12. Isla
ISLA
PARIS, TEXAS
The Uber Davy had provided for her stopped in what appeared to be a small, run-down parking lot surrounded by brick buildings. At the far end of the lot, two trailers were parked to the side— A Tour of Paris’s official mobile headquarters.
Isla gulped a breath, worry mounting.
Maybe she’d given Davy a terrible idea. Not all Parises were created equal, but starting in this one? This does not seem promising.
In fact, this seemed like the middle of nowhere.
A bleak, empty expanse of flat streets, square, brick buildings, and a few scraggly trees. The sign to the parking lot, a giant red arrow that announced, “Welcome to Paris!” appeared worn and weathered, much like everything she’d seen on the drive in.
With unease clawing at her stomach, she opened the door and climbed out of the car as the driver off-loaded her suitcase. She thanked him, then wheeled the case over toward the first trailer and knocked.
Davy opened the trailer a second later. “Isla!” She threw her arms wide and hugged her. “I’m so excited you’re here. Come on, bring your stuff in.”
Isla managed a weak smile and pushed away the temptation to ask, “Are we in the right place?”
Farther inside the trailer stood Kyle. A crew member was fastening a camera and microphone to him, and Kyle winked. “Hey, Isla.”
“Oh, you beat me here,” she said, relief settling into her ribs as she caught sight of the third Winnick sibling.
Surfing had only improved his good looks—his hair was sun-streaked golden, his skin tanned from days in the sun.
Isla didn’t entirely know what Kyle did for a living, just that he was a computer genius who worked remotely.
“It was a quick flight from Nashville,” Kyle said with a shrug. His blue eyes twinkled with amusement. “How’s my favorite girlfriend?”
Isla laughed and set her suitcase in the corner of the cramped trailer.
Davy and the rest of the crew knew they weren’t really dating, which helped.
Explaining the need to pretend a relationship to her family had been.
.. interesting. Liddy had laughed about it, thankfully, but Callum had looked at her over the FaceTime video like she’d sprouted horns.
“I’m good. Slept most of the flight. I didn’t realize it would be such a long trip to here from the airport, though. ”
The crew member straightened. “It’s Texas. Every trip takes a long time.” He smiled, extending an arm covered with a tattoo sleeve toward her. “I’m Tim, by the way. I’m sound-slash-electric-slash-gaffer on this set.”
“Isla Scott,” she said with a grin.
“Yeah, I saw you in Cabaret on the West End several years ago. You were amazing.”
“Oh, thank you.” She settled into a chair and rolled her shoulders back. Thankfully, they wouldn’t be starting to film until tomorrow, but Davy wanted her to come straight to the “set” after arriving—to give them a final overview of filming.
Tim brought another mic pack and camera over to Isla.
“So, here’s the deal. We’ll be using several types of fully immersive film methods.
Besides your on-body camera, we’ll also set up and stage typical camerawork that you might expect with a documentary.
Think of this as your own reality miniseries.
Arms up. I’ll fit you better for it later. ”
“Mic’d at all times?” Isla asked, glancing at Davy as she lifted her arms. Tim tinkered with the camera and mic, strapping it to her.
The idea of having a film crew following her around for the next three days wasn’t that strange, but in the past, she’d always had a script to work from.
While Davy had spent weeks preparing small segments for Isla to memorize and record, the pressure of being filmed without having any idea what she might say was enormous.
“Everything’s going to be great,” Davy said brightly.
“Tomorrow is the annual wine festival, which is why I scheduled this town first. We can spend some time acquainting you guys with most of the buildings and places we want to feature on the show, and then, since it’s already quite late, we can wrap for the night and grab some dinner. Sound good?”
“Whatever you say, boss,” Isla said with a confident smile.
Davy tugged the walkie-talkie from her belt loop and lifted it to her lips. “Boyd?”
Static answered.
“Dammit. He must have turned his off. He should be in the other trailer with the crew. I’ll go get him,” Davy said, then headed out the door.
“Boyd?” Kyle asked, giving Tim a curious look.
“Starling Boyd. He’s the director.”
“Oh.” Kyle’s brows furrowed. “I thought Davy was the director.”
Tim lifted a coil of wire. “Davy’s the producer.
Her boss, Antony, is executive producer for the studio.
Starling is the director.” He closed a case and picked it up.
“You’ll get used to all the various roles.
We run a small production crew, so most people have multiple jobs.
You’ll mostly interact with the film crew.
The editing crew—well, that’s all Bartholomew here in the States—will be editing as we travel and while the film crew takes the new location’s A-reel.
I’ll be back in a bit to make some adjustments for you, Isla.
” He went out the door Davy had gone through, leaving Isla and Kyle alone.
Kyle sank beside Isla. “Is it me or this town a bit ...um...small?”
“I haven’t really seen it, but that was my thought.” Isla grimaced, then rummaged through her purse for a lip gloss. “Yet Davy seems to still be really excited about it.”
“I’m just not sure how we’re supposed to be here for three days. I got here around noon and took a look around.” Kyle rubbed his neck. “This is the type of town where I’m pretty sure you could see everything in a couple of hours.”
“There’s an Eiffel Tower here, though, right?”
“Yeah, complete with a red cowboy hat on top.” Kyle chuckled. “Unsurprisingly.”
Isla reached over and squeezed Kyle’s hand. “Thanks for being here with me, by the way. I know it’s a crazy ask, but it means a lot that you’re willing to be a part of this.”
Kyle shrugged. “Sure. It sounds fun, actually. I mean, I can’t promise I know how to act, but if it’s like a reality show, that shouldn’t be hard. Hopefully. They don’t seem hard anyway.”
Even with the uncertainty of diving into a project like this, Isla relaxed in Kyle’s presence. They’d become good friends over the past couple of years—and since he was at La Hacienda all the time, it was like he was a piece of home.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll be sick of me by the time the next few weeks are over. By the way, I think between the Arkansas and Tennessee episodes, I’m going to stay with Elle and Quinn in Nashville for a few days. Callum didn’t think it was worth it for me to fly back and forth between Costa Rica.”
“Then we can hang there. Though I should point out you’re choosing Elle over me.
” Kyle and Liddy’s older sister was the common link between the Camden and Winnick families—Elle and Quinn Camden had met years ago, and, because of that, Liddy had moved to London and started working at Camden Enterprises. ..and met Callum.
A slightly messy circle, maybe, but their families all felt like one large extended family now, celebrating holidays and special occasions together.
“I’m not choosing her over you. I’m choosing her big, beautiful house over your questionable-smelling one-bedroom apartment,” Isla said with a smirk.
Kyle put his hand over his heart. “The hits just keep coming. Next, you’ll be telling me I have to sleep in a bunk bed with Tim, the tattooed sound guy.”
Acting like they were a couple was going to be tough. ..in a lot of ways, as Kyle really did feel like a younger, far less uptight brother.
The door to the trailer opened once again, and Davy came in—without anyone else. “Hey, Isla...you have a visitor.”
“Visitor?” Isla raised a brow.
“Yeah, he’s outside.” Davy winked and held the door open for her.
After exchanging a curious look with Kyle, Isla rose and headed toward the door.
Then she saw him standing a few feet from the trailer.
Callum.
Isla’s jaw dropped. She hurried down the wobbly trailer steps and across the tarmac. “Callum, what the heck?”
He grinned, then caught her in a tight hug. “Surprised?”
“Shocked.” She shook her head and stepped back, grabbing his hands. “How in the world did you know how to find me?”
“I may have asked Kyle to send me some of the production information.” Callum gave her hands a squeeze. “God, it’s good to see you. I know it’s only been a handful of months, but it always feels like too long.”
“Well, maybe you and Liddy should come down to La Hacienda more often. It’s not a half-bad spot for a quick holiday.” Her voice was teasing but hopefully Callum could hear the genuineness of her words. She really did wish he’d come more. That he wouldn’t leave her to do so much at the inn.
And . . . I miss him.
“You know how Liddy’s job is—it’s a miracle if she makes it home before sunset.”
“And you? You still enjoying being a kept man?” Isla poked him in the ribs, once again knowing how easy it would be for Callum to read into her statement.
When Callum had resigned from his job at Camden Enterprises, he’d spent a lot of the first year flying back and forth between Costa Rica while La Hacienda was being renovated.
But now that the renovation was complete, his trips were often several months apart.
She hated that she never saw him now. And Isla wasn’t even sure what Callum was doing for a job instead.
“A kept man,” he repeated with a scoffing laugh.
“I’ve been looking at buying several other properties—mostly in Scotland and Ireland.
One in France. I want to make short-term rentals of them.
I’ve enjoyed the administrative side of La Hacienda , but I think my next properties aren’t going to be quite so difficult for me to get to. ”
The defensiveness in his tone told her the tension between them wasn’t just imagined. He felt it as much as she did. I hate it, too.
“So, what are you doing here?” She crossed her arms.
“Actually”—Callum cleared his throat, then glanced back at the ride-share car he must have come in—“I’ve brought someone. An alternative—and more logical choice—for your boyfriend problem for this show.”
Boyfriend problem? What?
Isla furrowed her brow as the door to the sedan opened.. .and Tomas stepped out.
Her heart slammed into her ribs as she glanced at the beautiful, tall Black man she’d been dating casually in London right before she’d moved to Costa Rica. A fellow actor. Both had agreed to go their separate ways, and oddly, she’d been fine with that.
So. .. what the hell?
“Isla, darling.” Tomas flashed her a smile and sauntered toward her. He pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Isla’s lips parted as she gave Callum a hard stare, her heart pounding.
“I ran into Tomas on the Strand the other day. We got to talking about your project...” Callum’s voice took on a smug note that immediately set Isla’s teeth on edge.
“I mentioned you needed a boyfriend for the show, and well”—he gestured toward Tomas with satisfaction—“problem solved.”
Isla could barely think straight, her anger mounting. She whirled toward Davy, who still stood at the trailer door, watching.
Does Davy know about this?
She gave Isla a baffled look.
“I spoke to Antony Lugazi. He was thrilled with the idea of bringing on another known actor to the production,” Callum said behind her.
Isla’s pulse pounded in her ears.
How dare he?
She turned toward Callum, her fingers clenching. “You went over me? Over Davy? I told you we had the whole situation figured out.” She flicked a glance at Tomas.
Tomas flashed his easy grin, completely unperturbed, and Isla’s stomach twisted. How could he even be here?
“No offense, Tomas?—”
“None taken.”
Shock barely had time to settle before fury erupted.
Isla stepped closer to Callum, seething. “You had no right to take this into your own hands. Kyle is in there right now, and he’s flown from Nashville, interrupted his life?—”
“And you should have asked your sister-in-law, your brother, hell, anyone in your family how we might feel about you masquerading around in public with a fellow family member for a television show,” Callum shot back, his face reddening, “before you made the plans. You two are like siblings—you can’t act like a couple.
I’m shocked you’d even be comfortable with the pretense. ”
“Kyle’s not family, Callum. That’s the point.” Isla gaped at him. “And I don’t need to ask permission for something like that. It’s between Kyle and me.” She glanced back toward the trailer, hoping against hope that Kyle wouldn’t have heard all this commotion.
But he had.
He stood beside Davy, watching the scene, an uncertain look on his face.
“Maybe he’s not family to you. But he’s my brother-in—” Callum stiffened, his gaze locking on something behind Isla. “What is he doing here?”
Isla shook her head. “I told you. Kyle came?—”
“Not Kyle.” Callum jerked his chin toward the other trailer, and Isla turned to follow his gaze.
Then she saw him exiting the production trailer.
Aiden.