"You're doing fine. And I'll be here if you need anything."
"I appreciate that more than you know. Is it wrong to admit that I'm nervous?"
"Not at all. If you want, I could…spend more time on set. You know, make sure things are running smoothly." The way he says it, it's almost like the words surprise him.
My brow furrows. "Seriously? You'd do that?"
He shrugs like it's no big deal, but there's a flicker of uncertainty in his expression. "Yeah, why not? I'm invested in this, too."
The quiet intensity in his voice tightens something in mychest. I nod slowly. "Ok. I mean, having someone like you in my corner…it means a lot."
We lapse into a comfortable silence until I ask, "How's Hazel, by the way? It was great to meet her."
Grant's face softens, and for a moment, the weight he always seems to carry melts away. "She's great. Loves first grade. She's been obsessed with outer space lately. Says she wants to be an astronaut."
I laugh, picturing tiny Hazel in a spacesuit. "That's adorable. She's so full of life. You can tell she's the best thing that's ever happened to you."
"She is," he says quietly, almost to himself. Then he looks back at me, his gaze searching. "I didn't plan on being a dad. It just…happened. But I wouldn't change it for anything."
The love and quiet pride in his voice make my heart ache.
"She's lucky to have you," I say softly. "If you don't mind me asking, is she with you most of the time?"
Grant hesitates. His eyes meet mine, and then he sighs. "Yeah. Her mom, Geneva, and I…it was never serious. She's focused on her career, and I don't begrudge her for that. I try not to talk about it too much because people can be harsh when hearing that a woman wants to prioritize her career when she has a child."
He looks up at me to see if I'm one of those people. I don't know if I am. I can't imagine having a newborn baby placed in my arms and not being there for every milestone and experience. But at this age, I can't imagine giving up a career I love when I'm starting to see all my effort pay off. Geneva was my age when she gave birth, so I understand how shemight have felt.
"I get that. It's a tough balance. She's lucky she had your support—in a variety of ways."
"It scared the hell out of me. Geneva moved in before Hazel was born and stayed through her maternity leave. That helped. We also hired a nanny, who's been with us ever since. She's incredible—practically family."
"That's smart. I hear nurse nannies are the way to go."
"Absolutely. Hazel adores her."
I want to ask how much Geneva sees Hazel, but it feels like Grant has already shared more than he planned.
"What about you?" he asks. "Do you want kids one day?"
"Oh, well…I don't know. Some days, the idea of a family seems nice. My parents were great—family vacations, holidays, all that. But I can't really see myself with a partner, so it's hard to imagine having kids."
"Technically, you don't need a partner."
"Just a nurse nanny, right?"
"Exactly," he says with a grin. "But for what it's worth, I think you'd make a great mom. The care and attention you've given this production is impressive."
"Thanks, Grant. I appreciate that."
We lapse into an easy silence, and I realize how natural it feels to talk to him. It's like we've known each other for years, even though we haven't.
I take another big bite, and Grant chuckles. "You're going to need a second lunch just to keep up with your appetite."
Grinning, I swallow. "What can I say? I'm working hard. Gotta fuel the machine."
He laughs and then takes a bite of his sandwich.
I pause, reaching out to touch his arm. "But seriously,thanks for everything. I know you've got a million things on your plate."
