It wasn’t just that she’d lost this role. It was that she’d been rejected again. That she was being replaced. Another person had judged her and found her lacking. It made all the old wounds fresh again. So fresh. She ached from the depths of her core.
And of course the news of being let go would immediately go public, bringing further humiliation. It would also make her look even guiltier. The realization only made her weep more.
She was also out of work. She’d need to scrounge for another role, and quick. Sometimes the public’s attention span seemed eternal, but in other ways it could be very short.
She couldn’t focus on that right now. Instead she let herself have a good long cry.
It was a long time later when she collected herself enough to text Nolan and ask if anything interesting had come across his desk lately. His answer made her spirits sink even lower. She set down the phone and fell back onto the bed.
thirty-seven
Mia walked hand in hand with Levi on the way back down Lone Creek Trail, loving the feel of his sturdy hand in hers. She’d worn her ball cap since it was the Fourth of July weekend and the path would be crowded with tourists. The inn was booked full for the holiday, and Levi only had a few hours to spare.
The past couple weeks they’d spent a lot of time together. They’d gone shopping again in Asheville, hiked a few times, and on days when the inn was quiet, they’d played cards or games with his sisters. Mia loved Levi’s family. Grace and Molly were becoming like the sisters she’d never had.
And Levi... He was becoming so much more. A lot had happened to her in the past month. Losing the role had been the final emotional straw, and Levi had been such a rock for her. She was so used to putting on a brave face. What a relief to have someone she could really talk to. It was hard for her to put herself out there, but Levi had a way of making her feel safe.
He helped her over a fallen log. “Have you had a chance to look at the new scripts your agent sent?”
Mia was still a little heartbroken about losing the role of Fiona. “They’re pretty good. Solid plots with compelling characters.”
He gave her a wan smile. “You don’t sound very excited.”
“They’ll probably be commercially successful with the right actors. But yeah. They don’t exactly grab me by the heart. On the other hand, I need to keep working. I’ll talk it over with Nolan.”
“You must trust him a great deal.”
“He’s been on my team from the beginning. He knows what he’s doing.”
Levi was quiet a minute. “It’s just...”
“What?”
They reached the trailhead and started walking toward the car. “I don’t know. You had so much passion when you talked about Fiona. I’d hate to see you settle, that’s all.”
“That’s really sweet. But I have to put Fiona behind me. They can’t all be passion projects. Look at you and your inn. This isn’t what you want to do long term, but it’s a responsibility you’ve taken on, knowing you’ll get back to what you love later. I’ve taken a lot of roles just because I thought they’d be good for my career.”
Levi opened the car door for her but paused to place a kiss on her lips. “I’m sure you’ll do what’s best.” His gazed at her steadily, his eyes saying so much as they roved her face.
Something in his eyes shifted. His lips parted, and Mia got the idea he was about to tell her he loved her. The last few days he’d been saying it with his eyes, with his touch.
Her heart palpitated in her chest. She forgot how to breathe.
Then he tipped her face up and set a kiss on her nose. “We’d better get back.”
***
Levi wondered if he should’ve let the moment pass. A declaration of love had been on his lips, but was it the right time? He was sweaty from the hike, and they’d been standing in a parking lot. Mia deserved better. Maybe he’d plan something special next week when the inn wasn’t so busy. Now that she wasn’t due on set in a couple weeks, they’d have more time together.
On the way back to the inn they grabbed a quick meal at a drive-through and Levi found a shady picnic table in Pawley Park where they could settle with their food.
Levi said grace. Then they tucked in. As he watched her gaze out over the lake his mind flashed back to a scene inInto the Deep. She’d been spellbinding in that role.
“What?” she asked when she caught him staring.
“Nothing, I just... I watched your movie—Into the Deep. I Netflixed it a while back.” He scanned her features. “You’re really good. I was impressed.”
She returned his smile. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
