A Cameo for a Cowgirl

Chapter 2

“Cassie?” someone asked.

Cassie ignored him, laser-focused on the suspicious guy still hiding in the saloon’s shadows. Her fist clenched. She wasn’t opposed to violence—hello, her brother played pro hockey in the NHL, and she knew how to use her fists as well as a gun—and this stranger had to be shady. Why else was he still hiding?

“Who are you? What are you doing in here?”

“Cassie?” Mal Hendricks, the director and one of the show’s producers, moved inside. Peered behind the door. Then chuckled.

Um, excuse me?

Then the creepy dude seemed to transform before her eyes, straightening, his shoulders broadening as he moved from the shadows, slapped on a grin and held out a hand. “Mal.”

“Harrison! Glad you could make it.”

Wait. They knew each other?

“Yeah, sorry about that. Blame poor directions.”

Cassie stiffened. Hello? Her directions were perfectly fine, thank you very much. Everyone else had managed to get here on time without any problems.

Mal chuckled again. “We wondered if you’d gotten a little lost.”

“Lost in a saloon?” she muttered, crossing her arms.

Mal glanced at her. “What was that, Cassie? Oh, I should introduce you to Harrison Woods, our leading man.”

Hisleading man. Definitely not hers. She eyed the hand Harrison offered, taking more than a speck of pleasure as he lowered it, unshaken. “Why exactly were you hiding in here?” she demanded.

Harrison’s blue eyes narrowed, his features losing any hint of apology from seconds earlier as he shrugged. “Obviously I wasn’t hiding, but merely checking to make sure the place is habitable.”

“I beg your pardon? Of course this place is habitable. It’s been used by dozens of productions over the years. Who do you think you are?”

“Aw, come now, Cassie,” Mal gently protested. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to offend you.”

Yeah, judging from the way he was eyeing her, there was nothing to be too sure of there. She crossed her arms. Yes, she might be making a mountain out of the proverbial, but thanks to His Royal Lateness, who apparently couldn’t be bothered to tell anyone he’d be delayed, she’d been forced to delay the tour, which meant putting off helping her dad. Her heart panged afresh. Her dad was only getting older, and she hated letting him down. This, along with two phone calls—one involving a burst pipe, the other cancelling their next movie booking in four months, so goodbye financial buffer—meant her patience, never her strongest virtue, was even thinner than normal. Besides, she’d encountered too many guys who thought themselves better than everyone else, like Mark, a high school ex who used to mock her math ability. She’d never had time for arrogance or divas. And everything about this man, from his leather jacket to his tanned face and carefully sculpted hairstyle—how much gel had he used?—screamed arrogant diva. So not her cup of tea.

Still, the fact he’d be on her set for the next four months meant she couldn’t afford to let him get under her skin. She drew in a steadying breath. She’d just need to ignore him. She faked a smile and spun on her booted heel, putting her back to Harrison as she beckoned the remaining cast to come inside.

“So, as I was saying before, this building is what we call Harry’s Saloon, which must be why certain people seem to want to claim it as their own.” She quickly stepped aside, gesturing like a game show host at the man standing behind her.

A trickle of laughter was quickly followed by murmured welcomes and a few hugs from some of the younger cast members. Mostly female, but whatever. Obviously, there was no accounting for taste. Ainsley Beckett, Cassie noticed, only offered a smile and a greeting, like it didn’t matter that her brand-new co-star was late.

But come on. One of the main reasons Cassie was conducting this tour at all was to help the newcomers familiarize themselves with the set. Mr. Nonchalant over there hadn’t even properly apologized for wasting people’s time. Who did he think he was? Leonardo Di Caprio?

Harrison cleared his throat. “I’m very sorry for being late. Please forgive me. It certainly wasn’t my intention to waste anyone’s time today.”

Hmm.

“Anyway, as you can see, this saloon has a more rustic feel than some of the other places we’ve already seen today.” She shot a look at Harrison. “Most of us, anyway.”

His lips buckled in on each other, and he glanced away.

Good. He should feel bad. “So we’ve now seen most of the buildings where most of the shooting for the main scenes will take place, which leaves some of the on-site accommodation.” Cassie gestured for Lance Fidler to take the lead.

“Thanks, Cassie. It’s always good to have that refresher. So, regarding accommodation, this year we’re switching things up and doing things a little differently…”

Cassie pressed her lips together, her gaze sliding to Harrison. His gaze instantly flicked away. Huh. Had he been watching her? Just wait until he heard what Lance was going to say.

“…and so, in addition to our usual trailers, thanks to our wonderful ranch hosts, we’ll also have a limited number of on-site opportunities for those who want a full experience of what life could be like back in the day.”

Harrison guffawed. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly.”

So it didn’t look like he’d be putting up his hand to stay in the western town’s apartments any time soon. Well, good. This year’s opportunity to increase revenue by expanding their in-town accommodation could do without the likes of him.

Harrison whistled, smirking a little as he shook his head. “I know some people here think they’re getting into the role simply by dressing the part…” His cold eyes glanced at her. “But don’t you think that’s overkill?”

She frowned at him. Wait. Did he think she was part of the crew?

Mal now wore his own crease between his brows. “I would think you’d be trying to do all you could to fit in, Harrison. Not looking for excuses.”

Ouch. She snuck another peek at him, catching his wince which he quickly hid. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m making excuses.”

Except he was. So far today he’d blamed her “poor directions” for being late, and now he was complaining about having to get into character. Honestly. The man needed to grow up and take some responsibility.

Her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She checked the number, nodded to Mal, then took Lance aside. “I need to return this call, but if there’s any questions, you’ll know where I’ll be.”

“Thanks, Cass. The place looks great as always.”

“I’m glad you approve.” Her gaze drifted to the arms-crossed actor nearby, who clearly didn’t approve. Well, too bad. He’d signed on the dotted line which meant he was supposed to be here. He’d have to work on his attitude to make sure the next four months weren’t all pain.

“Excuse me,” she murmured, flashing Ainsley a grin, who offered one of her own, before Cassie headed outside.

Then she returned the call. “Hello, Mr. Cameron? This is Cassie James from Three Creek Ranch Western Town. You just called us about our movie set…”

Cassie groanedas she dragged herself up the steps and inside the ranch house, then paused in the back doorway as familiar, well-loved aromas nearly brought her to her knees. She’d joked about her mom’s hippie tendencies before, but the woman sure knew her way around a stove. She lingered, inhaling the comfort of this place that looked and smelled a lot like love. After the day she had, she needed more of that.

“Cassie?”

She turned and straightened. “Hannah!”

After a hug hello, Cassie turned to her brother who swept her up in his own strong hug. “I might’ve known if Hannah was here you’d not be too far away,” she teased.

“This is my home too, sis.” He ruffled her hair affectionately.

Well, it was sometimes. The man had an apartment in the city, but like Dorothy from a certain movie, all the James family knew there was no place like home.

Hannah grinned. “And I might be here to talk wedding details with you, but I get the feeling that someone is trying to make the most of our time together now the season is over.”

Franklin’s and Calgary’s hockey season, but whatever. The Stanley Cup was still going. She hoped a Canadian team would raise the Cup this year, and the way Vancouver was going, they might just do that.

“I understand.” Cassie glanced at her brother. “He’s always been needy.”

“Sure have,” Franklin said, wrapping Hannah in a hug before giving her a big smooch. “And now I need to get married.”

Hmm. Judging from that kiss they probably did.

But that wasn’t a thought she cared to pursue, even if the sight of the two of them, so at ease with each other and knee-deep in love, drew a pang of longing for something similar for herself. Not that she’d met any men recently she’d like to explore such things with. In fact, the last new man she’d met—a certain leading man on a certain TV show—was about the last man on earth she’d ever want touching her lips.

She left them to it, then slowly moved to the kitchen. Thinking of what she didn’t have never worked well for her. She didn’t like herself much when she spiraled into negativity, so it was best to focus on good things instead. Good things, like—“Mom.”

Her mother looked up from the oven tray, her glasses fogged up, which drew Cassie’s smile. She gave her mom a moment to recover, then hugged her, savoring the comfort.

“Cassie?” Her mom drew back. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded, pasting on a smile, but knew her mom wasn’t fooled. Still, with her younger sisters bouncing in, and Franklin and Hannah entering the kitchen, now wasn’t the time to talk. Not that there was much to say, anyway.

Jessica groaned, slumping at the table. “Oh my gosh. I don’t know how many cats I’ve seen today. Is a vet allowed to say she much prefers working with dogs than cats?”

“This vet is,” Dad said, patting her on the back.

Jess briefly smiled. “I don’t know why they were all so hissy today, either.”

“Having hissy fits, huh?” Franklin asked.

Jess swapped looks with Cassie. “Someone must be feeling relaxed if he can make bad jokes like that, right?”

“It probably means that he can start helping more with the wedding prep.” Hannah poked her fiancé in the side.

Cassie lifted her water glass. “Amen.”

The meal of pot roast and vegetables passed as it usually did, with compliments to the chef (Mom) and chief gravy maker (Dad), and exchanges about people’s days.

Poppy, her youngest sister, wasn’t loving her work at a Calgary dance studio. “But I’m grateful to have a job, even if it’s not like it used to be, back when I worked with Bailey in Winnipeg.”

“Remind me what you did there?” Hannah asked.

“After Bails and I finished our training, I stayed in Winnipeg and worked for a time, then she and I ran her studio. It was fun. She’s really sweet.”

Franklin smiled. “I should see if she and Luc Blanchard could meet.”

Poppy scoffed. “I can’t see that working. Bails isn’t exactly a fan of a mullet.”

“A mullet?” Mom asked.

“You know, Mom. That men’s eighties’ hairstyle where it’s business at the top, party at the back,” Jess said.

“And not just men. I’ve seen some women wear it too.” Poppy’s nose wrinkled. “But I don’t think he’s the kind of guy she needs. He’s just too different from her.”

“What about opposites who attract?” Jess asked.

“And they’re probably not too different. Isn’t she a Christian?” Franklin asked. “Luc sure is, so it’s not out of the question.”

“Bails is a believer. But I think you have to have more in common than just faith.” Poppy shrugged.

Sure did. Shared interests, shared goals in life, a shared sense of humor all helped knit people together, even if faith was the most important thing. Cassie slowly scooped up the last of her mashed potatoes. Judging from what she’d seen from Harrison today—arriving late, then hiding, then blaming others and not taking responsibility for his conduct—suggested he was lacking in any sense of accountability, and certainly wasn’t indicative of a man of faith. She choked.

“You okay there, sis?” Franklin asked, banging her on the back.

She nodded, snatching up a glass of water and downing it carefully. Great. Now all eyes were on her. And she had zero desire to talk about her day. Or the man who she really didn’t want to be thinking about.

Hannah’s smile dipped as she glanced at Cassie. “You’ve been awfully quiet. How was your day?”

Darn. Now that she’d eaten all her food and finished her water she didn’t have an easy excuse not to talk. “It was a day.”

Hannah’s face softened in sympathy. “That good, huh?”

Yep. After her run-in with Harrison this morning, she’d needed to fix the leaking pipe in the dining hall. Fortunately, some of the production crew had proved more than happy to help her, but the taped-up pipe didn’t look very professional. At least it worked. She’d returned at lunchtime to overhear Harrison complain that his coffee wasn’t hot enough. And while she was tempted to think him a diva, it might well be because the pipes hadn’t worked properly yet, which was ultimately her fault, so it only added to her pressure.

Following that, she’d needed to check in with the horse wranglers, in the purpose-built stables for horses used in productions, to discover some of the stalls weren’t built quite to code, which had demanded her fixing things all afternoon. And this was day one! Still, the ranch needed the money, and she wasn’t about to admit to her lack of competency. Dad didn’t need that, anyway. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer not to talk about it.”

“Oh, honey.” Her mother paused from cleaning up.

Dad’s chair creaked as he sat back. “Wasn’t today the start of the new filming of As The Heart Draws?”

She lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “They arrived, but won’t start filming for another day or so.”

“Was Ainsley there?” Poppy asked.

Cassie nodded. “She’s always the first cast member on set. Such a professional.”

“And so pretty, too.” Poppy sighed. “I hope this year she and her Mountie finally get married.”

Cassie kept her face as Sphinx-like as she could. No way could she admit the truth.

“Anyone new we should keep an eye out for?” Jess asked, knowing full well that Cassie couldn’t explain. That didn’t stop her asking. Every. Single. Season.

Cassie pressed her lips together, as her heart twanged in protest.

“Ooh, that face says there is.” Poppy laughed. “That’s it. I’m skipping classes tomorrow to find out who it is.”

“Lincoln Cash isn’t back, is he?” Jess asked.

“Last I heard he’s involved with someone in Muskoka,” Hannah said.

Good. Change the subject time. “You know the most interesting things.” Cassie faced her soon-to-be sister-in-love. “How was your day?”

“Good.” Hannah smiled. “But don’t think you can get us off topic that easily.”

“She fits in so well, doesn’t she?” Franklin said, kissing Hannah’s cheek.

“Actually, I think the reason you’re here is so we can finalize a few more wedding details, am I right? And I still have more work to do,” Cassie said. A number of emails needed attention, then after that she really needed her sleep. “So we should really get started.”

“Fair enough.” Hannah’s expression held more than a drop of smirk. “But don’t think we’re not interested.”

“Yes, Ms. Reporter. We know.”

Not that there was any story here for Hannah or anyone else to sniff out. Because there wasn’t. It didn’t matter that Harrison or anyone else had arrived in her town today. She wasn’t interested in him, and he’d made it plain he didn’t like her at all. But she had a feeling that keeping a lid on her family’s curiosity would be easier said than done.

* * *

Unfamiliar night soundscrept past the window. Creaks. Chirrups. A humming kind of moan. And while he was pretty sure that last sound was an air conditioner, he wasn’t completely certain. Part of the reason why he didn’t like the country was that you never could trust it. There were always things out there trying to get him, whether it be bugs or unseen cow patties or wildfires. Not that he’d had experience with the latter, but still, the fact remained. The country was filled with unpleasant surprises.

He shifted as he glanced up from his iPad, and the trailer creaked slightly. Why the cast had to stay on site was a mystery. Mal and Lance had said it was good for cast and crew bonding, but Harrison wasn’t so sure. Surely it wouldn’t be so bad for him to stay at one of Calgary’s hotels another night. It didn’t even have to be the Hilton. But the wise heads in charge probably decided that renting a trailer for several months was cheaper, which was why he was here, and not there. And since Ainsley was staying as well, and appeared perfectly happy with the arrangement, it didn’t seem like he had any room to complain.

He sighed. The trailer was decked out with all the usual modern conveniences, and after viewing the town’s “accommodation” the trailer looked a darn sight better than the little apartments scattered through the town’s buildings. He wanted some link to modernity as well as a good-sized bed, rather than those antiquated things that looked straight from Little House on the Prairie. At least here he had internet service, even if it was a little spotty.

A groan escaped, his legs and backside protesting the exercise he’d been forced to endure. After the town walk, some of the cast had undergone horse riding “refresher” training, and he worked with the show’s riding expert to improve his posture. Ainsley hadn’t required corrective instruction. He was half tempted to go seek her out, but she’d made it clear she wanted an early night. Which seemed weird when they were all forced to stay on-site for cast bonding and the leading lady wasn’t around, but whatever. Nearly all of them knew each other, while he was the newbie, so probably he was the one who had to make the biggest effort to fit in.

A knock came on his trailer’s door. “Hey Harrison? You coming?”

He didn’t recognize the voice, but did the intention, so that meant a “Yeah.”

He pulled himself upright, then staggered to the door, swinging it open, then gingerly walked down the metal steps. Murmurs drew his feet to a group of chairs, positioned around a small campfire. Huh. So it really was kind of like back in the olden days, like they’d be portraying.

“Howdy.” He smirked at himself. Well, look who was going all cowboy. Even if it was a Mountie he’d portray. Man. He was getting as bad as that cowgirl-wannabe production assistant who’d walked them around the town this morning. The one who’d clobbered him in the shoulder when he’d startled her this morning. It was kinda weird he hadn’t seen her again. But then, this was a large production, with lots of crew, and while he was trying to remember people’s names he couldn’t quite remember everyone.

“So how are you settling in?” his co-star Dustin Trooper—now there was a Mountie-sounding name if ever he’d heard one—asked.

“It’s all good.” Well, he hoped it would be. Provided the coffee was hotter tomorrow. His gut tensed, regret kneading within at how he’d acted earlier. He didn’t like to complain—he was pretty sure that cowgirl assistant had overheard him and was adding that to his list of crimes and misdemeanors—but a man needed caffeine. And it was always best to start the way you meant to go on. Set your expectations high, and all that, so others could meet them. There was no point being a pushover, and resenting others simply because you didn’t speak up. Like his mom used to do.

His insides tensed as they always did whenever he thought of her. He tossed a smile at the others to hide it, but they weren’t looking at him. Instead, their heads were all lifted to the heavens above, like they’d never seen a night sky before. And well, fair enough. He was happy to forget the past and focus on the now. He’d never seen a sky with quite so many stars before, either. Maybe there were some good things about the country, after all.

He tilted back his chin, too. “Sure can see the stars well out here.”

“We always love coming to the ranch,” Dana Drewe, Ainsley’s character’s friend, said. “It’s so peaceful and relaxing, like you really are slipping back into the past. I have to admit coming here is the highlight of my year.”

Wow. Her life must be real exciting.

“I suspect plenty of us would think the same,” Dustin said, his gaze dropping to Harrison. “Good to have you here as part of the family.” He held up his mug. “Welcome.”

Aww. Now wasn’t that sweet? “It’s great to be here.”

And suddenly, like hearing the words spoken aloud had felled scales from his eyes, it was.

It was nice to be in an environment like this, where people were relaxed and welcoming. He’d been on plenty of sets where competition and envy were the name of the game. His time on As The Heart Draws had shown none of that. Of course, it was super early in the shoot still, but from all of the interactions he’d witnessed everyone appeared to get on really well. Well, apart from Ms. Cowboy Hat this morning.

“Hey, pardon the newbie question, but who was the chick leading the town tour this morning?”

Dana’s teeth glinted in the darkness. “You mean Cassie?”

“If she’s the one with the cowboy hat, then yeah. I haven’t seen her since.”

Dustin’s laughter rumbled. “Oh, you’ll be seeing her. Cassie is always on set, one way or the other.”

Hmm. Sounded annoying.

“She’s what I like to call a good-value woman. You can trust her to do what she says,” Dana said.

Uh huh. Trust her not to go out of her way to welcome a newcomer, that was for sure. What kind of person went all kung-fu and slammed a door into a man? She was lucky he wasn’t suing her. Although, maybe it was the tiniest bit impressive how she’d stood up for herself like his mom never had, but no man liked feeling like a fool or a coward. What had he been thinking, hiding behind a door like a child? Ugh. Considering these guys hadn’t exactly been privy to what had gone on before in the saloon, he wasn’t about to advertise his inadequacies. Well, they’d likely already seen him on a horse and now knew some of his shortcomings, but there was no need to add to any disenchantment.

“Yeah, she’s great. Nothing is too much trouble for her—”

Except for being nice to newcomers on set, maybe.

“—so if ever you have any problems, you can always talk to her.”

Yeah, no thanks. Silence stretched, and he realized they were waiting for him to respond. But he couldn’t say what he really felt, especially with them singing her praises like she personally had placed each star above. “Sounds like she’s, uh, committed to the cause.”

“That she is,” Dana said with a half-smile, her look full of curiosity.

Okay, so maybe he’d been a bit obvious in his dislike. Way to go with the no negativity vibe he’d hoped to portray. He offered a quick smile back then studied his Skechers.

“Imagine getting to live here.” Dustin exhaled. “Some people have all the luck, eh?”

Whoa. Dustin knew this wasn’t real, right? Sure, there were ranches nearby, and he supposed people actually had to live on those ranches, but it wasn’t like this was an actual place where one could live and have a Hollywood career. It might be thirty minutes to Calgary—or more like an hour if one had bad directions—but it was still way too remote to live long-term.

Actually living here would mean few amenities. No Uber-eats or Door Dash for food delivery. The sounds of cows bellowing every waking hour. Unfamiliar sounds. Hazards like snakes. Imagine the hike if you ran out of milk. Thirty minutes might not be the same as the hours it might take some people in deepest darkest Montana to reach civilization, but it was plenty far enough for him, thank you very much. Although, maybe running out of milk wasn’t a problem on a ranch. Or did that mean they ran beef cattle, and would never run out of steak?

His lips twisted, as new appreciation filled him for what the pioneers had to face, and understanding grew for why Mal and the team had insisted the cast stay on site. Living here, sitting under the stars, might give only a glimpse of what the pioneers had to face, but he could understand a little more what it would’ve been like in those days. A man couldn’t live isolated like he could now. People were important. Community was vital. People needed each other, relied on each other. And just as he relied on the riding instructor to help him with his horsemanship, so this cast and crew relied on Harrison to do his job and bring his best. Which meant sucking down the negativity that was all too quick to pounce.

“So, this Cassie chick. Does she always go around in a cowboy hat?”

“Usually.” Dana peered at him across the top of her mug. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I just wondered if all the crew were mandated to dress in western gear.”

Dustin shrugged. “Makes sense to me. If you’re out in the sun a lot, why wouldn’t you wear a hat?”

“I guess.” But a fringed jacket, cowboy boots, the whole she-bang? Screamed wannabe to him.

He stayed a few more minutes, enjoying the night sounds. From somewhere in the distance he could hear a cow mooing. Somewhere else a bird sang. The hush of cooler breeze rasped against his bristly cheek, found the back of his neck which had been freshly shaved. The production’s barber had been tasked with the job of making their hairstyles as period-appropriate as possible, which meant a number of men were looking a little more historically accurate than earlier today.

Another dance of coolness drew his shiver. Bedtime called. He pushed to his feet. Offered a smile. “Well, nice to hang. I guess I better go hit the hay.” Oh, look at him with the clichés.

Dana chuckled. “Good night, cowboy.”

“That’s Special Constable Fraser to you, young lady.”

Dustin’s laughter joined Dana’s, and Harrison grinned and tipped his imaginary hat at them both, before wending his way through the trailers to his own.

Home, for the next four months. Awesome.

He made a quick pit stop at the amenities, brushed his teeth, then got into bed. At least the sheets felt fresh and cool.

He plugged in his phone and checked it one last time. Imagine a time when there were no phones, and the only thing a man had was his thoughts. Thank God they didn’t live in those days now.

He checked the numbers that Maxine had given him. Then checked his social media, relieved to see his recent post about “a secret new project” was getting plenty of likes and comments. Richard had made it clear that part of the reason the producers wanted Harrison on board was because they thought he’d bring a younger audience. He hoped his posts would stir up interest and intrigue and add to that.

So he’d drop a few clues over the next month, until the As the Heart Draws current season finale had dropped, and people needed a new drawcard once they realized Tanner Pearson wasn’t returning.

Heartthrob was a funny hat to wear. Harrison had always been the side-kick, so progressing to leading man was an honor, if somewhat daunting. He wondered how the Brad Pitts or Lincoln Cash-caliber actors managed, always being photographed or judged on what they were wearing or who they were with. An actor might prefer the top billing and paycheck that came with the title of heartthrob, but it had a downside too. Any woman he was ever seen with was his latest girlfriend. If he dared to be seen out at night with her it was assumed they were sleeping together. It was partly why he didn’t go out with girls as much these days, as he didn’t want them to experience the level of harassment he’d occasionally been subjected to. Going out with Marcia, his most recent ex, had been okay, seeing she was as hungry as he was to reach the next rung in the ladder of fame. That relationship had been more for show than for anything real. Once he’d realized she was more into using him for her career rather than him it’d been a weight off, as they lacked any genuine connection. He hadn’t exactly pursued anyone since. Of course, not going out with women meant some people assumed he leant the other way, which wasn’t true at all.

And while some people assumed the worst, others thought his roles meant he was like the characters he played. After his time on Beach Guard, his agent had steered him to roles that were never too spicy, so his reputation meant the role of a morally upright constable now fit well, and wouldn’t be too far off his fans’ expectations. But that led to its own challenges, and fears that people would now forever pigeonhole him as only worthy of playing meek, nice guys. He wasn’t nearly as nice as some of his roles had made him out to be. Blurring the line between fact and fiction was something fans couldn’t always understand.

He closed his eyes. Exhaled slowly. Deep breath in, hold two, three. Let it out, two, three, four. And again. He really needed sleep.

Somewhere between restlessness and sleep he caught glimpses of the ranch, the hills, the vast openness of this place, and he drifted into dreaming about what Constable Fraser would have faced, had this fictitious story proved true. He knew As The Heart Draws was based on a famous Canadian author’s memoirs, so maybe it wasn’t so far-fetched after all.

He could try to channel the real man his character was based on. He could perhaps be the hero, save the girl, save the day. Be the tough guy his dad had never believed him capable of being. Prove him wrong. Win the plaudits, win the praise.

Memories tiptoed in. His dad’s words, worming inside: You should never have been born. You’re such a girl. You’re a mistake. Loser. Diva.

Memories of the fights, the arguments, the punches. Times when he’d cowered, just like his mom, helpless against his dad’s drunken rages. Wishing he was stronger. Wishing he could’ve protected his mom. Wishing he was braver. He didn’t need his therapist to explain why he was drawn to playing tough guy roles.

A creaking sound stole him awake. He squinted in the darkness, but could see nothing out of the ordinary. He closed his eyes again, imagining lifting a trophy and shoving it in his dad’s face and forcing him to realize that acting was a legitimate career choice as much as investment banking, and just because a man had a head for numbers didn’t mean he could also have a heart for storytelling too.

A rustling sound snapped his eyes open again. Then the cabin of his trailer echoed with his scream.