far more casual today: a loose grey t-shirt and pair of fashionably faded jeans, her thick raven hair tied up into a twisted bun, showing off the gentle curve of her neck. Dressed simply, she looked softer and more vulnerable than she had in the little black number from yesterday. The outfit still showed her curves, but it hinted at a different side to Jess. One that was less party-girl, and more down to earth. Maybe someone he’d quite like to get to know? A tug at his heart reminded him of the danger of that kind of thinking, and he quickly put his guard back up, allowing the safer heat of annoyance and distrust to brew in his empty stomach.
“I see you found the coffee?” Moving to the small kitchen area, he felt the jug with the back of his hand. Still hot enough for a cup of tea. He placed an English Breakfast tea-bag in a mug, poured the jug, and waited while the steaming water changed to a delicious golden-brown.
“I used the last of the milk. Sorry,” Jess said, not sounding sorry at all.
His lips tightened. Black tea it was then.
“I’ll just have to add plenty of sugar,” he said, trying not to let his voice give away his annoyance. He could be civil. Perhaps then she’d be open to negotiations about the cottage. He didn’t plan on leaving.
It may have been petty, but he’d lost so much recently, he wanted to dig his toes in and keep this one thing. The cottage had been a blessing for the last few days. In the middle of nowhere, without the traffic or lights of the city, Nate had slept better than he could remember. It was exactly what he needed to recover, and he wasn’t prepared to give it up. Some of the crew were sharing twin rooms in a cheap hotel in Rangiora, andFrankie had been gossiping about how many of the men on set were loud snorers. With trying to memorise lines, and all the Samantha stuff to process, he already had enough noise inside his head to make sleep difficult without adding snoring into the mix. No, the cottage was his.
He hovered in the kitchen with his tea, unsure if he should join Jess at the table, but if they were going to discuss the cottage, perhaps sitting across from her was best for negotiations. It had to be better than yelling at each other in their underwear like they did last night. Moving slowly, as if she might detonate if he made a wrong move, he slid into the seat opposite her and tapped the side of his mug with a finger.
“Did you sleep okay?” Nate asked after an uncomfortably long silence, falling back on his deeply ingrained English politeness to break the ice. His parents would be proud, he thought with a smirk.
“Just fine,” she said, but from the slump in her posture, Nate suspected it was a lie.
“I was thinking,” he started, keeping his tone calm. “I’m sure Tom will have some other accommodation available for you if you explain the situation. It was busy yesterday, and he probably just made a mistake. It makes sense, seeing as you were a last-minute hire.”
He paused, watching for clues of her openness to the idea, and let his eyes wander over her in a way he hadn’t allowed himself last night when she was standing in her lingerie. Although he’d seen enough to know her hourglass figure and silky honey-skin would make most men crumble. Now, in the seconds while he waited for her answer, he took in her full oval-shaped lips and lash-heavy eyes. She wasn’t wearing makeup, but she didn't need to. His ex, Samantha, rarely wore makeup either and, even close up, Jess bore a striking resemblance. Thenatural blush over her high cheeks. Dark, thick brows framing her face and emphasising large hazel eyes. They could be sisters.
Doppelgangers. That was the word for it. It was unnerving.
Jess lifted her eyebrows and placed her coffee on the table, matching his measured tone. “There was no mistake. I saw my name next to this address with my own eyes. Tom must have sent you to the wrong place.”
He stared at her. From her set jaw and stiff posture, he could see the resemblance to Samantha didn’t stop at a physical one. Like he suspected, Jess was just as strong-minded as his ex, and clearly not someone who shrunk into the background. The kind of woman he always found himself attracted to. But since Samantha’s betrayal, it was an attraction mixed with pain.
Eyes still locked with Jess’s, Nate quickly pushed both feelings deep down until there was nothing but sweet, numb indifference.
