AJ looked at her own reflection—it was her, but better, little imperfections smoothed over, small asymmetries concealed. Her eyes were enormous.
“It’s…” AJ paused. “You did a good job. I’m just not used to seeing myself this way.”
“It’s the contouring,” said Jolie sagely. “What do you guys think—does she look seventeen?”
Without turning, Noah’s eyes flicked to AJ’s reflection. He went very still behind her. For a split second, their gazes met, and his expression softened.
“Not really,” he said. And with that, he left the trailer.
“What a dick,” said Jolie.
“Right?” said AJ, though she suspected that he had only meant she looked different than she actually had at seventeen. Why did that make her stupid heart hammer?
“Well,Ithink you look like peaches and cream,” said Elmore.
There,thought AJ as Jolie applied setting spray to her face. A whole trailer of people had just watched them interact and no one had thought anything of it. Yesterday had been a blip—it was entirely possible Ian and Em hadn’t even seen it. As such, it was very unlikely to be repeated.
God fucking damn it,they were having her bring him food.Again.
AJ had beenso closeto clocking out. She had only ducked into the control room to see if Ian needed anythingas a courtesy.
“Actually, yes,” he had said, handing her Rho’s dinner and proving all her paranoia correct. The ensemble had spent most of today on location, so there would be very little usable footage of Rho. Ian sending AJ down confirmed that not only had they seen the scene from yesterday, but they were actively following up on the thread.
God fucking damn it.
Of course they’d liked it. These shows lived and died on overreactions, and Noah definitely made AJ…react.
Her task, then, was simple:don’treact.
As AJ reemerged on set, she took a breath to steady herself, plate in hand. She would be calm. She would be boring. And the show would move on.
When she entered the brig, she found Noah standing, eyes fixed on Rho’s green screen window.
As on the previous day, Bud was the first to register her presence.Here we go,thought AJ as the pup leapt down and approached the bars.
Noah turned as well. “You came back.”
AJ’s pulse jumped as their eyes connected. “Not by choice,” she snapped.
Wow. He’d spoken three words, and she was already in a rage.
She took a breath and tried again. “This is for you.” There. Nice and dull.
Noah stepped up to the bars, one foot at a time, his eyes probing. AJ turned her attention to Bud, in heel at his feet. She stared at the pup’s wagging tail.
“Why is it doing that?” she asked.
“She’s happy,” said Noah quietly. “She likes you.”
AJ waited for him to pick up the dog as he’d done the day before, but he didn’t.
This wasbeyondannoying. “Do you mind—”
A disembodied clank sounded elsewhere on set, and the dog emitted an ungodly howl.
AJ jumped.
“It’s okay,” said Noah, crouching down and gathering Bud to him.
