His mouth lowered into a severe frown. “Raelynn.”
As fast as Flash could fly around the barn, Raelynn switched from the child full of wonder and joy to the actress she’d been trained to be. She put on a false smile. “Da-ad.” Her hand found her hip. “Haven’t you ever heard of method acting?”
Jack’s heart fell, hanging in his chest like the drooping branches of a Christmas tree left too long in the living room.
Her dad’s laugh boomed through the barn. “That’s my girl!”
“We’re ready for scene seven, people!” yelled the assistant director.
Sparkled head-butted Jack:That’s us.
“Right.” He walked with her on set and slipped off her halter. “Behave,” he whispered into her ear before taking his place just off camera.
The scene started, and Sparkled jumped next to Raelynn, stumbling a little as if she’d just come out of the rafters. What a ham; the reindeer never stumbled a landing.
Raelynn’s dad glanced at him and then made his way around to Jack. Jack stiffened, not sure how to act around this Scrooge.
“It’s amazing how you get her to follow so many cues. What’s your secret?” he asked, pointing to Sparkle.
“She’s intuitive and reacts to your daughter’s excellent acting.” Jack held out his hand. “Jack Nicholas.”
“Ronny Wallace. We heard about the runaway sleigh incident. Rest assured, we disciplined the nanny for her behavior.” His bald head shone in the lights.
Jack couldn’t even fathom what that would entail. Also, he did not know how to respond. What she did wasn’t okay, and he didn’t want to say so. But also, he didn’t want to say something that could be interpreted as admitting guilt. “Okay then,” he settled on—feeling like a fish out of water. They may be in a barn, but this guy—and his three-piece suit—were in a whole different lake.
They turned back to watch the scene unfold.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she won the golden heart award.” Dad puffed out his chest. “The two of them together are incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Jack did not know what a golden heart award was, nor did he care. “I couldn’t help but overhear she wanted to see Santa.”
Ronny scoffed. “She gets into her roles. I can’t wait to see what she can do when she’s thirteen.”
Jack wanted to scream. “Is there something wrong with believing in Santa?”
Ronny lowered his chin like a bull getting ready to charge. “Yes, there is. She works in a grown-up environment. There’s no place here for make-believe.”
Incredulous, Jack threw his arms open. “Look around. It’s all make-believe.”
Ronny shook his head. “It’s work. Craft. Raelynn has to prove she has what it takes to run with the A-listers, and she won’t do that by writing letters to Santa.”
Jack’s mouth fell open.
“Cut! We’ll set for scene eleven. You have a fifteen-minute break.”
Sparkle lifted her head, her ears twitching forward and back. The cameras were still rolling, even though they calledcut. She let her personality out after the scene was over, and the camera guys loved it. Someone mentioned using the footage for promos.
Someone from food services shoved a bag of carrots into his hand. Sparkle’s affinity for them was well known by now. He looked down at it as if it were a rock, and he didn’t know what to do with it.
Ronny stepped back as Sparkle approached. He eyed her wearily. “Shouldn’t you have a leash on her or a muzzle?”
Sparkle snorted her eyes slits:You’re the one who needs a muzzle.
Jack shook himself out of the shock and placed a hand on the reindeer’s back. “She’s as tame as a kitten.”
Ronny glared. “I had a kitten try to scratch my eyes out once.” He looked over his shoulder. “Excuse me. I have to talk to that guy.” He waved wildly toward the right and then cut left.
Sparkle looked up at Jack:What’s his problem?
