Chapter 5 #2
For the next two hours, he watched the current scenes being filmed, approved the military uniform Logan would be wearing when he shot various scenes later in the schedule, went over the timetable for the mountain shoot in a couple weeks, and even got a sneak peek of some of the footage that had been shot the first day he was on set.
He should’ve been getting more and more excited about the trip to the western part of the state.
Instead, all he could think about was what Zita must think of him after what she’d witnessed earlier that morning.
How she probably thought everything he’d told her about not wanting a relationship was bullshit.
Maybe even thought he’d played her to make Carmen jealous or something.
It wasn’t like Obi-Wan to let his feelings get the better of him. But by the time he was free of his obligations on the set, he was almost desperate to find Zita and explain what she’d seen that morning. Desperate for her to know that he in no way, shape, or form wanted to be with Carmen.
That it was Zita he was interested in getting to know better.
If nothing else, this morning had served as a wake-up call. She’d completely avoided him on set, and the odd feeling that he was losing Zita before they’d even had any kind of real relationship was a punch to the gut.
He might not have wanted to date anyone when he’d started this job a week ago, but now Obi-Wan was willing to entertain the idea. But only with Zita.
It was still highly possible they’d get to know each other better and find out they were no more compatible than a bird and a fish…but he wanted to find out.
However, it was obvious she was still trying to avoid him, because she ducked out a side door as soon as he started walking toward her.
But Obi-Wan was determined to talk to her before he left today.
He didn’t want to have any misunderstandings between them.
Wanted to explain what she really saw that morning between him and Carmen.
Spinning around, Obi-Wan jogged toward the nearest door. He shoved it open and ran around the building toward where Zita had exited. As he hoped, she hadn’t gone far. Had probably just left in the hopes that when she went back inside, he’d have gone for the day, as usual.
Thankfully, she was also alone. She was sitting in the area the smokers used when they came outside, staring into space.
“Hey,” Obi-Wan said quietly as he approached.
He hadn’t meant to scare her, but she jerked all the same and whipped her head around to stare at him.
He held his hands up. “Sorry, sorry, sorry. I thought you heard me coming.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t. But it’s okay. Shouldn’t you be heading back to the base?”
Obi-Wan winced, not liking that she was obviously trying to dismiss him. He sat next to her, leaving plenty of space between them on the bench. The last thing he wanted to do was crowd her, but he needed her to hear him out.
He decided not to beat around the bush.
“What you saw this morning wasn’t what you think.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, a little too nonchalantly.
“I was looking for you, to give you your coffee, and she took the opportunity to waylay me. She kissed me. Not the other way around.”
“Okay.”
Obi-Wan studied her. She wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Zita. Look at me. Please.”
It took a beat, but she eventually lifted her chin and met his gaze head on. He could see the anger in her expression. But also…sorrow? She was killing him, and he needed to make this right.
“My hands were full. I couldn’t push her away, not without making a scene. And I know better than to humiliate her. She could make my life, and everyone else’s around her, completely miserable. She kissed me. I didn’t want it or invite it.”
“She wants you,” Zita said plainly.
“Yes. But she’s not going to get me,” Obi-Wan said firmly. “There’s only one woman on this set I want to get to know. And it’s not Carmen St. James.”
It took a split second for his words to sink in, and Obi-Wan saw the moment they did. Disbelief overtook the other emotions in her eyes.
He pressed on. “You’re the one I asked to come to Anchor Point.
Not her. You’re the one I bring coffee to every morning.
Not her. You’re the one I look for when I first get to the set.
Not her. Please believe me when I tell you that what you saw, was Carmen doing her best to seduce a very unwilling partner. ”
“She’s famous. And rich.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m not.”
“Neither am I. Is that a problem?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get your coffee to you this morning. I’ll make up for it tomorrow,” he told her.
Zita shrugged. “I was avoiding you.”
“I know.”
She sighed. “I think I owe you an apology. I thought the worst of you without giving you a chance to defend yourself. But you have to understand…I’ve seen guy after guy fall for her, even when they claim they don’t want her.”
“I get it. But when I say something, I mean it. Well, except…” His voice trailed off, and Obi-Wan couldn’t believe he was going to admit this. But he needed this woman to trust him. To believe him when he said something important in the future.
“Except what?” she asked with a tilt of her head.
“I meant it at the time, but I’m taking it back. I said I wasn’t interested in dating anyone.”
“You are interested in dating?”
“Yes. But only you.”
Her eyes widened. “Doesn’t that seem a little…premature? Presumptuous? What if I don’t want to date?”
Obi-Wan held her gaze. “It’s probably a little of both. And trust me, it’s as shocking to me as it apparently is to you right now. I didn’t accept this job with the intention of hooking up with someone on set, or dating anyone I met. But here we are.”
“So now you’re saying you want to hook up with me? Again, that seems like a one-sided decision.”
Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment and ran a hand over his head. He was screwing this up royally. “Shit,” he mumbled. “I should’ve stayed in bed this morning.”
“Bad day?” Zita asked.
“You have no idea. Look, all I’m saying is that I’d like to retract my statement about not wanting to date anyone.
But the only person I’m remotely interested in getting to know better is you.
I’m not saying we’ll fall madly in love and elope and have fourteen babies.
But I’m open to the possibility. I don’t want you to think I’m going out of my way to ask you to come to Anchor Point and meet my friends without wanting to further our friendship.
That’s not the kind of man I am. I’m trying to be open and honest here. ”
For the first time, Zita’s shoulders relaxed a little and her facial expression softened. “I’m sorry. I’m being horrible. I…it’s just…I’ve been screwed over more than once, and I’m a little gun-shy about getting to know people while on set.”
“I understand. I won’t presume to know how you feel, but it sounds a lot like when my team and I are on a mission on a naval ship.
We meet lots of people, some very nice men and women, but we’re always very careful to keep lines drawn because we’re well aware we won’t be there very long.
And it’s extremely difficult to keep any kind of friendship going once we leave those ships. Not impossible, but not easy for sure.”
Zita nodded. Then asked, “You haven’t had a good day?”
“No. PT was brutal, something’s up with my team leader and his girlfriend, and that’s concerning.
I think I’ve still got sand in my underwear from this morning, then there was Carmen, the coffee I got for you went to waste, it’s gross out here, even though it’s much better now than it was when I first got to the set, and I have an afternoon of meetings ahead of me. ”
“I’m sorry.”
Obi-Wan shrugged. “Will you still come to Anchor Point tonight? No pressure. Just a night away from work, the set, and you can get out of your motel for a while.”
“What, you don’t think the Ocean Side Inn is exciting?”
“The Ocean Side Inn? Carmen said she was staying at the Cavalier.”
“She is. Logan and the director too. The rest of us lowly staff are at a budget motel.”
That made sense, but it still irritated Obi-Wan. He let it go because it wasn’t as if he could do anything about it. “You’ll come?” he pressed, really really really wanting her to say yes. “I can pick you up if you want. I’m assuming you don’t have a car here.”
“I don’t. Don’t need one. The set isn’t that far and it’s nice to get some fresh air and exercise in the mornings and afternoons by walking to and from the motel.”
She was killing him with the non-answers. Obi-Wan didn’t press again. Actually, he wanted to beg, but that wasn’t who he was. If she didn’t want to come to the bar tonight, she didn’t want to come to the bar.
“What time?” she asked.
Elation hit him hard. “Seven? We usually don’t stay too long. Maybe until around ten or so if we’re not too tired. But I’m guessing tonight might be an early night.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
She smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll wait for you at the main doors of the lobby at the Ocean Side Inn. Seven. Don’t be late.”
“I’m never late,” Obi-Wan informed her. “And thank you. My day’s looking up already.”
She rolled her eyes. “And, Sage, you don’t have to bring me coffee every morning.”
“Do you like it?”
“Of course. What’s not to like?”
“I’ll make sure to have an extra-large cup tomorrow, to make up for not getting yours to you today.”
“It was my fault you couldn’t find me to give it to me.”
Obi-Wan simply shrugged.
“You’re different from pretty much any man I’ve been around before.”
“Good.” He didn’t bother to ask in what way. He hoped she meant it as a compliment, but he wasn’t going to push his luck.
The door behind them opened and two men and a woman came out. Both he and Zita stood, surrendering the table to the smokers. They took a few steps away before Obi-Wan said, “Looks like this is my cue to get going. I’ll see you tonight. Seven sharp.”
“Wait, I know you said Anchor Point is a dive bar, but just to make sure…I’m not going to be out of place in my cargo pants, T-shirt, and sneakers, am I? I don’t need to wear cowboy boots or daisy dukes, right?” She was grinning when she said it.
Obi-Wan couldn’t stop his gaze from running up and down her body. He admired her physique all over again. She was curvy in all the right places, petite compared to him, which he loved. “What you’ve got on now is perfect…but maybe let your hair down.”
Taking a chance, he reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a short squeeze before dropping it and turning to head for his Jeep in the parking lot.
He looked back once to see Zita standing where he’d left her, staring after him with an unreadable look on her face. The smokers sitting at the table were staring at him as well. He gave them all a chin lift, then turned back toward the parking lot with a small smile on his face.
For a day that had started out so shitty, it had definitely picked up in the last twenty minutes.