Chapter 32
CALLUM
Callum followed the woman who had come to take him to the make-up person and hoped he would find Erin there to see a familiar face and also check how she was doing.
He was relieved he only had to pretend to speak to one of the women in the cast and then be in another scene where Riley was to act becoming angry with him.
Callum was led into the trailer and saw his sister hard at work, curling one of the actress’s hair and chatting to her, and judging by the glint in his sister’s eyes Callum could tell she was very happy to be working there.
She spotted him and smiled. ‘That’s my brother.’
The actress sat up a little straighter as Callum passed behind her chair. He sat down on the one next to her.
‘Are you one of the actors?’ the woman he vaguely recognised asked.
Callum shook his head. ‘I’m in the show, but only have a tiny part.’
Erin gasped. ‘That’s so exciting though.’
He thought so too but didn’t like to show too much enthusiasm, especially not in front of one of the professional actors. ‘It’s only two small scenes and I barely say anything in those.’
‘Still a fun experience though.’ The actress turned her head to address him. ‘I wonder if you’ll be in any of my scenes?’
‘I’ve no idea.’ He spotted Erin pressing her lips together, trying to hide her amusement and couldn’t think what she found funny about the exchange.
The door opened but before he had a chance to look and see who had just entered the room, he felt the actress’s fingers curl around his own.
‘I’m Beth, by the way.’ He was taken aback by the sudden depth in her voice.
‘Tasha!’
Hearing Erin call out Tasha’s name, Callum immediately turned to look at the doorway.
He went to smile but just caught her eyes snapping back from where they had been focused on Beth and his hands clasped together.
Not wishing Tasha to get the wrong idea, he gently withdrew his hand from Beth’s, surprised when she tightened her grasp.
‘How are things going?’ he asked Tasha, wishing he could think of something more insightful to say but needing to show her he was pleased to see her.
‘As well as can be expected.’
Callum started to rise to walk over to Tasha. Erin pressed her hand on his shoulder. ‘No, you don’t. I need to change your hair slightly before you go anywhere. It’s too messy how you usually wear it.’
‘But I’ll come back,’ he argued.
Erin’s hand remained where it was. Aware he had little choice but to do as his sister told him, he turned his gaze back to Tasha. ‘Where shall I find you?’
She shrugged one shoulder. ‘I’ll be out there somewhere.’ Her expression softened and he wondered if it was because she could tell he was worried about her reaction. ‘I’ll look out for you.’ She smiled at Beth. ‘Morning, Beth.’
‘Tasha.’
By the sound of their polite but cool reaction to each other, Callum surmised that the women didn’t think much of each other. Deciding it probably wasn’t wise to ask Tasha about Beth, he pushed the thought away.
‘I just came by to say hi to Erin.’ Tasha kissed his sister on her cheek. ‘It’s good to have you working here. How are you enjoying it?’
‘I’m really enjoying it so far.’ She cocked her head in Callum’s direction. ‘And as long as this one doesn’t let the side down in any way, I’m sure I’ll continue to do so.’
He was used to his sister making him the butt of her jokes. ‘I’ll do my best not to mess things up.’
‘I’m sure you’ll be brilliant,’ Beth said, stroking his forearm and getting a pitying look from Tasha.
‘I’m sure he will be,’ Tasha said eventually.
Tasha left and Callum was relieved when Beth was called for shortly afterwards.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Erin stood behind him and laughed at him in the mirror. ‘Do you often get that sort of reaction from women?’
He sighed. ‘No, thankfully.’ He puffed out his cheeks. ‘For the first time ever, I’m beginning to feel a bit sorry for Riley. I imagine he gets that sort of thing a lot.’
At the mention of the actor’s name, Erin’s amusement vanished.
‘Is everything all right between you and him? I thought he came to speak to you earlier but assumed you didn’t mind.’
She shrugged and began tidying his hair.
‘He’s fine.’ She frowned. ‘I think he’s trying to impress me, but I’m just not used to his way of life.
Not impressed by it either.’ Her lips drew back in a smile and she leant slightly forward, keeping her voice low.
‘I do like him though. Is that mad, do you think?’
Not wishing to hurt his sister, but wanting to answer her question honestly, Callum thought about his answer before replying.
‘Tasha hasn’t said much about him but she did say that although he could be a bit infuriating, he was also a decent chap.
Neither of us know him very well, so it’s difficult to say how he does behave in relationships, but I think it’s clear that he does like you and, whether I like him or not, he did seem very upset about the whole Dale and Brooke thing. ’
‘He did. I also think he likes me.’ She carried on brushing and styling his hair. ‘I just don’t know how serious he is about me.’
‘I see.’ He wasn’t sure that he did fully. ‘Are you concerned that it might be a short-term fling he’s after?’
She nodded. ‘I’m not really into that sort of thing, but how will I know where it will lead if I do start seeing him if I don’t even give him a chance?’
She had a point. He pushed his hair back from his face. ‘I look odd with it down like that.’
Erin laughed. ‘You did a bit.’ She put her comb onto the worktop. ‘So, what do you think I should do?’
He tried to work out whether she actually wanted an answer from him, or if she was simply hoping Callum would come up with the answer she was hoping for.
He had no intention of getting caught up in that trap again, having learnt his lesson years before when he had stupidly admitted what he really thought about Erin’s first serious boyfriend.
She hadn’t spoken to him for weeks after that debacle.
‘I think you’re sensible enough to decide what to do for the best without my help.’
She pushed his shoulder. ‘That’s no help at all.’
‘Listen to your instincts, Erin. That’s what I do.’
She laughed. ‘And how has that worked for you so far?’
He narrowed his eyes at her in the mirror. ‘Just finish what you’re doing and let me get out of here, will you?’
Satisfied with his hair, a make-up artist then dabbed a bit of powder onto his face. ‘To take away the shine,’ she said when he grimaced. ‘There,’ she said, patting him on both shoulders. ‘That’s all you need.’
‘That’s a relief.’ He got up out of the chair before she could change her mind and decide to start fussing over his face or hair again.
He walked over to the door and reached out to open it, when someone pulled it open from the outside. Callum stepped back to give the person room to enter and saw Riley.
‘You’re still here,’ Riley said bluntly. ‘I can come back.’
‘It’s fine,’ Erin said, coming over to stand next to Callum. ‘My brother was just leaving.’
Callum left them together, smiling to himself when he heard Riley ask Erin if she wanted to join him for lunch.