“You think?” I tease, lightening the mood. Blake gives a rueful laugh.
“Quit it, woman.”
“Oh, you did not just call me woman,” I protest, laughing. We’re both still giggling when I pull into the parking lot by the house location we’re filming at today. It’s busy, with crew unloading the trucks and setting up.
I park and get out of the car, feeling a flicker of nerves in my stomach. I can see Kira barking orders into her walkie-talkie and Lila getting primped on the porch.
“Ready?” Blake’s voice comes at my side.
“Ready for what?” I ask, before he gives me a mischievous grin.
“Our first day as an official couple.”
I flush. “It’s OK, we don’t have to make a big deal about it,” I protest, feeling embarrassed. Maybe I’m just being high school about it, wanting to show off my new boyfriend. I should be cool and casual, right?
“Are you kidding?” Blake smirks. “I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Then, before I can protest, he sweeps me into his arms and dips me, almost to the ground. He kisses me long and slow until my head’s spinning, and I can barely hear a thing over the sound of my thundering heartbeat and the whoops and applause from the crew.
Blake lifts me back up and sets me on my feet. I gasp for air.
“That ought to do it,” he winks. “See you later.”
He strolls off, hands in pockets, leaving me red-cheeked and reeling. I catch whispers and gossiping looks from people around me, but I don’t care. I’m on top of the world.
“Zoey!” Kira materializes by me, making me jump. “I need these faxed to the office back in LA, the lighting trucks moved, and for you to tell me exactly what that was all about.” Her eyes glitter with mirth. “Spill, now!”
***
News travels fast on a small movie set, and by lunch, I’m certain that everyone knows about me and Blake. But aside from a few gossiping looks and whispers, everyone just gets on with their job. We’re not the only ones who’ve hooked up: a couple of the supporting actors got together the first week, and the crew has been pairing off left and right all month. I guess out here away from normal life, sparks fly easily.
Still, it’s a relief to have everything out in the open. To exchange a quick kiss with Blake before his scene—and be able to openly admire him in action without worrying someone will figure out how I feel.
I stand on the sidelines as Dash sets Blake and Lila up for the scene. They’re in the front yard of the cottage: a front yard that has been manicured within an inch of its life, with pretty wildflowers and deliberately-planted weeds. It’s clouded over, but the lighting rigs and reflective sheets make it look like a hot summer’s day. Dash talks them through the script, and Blake nods, totally focused on the job.
I love watching him at work. It’s a whole different side to him, the charm and easy humor stripped back to pure concentration. It’s why I know that for all his disappointment over the early bad reviews on Judgment Day, Blake won’t quit. He can’t. He’s worked too hard, and he loves it too much to just walk away. He’ll put one hundred percent into this movie, because that’s just who he is.
And now I’m invested too. Not just for Blake; he might have been the reason I came to Beachwood Bay in the first place, but now the work I’m doing is for myself. Every day on set I’m learning something new, and it’s been amazing to see behind the scenes and how much goes into creating the movies I love. I’m already considering my next step once we wrap production: moving to LA, maybe, and trying to get another job as an assistant or intern on a new movie.
Which would have the added bonus of being close to Blake…
“Stop perving over my brother!” Tegan’s voice makes me jump. She hugs me from behind, giggling.
“Shut up, I’m allowed,” I laugh, pulling away. “Don’t tell me you don’t drool over Ryland every time he lifts some heavy piece of timber.”
Tegan laughs. “You’re right, I do. The only good thing about this renovation taking so long is all the hot, sweaty lifting he’s doing.”
She claps her hands together. “So, plans?” she demands, looking excited. “What do you want to do tomorrow? Are you working? How much time do we have?”
“Time for what?” Blake saunters over, joining us.
“The birthday girl!” Tegan announces. I groan.
“Wait, what?” Blake turns to me. “It’s your birthday?”
“Tomorrow,” I admit. “But it’s nothing. Please, I don’t want to make a big deal.”
“You always do this!” Tegan protests. “C’mon, birthdays are for celebrating, the glorious day twenty-two years ago when your parents graced this great earth with your presence.”
“Dramatic much?” I counter, but the Callahan siblings are in full swing.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Blake wraps me in a bear hug from behind. “How am I supposed to shower you with surprise gifts if I don’t have a little warning?”
“OK, OK!” I cry, trapped between them. “We can celebrate. A tiny, casual celebration,” I add, warning them. “Low-key. No balloons.”
Tegan pouts. “So no massive surprise party then?”
I shake my head. “Who would you even invite? Promise me, nothing crazy,” I add. “You know I’ll just get all awkward and self-conscious. There’s a reason I don’t tell anyone. I hate birthdays.”
“Quit it, woman.”
“Oh, you did not just call me woman,” I protest, laughing. We’re both still giggling when I pull into the parking lot by the house location we’re filming at today. It’s busy, with crew unloading the trucks and setting up.
I park and get out of the car, feeling a flicker of nerves in my stomach. I can see Kira barking orders into her walkie-talkie and Lila getting primped on the porch.
“Ready?” Blake’s voice comes at my side.
“Ready for what?” I ask, before he gives me a mischievous grin.
“Our first day as an official couple.”
I flush. “It’s OK, we don’t have to make a big deal about it,” I protest, feeling embarrassed. Maybe I’m just being high school about it, wanting to show off my new boyfriend. I should be cool and casual, right?
“Are you kidding?” Blake smirks. “I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Then, before I can protest, he sweeps me into his arms and dips me, almost to the ground. He kisses me long and slow until my head’s spinning, and I can barely hear a thing over the sound of my thundering heartbeat and the whoops and applause from the crew.
Blake lifts me back up and sets me on my feet. I gasp for air.
“That ought to do it,” he winks. “See you later.”
He strolls off, hands in pockets, leaving me red-cheeked and reeling. I catch whispers and gossiping looks from people around me, but I don’t care. I’m on top of the world.
“Zoey!” Kira materializes by me, making me jump. “I need these faxed to the office back in LA, the lighting trucks moved, and for you to tell me exactly what that was all about.” Her eyes glitter with mirth. “Spill, now!”
***
News travels fast on a small movie set, and by lunch, I’m certain that everyone knows about me and Blake. But aside from a few gossiping looks and whispers, everyone just gets on with their job. We’re not the only ones who’ve hooked up: a couple of the supporting actors got together the first week, and the crew has been pairing off left and right all month. I guess out here away from normal life, sparks fly easily.
Still, it’s a relief to have everything out in the open. To exchange a quick kiss with Blake before his scene—and be able to openly admire him in action without worrying someone will figure out how I feel.
I stand on the sidelines as Dash sets Blake and Lila up for the scene. They’re in the front yard of the cottage: a front yard that has been manicured within an inch of its life, with pretty wildflowers and deliberately-planted weeds. It’s clouded over, but the lighting rigs and reflective sheets make it look like a hot summer’s day. Dash talks them through the script, and Blake nods, totally focused on the job.
I love watching him at work. It’s a whole different side to him, the charm and easy humor stripped back to pure concentration. It’s why I know that for all his disappointment over the early bad reviews on Judgment Day, Blake won’t quit. He can’t. He’s worked too hard, and he loves it too much to just walk away. He’ll put one hundred percent into this movie, because that’s just who he is.
And now I’m invested too. Not just for Blake; he might have been the reason I came to Beachwood Bay in the first place, but now the work I’m doing is for myself. Every day on set I’m learning something new, and it’s been amazing to see behind the scenes and how much goes into creating the movies I love. I’m already considering my next step once we wrap production: moving to LA, maybe, and trying to get another job as an assistant or intern on a new movie.
Which would have the added bonus of being close to Blake…
“Stop perving over my brother!” Tegan’s voice makes me jump. She hugs me from behind, giggling.
“Shut up, I’m allowed,” I laugh, pulling away. “Don’t tell me you don’t drool over Ryland every time he lifts some heavy piece of timber.”
Tegan laughs. “You’re right, I do. The only good thing about this renovation taking so long is all the hot, sweaty lifting he’s doing.”
She claps her hands together. “So, plans?” she demands, looking excited. “What do you want to do tomorrow? Are you working? How much time do we have?”
“Time for what?” Blake saunters over, joining us.
“The birthday girl!” Tegan announces. I groan.
“Wait, what?” Blake turns to me. “It’s your birthday?”
“Tomorrow,” I admit. “But it’s nothing. Please, I don’t want to make a big deal.”
“You always do this!” Tegan protests. “C’mon, birthdays are for celebrating, the glorious day twenty-two years ago when your parents graced this great earth with your presence.”
“Dramatic much?” I counter, but the Callahan siblings are in full swing.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Blake wraps me in a bear hug from behind. “How am I supposed to shower you with surprise gifts if I don’t have a little warning?”
“OK, OK!” I cry, trapped between them. “We can celebrate. A tiny, casual celebration,” I add, warning them. “Low-key. No balloons.”
Tegan pouts. “So no massive surprise party then?”
I shake my head. “Who would you even invite? Promise me, nothing crazy,” I add. “You know I’ll just get all awkward and self-conscious. There’s a reason I don’t tell anyone. I hate birthdays.”
