Page 90

Hannah’s brows knitted together and she took another step back. ‘What?’

‘I want to be with you, and you’re building a life here. So, it makes sense to stay.’ He tried to be nonchalant, but with every passing second that she didn’t jump for joy, he grew more afraid he’d missed his chance.

There was a knock on the medical office door, and Hannah jumped as if spooked before rushing to open it. A sheepish Franco and a concerned Lucas entered the room.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Caleb, knowing he must have ruined a shot that had cost a fortune to produce. ‘Was anything salvageable?’

‘Jerry managed to stop the fires after he stopped freaking out. We’re going to clean up, do repairs, and reshoot tomorrow,’ said Lucas.

‘I’m really sorry, I thought—’

Franco waved a hand dismissively. ‘I am sorry for my part in today. I did not realise until much later the danger. Lucas and his assistant have explained everything. The stunt co-ordinator and that prankster’ – he frowned with distaste at the description – ‘have both been fired and escorted from the studio. All images and videos have been removed from both of their phones after a significant threat from legal. We do not play with people’s lives.’

Relief surged through Caleb’s body. Although he felt a little bad for Jackson – at least he’d tried to help when he’d realised the gravity of the situation. Then again, he wouldn’t have had to help if he’d done his basic checks first. That was his job as co-ordinator, a job Caleb now realised he’d much rather do himself.

‘Good. Good,’ said Franco, clapping him on the shoulder and immediately flinching when Hannah hissed at him like an angry cat. ‘Scusa! I will leave you now. I hope to work with you again in the future. And you too, Hannah? Si?’

‘The car’s ready when you are,’ added Lucas, patting him on the shoulder. ‘You really scared me for a minute there. Let us know what the doctor says, and any costs, send them my way. I’ve got your back.’

Touched by his friend’s loyalty, he said, ‘Thanks, Lucas, you’re a good friend.’

Lucas threw back his head with a laugh. ‘A better friend than boyfriend, I’d imagine. Don’t think I’ve met a woman yet that I’d run into a burning building for.’ He looked meaningfully at Hannah and then at Caleb, as if he were urging him to do better. ‘Bianca’s refused to sign that contract of ours. Probably for the best – keep it professional. And now Emma’s leaving me too. Let’s hope this film does well, yeah. That way I can work with you again.’

‘I’m sure the movie will do great, and sorry about Bianca, man,’ Caleb said with a wince.

Lucas smiled cheerfully and waved goodbye as he and Franco left.

Hannah cleared her throat. ‘We should get you to hospital. Get you checked out.’

‘Sure, but first I need to ask you something.’ Caleb took a deep breath. ‘Hannah, will you be my girlfriend? We could get a place together, somewhere with an ocean view.’

Hannah shook her head firmly. ‘Nope.’

Caleb blinked. ‘What do you mean, “nope”?’

Hannah sighed. ‘I’ve done this before, remember. Picked out stripy crockery and bed linen. Only to be dumped before the moving-in date. Like you said, I’ve got a life here, an apartment all set up – well, a sofa bed, but Zach’s roommate is moving out this weekend. It hasn’t got an ocean view, but it’s got a nice pool and it’s close to the beach. I’ve got my book club, baking classes, and yoga—’

‘You hate yoga.’

Hannah giggled, but then her face sobered, and she said, ‘I need to think of myself first. Believe me, I would love to be your girlfriend. But I’m still going to live my life here as I planned. I don’t want to lose what I’ve started to build. Especially if you change your mind and decide to return to LA.’

Caleb frowned, but understood her fears. ‘Okay, so I’ll get a place here too. Build a life beside you.’

‘Do you mean that?’

Caleb nodded quickly. ‘I do. I want to be with you. What’s the point of always living in the moment if you’ve not got a goal, right? Everyone seems okay with what happened, so I think I can get work here. The studio’s HR department could maybe help with my work visa too.’

‘That’s great, but I need more.’ She bit her lip, and he wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.

‘What? I’ll do anything you ask. I can sell my LA property, join your baking class – I’ll even do yoga. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. I can’t lose you.’

Hannah smiled slyly. ‘I need the magic words, ideally every single day. To know you’re serious.’

Understanding slowly dawned on him, and with his bandaged hands, he pulled her close with his arms. ‘I love you, Hannah. I’m so serious about you it hurts! I love the old Hannah, and the new Hannah, and everything in between. I want to pick bed linen and matching crockery with you. But if that’s too soon, I want to drink a stupidly expensive frothy coffee and eat a ridiculously sweet cronut with you – ideally one you’ve made, because you’re a fucking awesome baker. I want to be more than friends with benefits; I want to date and love you for as long as you’ll have me.’

Hannah grinned. ‘I love you too, Caleb Townsend. I always have, and I always will. I agree, let’s be more than just friends – let’s be in love and sickeningly happy.’ And she kissed him, all fear and doubt receding so that all that remained was the pair of them locked together in a promise neither one of them would ever break.

They sank into each other’s embrace, lost in the moment. Until a buzz from Hannah’s pocket interrupted them.