Haley gives a grimacing smile. “I understand. My parents are from this little town in Yorkshire. You should’ve heard how they talked about me moving to LA. ‘Oi ducky, stop yer faffin’. They’ll as soon grab your tit as shake your hand.’” She rolls her eyes. “They’re starting to believe it’s different now, though. When I told them I was coming to New Zealand, they were more worried about the dingoes than the film crew. I had to explain to them that dingoes are in Australia, not here.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Wow, yeah, your parents might actually be as overprotective as mine. I visited home a couple of times, but got sick of the whole visit being an argument. Kept inviting Mom out to see it wasn’t so bad, but you’d think I told her to jump off a bridge.”
“What’s your sister think?”
“She stayed closer to home. I think she feels like I broke Mom’s heart, so she’s gotta make up for it. She’s visited me a few times, and it was really nice, but either she has to keep it secret from Mom or get chewed out for it, so… it’s been a while.”
“Hence, you miss her.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, this is a pretty big film, right? Maybe they’ll see you and realize it was worth it.” Naïve, beautiful hope shines in Haley’s auburn eyes.
“Maybe. Unlikely, but maybe. I like your optimism.”
“Oh, I shouldn’t have said it was a big film, now my nerves are acting up again…” Haley looks queasy as she stares at the mirror.
“It’s just a little project. No big deal. Maybe, like, five people will see it.”
She forces a deep breath. “Yeah, right right. Perfect. Easy. No problem.”
I chuckle. “Now you’re starting to talk like a stunt performer.”
Exaggerated shock crosses her face, then she grins. “You can’t take that back now. I need a little sticker. ‘Honorary stunt crew member.’”
“You earned that when you did your first ratchet pull. And if you wanted to be a full member…”
She shakes her head briskly. “Nooo, thank you. Honorary member only, please! I’ll happily leave the jumping off things and getting hit by things and hitting things to you.”
“And the fighting on a plane sixty feet off the ground?”
“Godyes. I still think you’reinsanefor doing that. No offense.”
“None taken.”
“So you must have, like, no fear.”
I shake my head. “Oh, I still have fear. That’s your survival instinct kicking in. We like to say fear is your safety belt—it keeps you sharp. Makes sure you’re paying attention.”
“Wow. So, are you nervous for tomorrow?”
“I’m trying not to think about it.” I offer a wry smile.
Haley giggles—her nervous tic, I’m learning—and puts her hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be heading over to the rig this afternoon to get some practice in.”
“Isn’t it terrible, being so sudden?”
“It’s actually kind of nice. I don’t have so much time to get in my head and worry about it. It’s just: keep doing the thing right in front of you.”
“Like eating lunch,” Haley says, pointing at my mostly full plate of grilled chicken and salad.
I laugh and pick up my fork. “Like eating lunch.”
CHAPTER
TEN
