Chapter 27
Twenty-Seven
The ball cracked off Cassie’s racquet and skimmed the baseline. Delilah lunged after it, her feet tangling, and she went down hard, landing squarely on her arse.
‘You OK?’ Cassie called across the net.
‘Yep,’ Delilah said, standing and dusting herself off.
‘You’re thinking too much,’ Cassie told her.
‘I’m trying not to die,’ Delilah shot back, wiping sweat from her temple.
Her phone buzzed on the bench. Once, twice, insistent. Delilah lifted a hand. ‘Hold that thought,’ she said, jogging over and snatching it up without looking at the number.
Cassie leaned on her racquet, waiting.
Delilah pressed the phone to her ear, still breathless from the last rally. The voice on the other end spoke, brisk and businesslike, and her pulse sank with every word.
When the call ended, she stood frozen for a moment, the phone still warm in her hand. She knew only one thing. She was fucked. Everything was fucked.
Delilah looked over at Cassie, who had been waiting. ‘So, if you’re done with your phone call…’ She broke off her admonition, seeing the look on Delilah’s face. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘They’re putting the brakes on the movie,’ Delilah said slowly. She was determined not to blub like a toddler with a skinned knee, which was her instinct. ‘The estate… they’re withdrawing permission. Nobody knows exactly why.’
Cassie’s brows knit together. ‘That’s shit. I’m sorry, Delilah.’
Delilah gave a small, bitter smile. ‘So that’s it.
The role’s gone. The film’s dead before it even properly began.
’ She laughed. ‘Ah, well. I’m sure I’d have shit the bed anyway.
Way too big a role for me.’ She shifted her weight, looking down at the court beneath her feet.
‘Which means… there’s no point in all this. No need to keep training.’
Delilah took a deep breath, searching Cassie’s face for any sign of annoyance at her wasted efforts or the future lessons she wouldn’t get paid for. But Cassie’s eyes held a surprising amount of quiet empathy.
‘I just want to say thank you,’ Delilah continued, voice faltering slightly. ‘For everything you’ve done. I’m sorry if I wasted your time. I’ll make sure you’re paid for the week.’
Cassie’s lips pressed into a small, understanding smile, but she said nothing.
Delilah turned away, a slight ringing in her ears as she walked off the court. The role was gone, and with it, hope for the kind of life she’d been trying for. It was too much to comprehend all at once.
She wondered if she’d ever see Cassie again. Probably not. What cause did they have to stay in touch?