Putting on my warmest coat and my heavy boots, I head out intothe Baltic morning to feed the chickens. Their little coop heater is plugging away, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think they almost missed me.
“Hey, buddies.” I throw some feed at the ground. “How would you tell someone that you loved them, in a big way? In anI’m sorry I was ghosting you, I was just trying to protect my heart, but I’ve decided I’d rather give it to you than keep it, even if that means it might get brokenway?”
A booming laugh sounds from the door. I look up to see Dad, chicken feed in hand. “You’re asking an awful lot of very specific questions of a bunch of bird brains.”
“Yeah.”
“I wasn’t sure you were back on chicken duty.”
I sprinkle another handful of feed. “I’m back.”
He smiles. “You’re in love with Miles?”
I nod, no longer surprised that everyone seems to know we have feelings for each other.
“Thora said as much,” Dad says.
“I like her.”
He smiles. “Me too. Look at us. What a fine pair.” He runs a hand over his beard. “You could just tell him. Be honest, speak from the heart.”
“He won’t even respond to my texts. Well, the one text I sent anyway.”
A rumble of engines and crunching of tires comes from the drive. “Sounds like they’re back. You can talk to him in person.”
My chest fills like a party balloon. I hand the feed to Dad and run gingerly over the snow to the front of the castle. The crew is unloading equipment and lugging it into the castle. Bundled up, Ava jogs lightly toward the house. She stops when she sees me.
“Skye. I have to talk to you.”
I hold in a sigh. I don’t want to talk to the perfect woman who was practically naked with the man I love. “Uh, I can’t right now?—”
“I just wanted to let you know that nothing happened with Miles and me. The whole thing was my idea, really. It’s part of my processto spend time with my co-stars right before a big love scene. I find it makes the performances on the day less awkward. But it’s never sexual. It’s a sleepover, really.”
I nod. What she’s saying makes sense, sort of. “Okay.”
“But Miles wasn’t into it at all. He was sending me away before you even got there. Really. He’s crazy about you.”
Her last words ring in my head.He’s crazy about me. Me!
I throw my arms around Ava, and she lets out a surprised laugh.
“Thank you! Have you seen him?”
Ava shakes her head and jogs inside.
I keep looking for Miles. Ty is holding hands with a glamourous woman I’ve never seen before. Did they take on a new cast member?
I search through the faces but can’t find Miles anywhere. Elsie climbs out of the second van.
“Elsie!”
“Skye!”
“Where’s Miles?”
Elsie rolls her eyes. “Who knows?”
I shake my head. It doesn’t make sense. Did they just leave him in Glen Coe?
