Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
DANA
I sipped a chamomile tea as I stood behind the trestle table, enjoying the warmth of the mug in my hands. The film crew was putting the final touches on the lighting they’d set up on the grass in front of the Christmas market.
“Is it okay if we attach this here?” A crew member held up some greenery, pointing at the floral arch Olivia had set up over her stall to hold the wreaths she was selling.
“No problem,” Olivia said, as she attached some sprigs of fir to a circular wire frame.
Rory Goldsworthy, the resident town grump, appeared in front of me, his shock of white hair partially covered by a brown woolen beanie, and I hastily put down my cup.
“I’d like to order a seven-foot Christmas tree,” he said, then glared at the film crew. “I can’t wait until they leave. They’re a nuisance. Keep popping up wherever I go and getting in the way.”
I chuckled. Rory sounded like me two weeks ago.
“They’re finishing up on Wednesday,” I said, an ache tugging at my heart.
Only a few more days until Emily leaves.
“When would you like it delivered?”
Rory studied the delivery options set out on a sign standing on the table.
“First week in December. Thanks, Dana.” Rory turned and stomped away.
I straightened the tablecloth. Two hours down, another four to go.
At least I had my friends for company—Olivia on one side, and George and Hannah on my other.
Hannah was currently head down, furiously scribbling on a note pad, while George restocked the bags of gingerbread cookies on their table.
I didn’t usually read a lot of fiction, but I always read Hannah’s books and was looking forward to the next installment in her fantasy series.
By the looks of it, it was coming along well.
I glanced back at the crew. When would the cast arrive? Emily would be surprised to see me. I’d thought I wouldn’t see her until the wrap party on Wednesday, but Ronnie who’d been scheduled to work tonight had called in sick and Roz had called in a favor. I took a sip of water.
I was still surprised Emily had suggested keeping in contact after she left. I hated the idea of not seeing her again. But what if I kept in contact with her, and my attraction didn’t fade away? If we hung out as friends, even occasionally, would my feelings grow?
Two women stopped at Olivia’s table, admiring her handiwork.
“This one would look amazing on your door, Mom,” one of the women, who looked like she was in her late twenties, exclaimed as she inspected a large wreath covered in red berries.
“It’s gorgeous,” the older woman said, beaming. “Would it be possible if we paid now, but picked it up on our way out?”
“Of course,” Olivia said, standing from her chair.
Mom and I used to pick out a Christmas tree together at the local tree lot and she’d usually pick up a wreath there as well.
I’d finally called her this morning and told her I wouldn’t be coming home for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
The hurt in her voice had been unmistakable, although she assured me they understood.
Perhaps we’d go to the tree lot together again, just not this year.
I’d suggested we meet up for a coffee soon.
A door slammed. I looked up to see Emily, Austin and a few other cast and crew exiting a shuttle van parked next to the film trailers.
Emily’s gaze connected with mine. Her face broke into a smile and she raised her hand in greeting. I wanted to go over, see how she was, but she was working—and so was I. My chest tightened as Emily was whisked away by a woman I didn’t recognize.
Charles approached me, frowning. “Dana, I didn’t realize you’d be here tonight.
Can you do something different with your hair?
You’ll be in the background of some of these shots so we don’t want you to be recognizable as the grumpy waitress.
Maybe take out your ponytail and put on a beanie?
And if you could smile, that would be great—but not at the camera, remember. ”
Goddamnit. I’d be in the background? I looked around. I couldn’t exactly move the stall so I was out of view, and Charles was unlikely to be open to any requests not to film me. At least this time, I wouldn’t have any lines.
I reluctantly pulled my hair out of its ponytail and shook it out.
A lot of people thought long hair was labor-intensive, but I found it lower maintenance than short hair.
It was practical. I didn’t have to wash or cut it constantly and since I always tied it in a ponytail it didn’t get that knotty either.
I rarely bothered with blow drying—I just gave it a vigorous toweling and then tied it up and left it to dry.
As long as I didn’t venture outside with wet hair when it was below freezing, it was fine.
I knew from experience that icicle hair was not pleasant.
I’d had a whole chunk snap off one year when I bumped into the barn door while pulling out a wheelbarrow.
Hannah threw me a red beanie. “Here, have mine.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you don’t want it?”
Hannah shook her head. “No, it’s fine. If I get cold I can just snuggle with George for warmth.” She threw her arm around George’s waist and shot her a look of pure affection.
Kelsey and I used to look at each other like that.
I yanked the beanie on, as if it might help erase the memory.
Hopefully, the cameras would focus on the cute Red Tractor Farm Christmas Tree Pre-orders sign Olivia had made for my stall rather than me. That, along with the fir trees decorating the sides of the stall would have to help with publicity, right?
The crew finished setting up. Charles stood near the Rosedale Estate stall, talking through something with Austin and Emily.
Emily’s brow furrowed in concentration as Charles pointed to the entrance to the market, and then toward Olivia’s wreath stall.
Meanwhile, Austin was chewing gum, his eyes following two women in their early twenties as they walked toward the barn.
Charles clapped his hands and Austin spat his gum onto the ground. Gross.
The cameras and microphones were shifted into position and Emily and Austin took their places at the entrance to the market.
“Action!” Charles yelled.
Emily and Austin strolled toward us as the main camera glided along tracks next to them, capturing the shot. Emily laughed, throwing back her head, and clutched Austin’s arm. A knot formed in my stomach.
It’s not real. She’s just an amazing actress. Even if it were real, I had no right to be jealous.
Austin’s arm snaked behind Emily, wrapping around her back. Emily shot Austin a look of adoration, not unlike the gaze I’d just witnessed Hannah give George.
My stomach twisted.
I strained to hear what Emily was saying to Austin. She was just reciting a script. Maybe if I heard her words it would seem less real. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at myself in case it was caught on camera. Look at all the cameras. Look at all the crew. This is clearly not real.
Emily and Austin stopped in front of Olivia’s stall.
The cameras were almost certainly capturing me in the background. Shit. I was meant to be smiling. I plastered a smile on my face.
Austin put his hands around Emily’s hips and pulled her close, nodding at the greenery on the top of Olivia’s stall.
I tried not to let my smile falter.
The greenery was mistletoe.
Goddamnit.
I really, really did not want to watch this.
I really, really did not feel like smiling right now.
But turning my head away in disgust would almost certainly attract Charles’s wrath and require a redo of the scene.
And while the thought of Emily kissing Austin made me sick to my stomach, Emily kissing him twice was even worse.
No, I had to just keep that smile—which was feeling more like a grimace every second—and focus on something that wasn’t Emily and Austin.
My eyes fell on the giant blow-up gingerbread man decoration that Emily and I had erected on Friday.
Just stare at the gingerbread man. I focused on its beady eyes, but despite my best efforts, I could still see Austin and Emily leaning toward each other, their mouths meeting, Austin’s hand pulling Emily even closer to him.
My plan to fixate on the gingerbread man’s beady eyes fell by the wayside.
I watched like it was a car crash unfolding, my stomach swirling, as Austin and Emily kissed, trying as hard as I could to maintain the smile on my face.
Austin’s hand dropped to Emily’s butt.
“Cut!” Charles yelled. “Austin, this is a HolLove movie. We can’t have anything too explicit. No hands on butts, okay? Let’s start the kiss again. And Emily, can you look a little more into it?”
They were going to do the whole kiss again? I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, and opened them just in time to see a smirk flash across Austin’s face.
Are you kidding me? Did he do that on purpose? I clenched my fists. What a dick.
“Places, please,” Charles yelled. “And...action!”
The second kiss seemed to go on for an eternity. My stomach twisted and turned.
Why wasn’t Charles calling cut yet? He’d just said it wasn’t meant to be too explicit. Surely it should just be a quick peck on the lips.
Emily finally pulled back, gazing into Austin’s eyes with a dreamy smile on her face.
I exhaled. Oh, thank god. Please, please let there not be a reshoot.
“And that’s it for today. Thanks, folks. We’ll see you all tomorrow morning.”
I watched as Emily disentangled herself from Austin, keeping a close eye on his hands.
“That kiss went on for ages,” I muttered to George. “It seemed a little excessive.”
George raised her eyebrows. “It was only a couple of seconds.”
“Hey, do you feel like grabbing a drink?” Austin asked Emily, still standing in front of Olivia’s stall.
“That sounds fun. Is Mihira already invited? If not, I might message her and see if she’s interested too.”
Austin shook his head. “No, I meant just the two of us.”
“Oh.” Emily’s eyes widened. For someone who was so good at acting, she was quite terrible at not letting her emotions show on her face. Emily was clearly not interested in having one-on-one drinks with Austin. Thank god. Unfortunately, Austin hadn’t caught on.
“There’s a bar in town called Frankie’s. Or you could come back to my bed and breakfast if you’d like.”
Emily shuffled, her face red. Shit. She looked like a deer in the headlights. Why couldn’t Austin take a hint?”
I stood, racking my brain for a way to help Emily out of the situation.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I said as I reached Olivia’s stall. “Emily, do you have half an hour to spare? I need to check the animal trap and I’d appreciate your help in case another skunk has been caught.”
“A skunk?” Austin did a double take.
Emily laughed, the tension releasing from her face. “Yes. It’s a funny story. I’ll have to tell you about it sometime. Sorry Austin, I think I might pass on tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Emily turned and started walking with me toward my stall.
“Thank you,” Emily murmured. “I was not expecting that and it threw me. I’m guessing you don’t really need my help with another skunk?”
“No, not really.” I grinned. “It was the first excuse I could think of. I will need to check on it tonight after I’m finished here, but I can manage myself.”
Did Emily’s face fall, or was it my imagination?
“But if you feel like hanging out with me, you could grab a seat and keep us company.” I looked around.
“If Austin returns, you can say you’re just waiting for me to finish the shift before we go check the trap.
And you’re more than welcome to come with me for that as well—you never know when your veterinary knowledge might come in handy. ”
Emily grinned. “That sounds great. I’ll just go get changed.”
We spent the rest of the evening savoring Prue’s rich mulled wine and chatting in between fielding pre-order requests for trees.
I tried to ignore the growing heaviness in my chest. This would probably be the last opportunity I had to spend time with Emily one-on-one. Sure, I’d attend the wrap party, but that wouldn’t be the same. She’d be surrounded by cast and crew—including Austin.
I gritted my teeth. Emily was by no means incapable of protecting herself, but still…
Friends looked out for each other, and I wanted to look out for Emily, just in case.