He put the truck in gear and eased back onto the road.
The bend disappeared behind them, and they rolled on until the trailers of the movie set came into view.
By the time Church pulled into the lot, the peace of the valley had been replaced by the steady hum of generators and shouted instructions.
They climbed out of the truck and Zee fell into step beside him, taking in the frenzy with a small smile. “I wonder if they have any more of those danishes.”
That caught him by surprise and left a warm sensation in his chest.
“You didn’t mention you liked it.”
“It was good.”
He liked that she didn’t chatter on like some women but what she did say held weight and importance.
Church scanned the lot automatically as they proceeded toward the trailers. Crew members moved in every direction, and his ward would be waiting for him to escort her to makeup.
A few steps away, a young guy carried a ladder balanced on his shoulder. The guy Zee had been talking to the day before.
He spotted Zee and called out. “Morning!”
She threw him a wave.
He jogged over with an easy grin and lowered the ladder to the ground.
Church slowed his steps long enough to watch the exchange. The kid—wet behind the ears and barely out of his twenties—grinned at Zee in a way that made Church’s molars meet.
“More tea and pastries out back if you want anything.”
“That might be tempting.”
Church watched her face for any sign of… What the hell did he care if she flirted with someone her own damn age?
“The set’s busy today,” she remarked.
“Always is at this point in production.”
“Luke! Where’s that ladder?”
He shot Zee another grin and backed away. “See you around.”
Church watched him jog off, his chest tightening unexpectedly.
The guy was young. Easygoing.
Church had been that young once. Before deployments and responsibilities and the weight of men’s lives lodged like a permanent burden across his shoulders.
Before Matt.
He told himself he was just looking out for her, even as he spoke to Matt in his mind.
Relax, man. I’m not trying to steal your girl.
Zee was almost half his damn age too.
“I’ll be in my spot, honey.” She stressed the word and threw him a smile that made his heart do a silly jig in his chest.
He watched her stroll to the chair outside the trailer as he moved to wait for Miss Collins. He widened his stance and folded his arms, glad he was wearing sunglasses for more reasons than the sun rising over the lip of the mountains.
