Chapter 19
nineteen
So... that went well.
Based off of Lizzy’s reaction when I stepped into her—the way she breathed me in before quickly taking a step back—makes me think she’s forcing this so-called hatred for me.
She still has feelings for me. I know it.
Shoving a hand through my hair, I go back inside, pick up my phone off the kitchen island, and text Logan.
Guess who I just ran into in the hall... *face palm emoji*
His reply takes less than a minute.
LOGAN
LOL Get ready for the fight of your life, buddy.
Dick
LOGAN
*middle finger emoji* You’ve got this. She’ll come around. Just don’t push too hard at first. Bye the way. She knows you need a fake girlfriend.
What the fuck?
LOGAN
I didn’t tell her you were going to ask her, asshole. That’s up to you. I don’t have a death wish.
His last words make me chuckle.
Just as I’m about to set my phone aside, it rings. I look down to see Hank’s name flashing on the screen.
“Perfect timing,” I mutter before answering. “Hey, Hank.”
“Rowan!” My agent bellows through the phone. “How’s small-town life treating you?”
“Just getting settled in,” I say, wandering over to the window.
“Excellent. Listen, I’ve got some good news.
” Papers rustle as his chair squeaks in the background.
“I’ve been talking to the studio execs. They’re impressed with how you’ve been keeping such a low profile over the past couple of months.
No more scandals or tabloid headlines. They’re starting to believe you might actually be serious about the director gig. ”
A grin flashes across my face. “I am serious about it.”
“I know you are, kid. Now…” His voice drops slightly, taking on that serious tone he uses when he’s about to get down to business. “Have you found a girl yet?”
Leaning against the windowsill, I look out and see a couple walking hand-in-hand down the sidewalk across the street. “I’m working on it.”
Surprise colors his voice. “Got someone in mind?”
“Actually, yeah.” An image of Lizzy flashes in my head.
Fierce green eyes. That fucking lip ring wrapped around the middle of her plump bottom lip.
I can’t stop thinking about how it would feel to slide my tongue across it before sucking it into my mouth.
And those tattoos trailing down her arms?
Not exactly the wholesome image the studio probably has in mind, but she’s exactly who I want.
There isn’t going to be anything fake about what I’ve got planned. Not if I have anything to say about it. “Do you remember me telling you about my childhood best friend, Lizzy? The one who inspired Eliza’s character?”
“The girl from the treehouse?” Hank lets out a grumbly laugh. “Are you serious? That would be perfect! The press’ll eat it up—Hollywood bad boy goes home, reconnects with his childhood sweetheart. No one could script this any better!”
“Yeah, well, don’t get too excited. She’s not exactly my biggest fan right now.”
“You think you can convince her?”
I sigh, thinking about the anger flashing in Lizzy’s eyes not even ten minutes ago. “I’m gonna try.”
“Do or do not, there is no try, Rowan. Make it happen.” Rolling my eyes at his Star Wars reference, I can practically hear him pacing in his office. The guy is always quote dropping. I’m just glad he didn’t try using his Yoda voice this time.
“She isn’t exactly the sweet, innocent girl you’re imagining, Hank.” I can’t help but chuckle, thinking about how Lizzy would react to being described that way. “She’s got tattoos, a lip ring, not to mention she’s a spitfire.”
“I doubt that will matter,” Hank muses. “Childhood sweethearts finding their way back to each other is what’s going to sell it. It’s perfect! God, I could kiss you right now!”
That makes me snort. Typical gruff and reserved Hank is in rare form. “Nah. I’m good.”
He lets out a raspy chuckle. “Get your girl on board, Rowan. Whatever it takes. The studio will fucking love it, and it’ll be the perfect setup for when the movie releases. The publicity alone is going to be worth its weight in gold.”
“I’ll do my best,” I promise, still not entirely convinced I can pull this off.
“That’s my boy! Oh, and send me a picture of her when you can. I want to see this girl who’s got you all tied up in knots.”
“Who says I’m tied up in knots?”
“Please,” he scoffs. “I’ve known you for over a decade. I can hear it in your voice. She’s special. Why else would you make a movie about her?”
Hank might be my agent, but he’s become like a father to me. He’s never done me wrong, and he’s the best at what he does. He’s one of the biggest reasons why I’ve been so successful.
So, I don’t bother denying it. “Yeah, she is.”
“Well then, go get her!”
Shaking my head, I turn away from the window. “I’m on it, Hank. Don’t worry.”
“Perfect. I’ll check back in a few days. And Rowan?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t screw this up.”
With that encouraging piece of advice, he hangs up, leaving me staring into space.
“Don’t screw this up,” I repeat to myself with a humorless laugh. “Right. Because my track record with Lizzy is so stellar.”
Tucking my phone in my pocket, I grab my keys. I need to get out and clear my head. Seeing Lizzy again has thrown me completely off-kilter. The look in her eyes when she realized I was her new neighbor... it wasn’t just anger. There was hurt there too, deep and raw, even after all these years.
As I head out, I make a mental note to swing by The Brew later. Maybe Logan and I can work out how to approach her about this whole fake dating scheme without me getting kicked in the nuts.
But first, I need to head out to the location we’ve set up.
Work has always been my refuge, the one place where I feel completely in control.
And right now, with Lizzy living just across the hall and my entire career potentially hinging on convincing her to pretend to be my girlfriend, I need that sense of control more than ever.
Locking the door behind me, I can’t help glancing at Lizzy’s door. The fact that I know she’s downstairs only a few hundred feet away, it’s almost as if I can feel her presence from here—like a magnetic force pulling tightly at the center of my chest. Not to mention my dick.
Our primary filming location is on the outskirts of town. The twisting country roads remind me of when I used to ride my bike on these same paths as a kid, back when my biggest worry was getting home before dark.
As I pull up to the makeshift parking area, I feel a surge of pride.
What was once just empty fields has now been transformed into a bustling movie set.
Production trailers line one side, while crew members scurry back and forth carrying equipment, checking lights, and making last-minute adjustments to various set pieces.
“Holy shit.” I blow out a breath, killing the engine. This is really happening. My movie. My script. My vision.
My gaze flicks over to where Marcus, my lead director, is talking with the cinematographer near one of the trailers. They’re gesturing animatedly at something on a tablet, completely engrossed in conversation.
As I head in their direction, Marcus catches sight of me and waves me over.
“Rowan! Hey! Perfect timing,” he calls out, grinning behind his bushy mustache. “Come see what we’ve done with the town square setup.”
Eager to see how they’ve interpreted my script, I jog over. Marcus has been in the industry for twenty years, with three Oscar nominations under his belt. The fact that he agreed to direct my screenplay still blows my mind.
“This looks incredible,” I say. The attention to detail is impressive—from the storefront facades to the vintage-style street lamps that will feature prominently in several key scenes.
We wanted to try filming on the actual Main Street in Lakeside, but the town council said it would cause too much chaos.
Marcus examines the tablet again. “So, I’ve been thinking about what you said last week about filming some of the key scenes in the actual locations.
” He pulls up a series of photos. “The producers are actually on board with the idea. They think it would give the movie that extra something special.”
My heart skips. “Seriously? They approved it?”
“Limited scenes, of course,” he clarifies. “We can’t do everything on location for budget reasons. But they’ve green-lit filming at the lake, the main town square for a few establishing shots, and the treehouse.”
“The treehouse?” My voice cracks slightly, and I have to clear my throat.
“Yeah.” Marcus scrolls to a photo I took during my scouting trip. “This place is the emotional center of your story. The producers think it would be a huge selling point for marketing, you know... ‘filmed in the actual locations that inspired the screenplay.’ That kind of thing.”
I stare at the image of the old wooden structure nestled in the branches of the oak tree in the Cades’ backyard. Where everything changed between Lizzy and I forever.
“You okay?” he asks, eyebrows raised. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Mentally smacking myself upside the head, I nod. “Yeah. Just… memories, ya know?”
His eyes narrow in on me and his mustache twitches. “Actually, I do.”
I give him a grateful smile. “I just need to make sure it’s okay with the Cades’. It shouldn’t be a problem though.”
“Sounds good. I’ll just need confirmation by Friday.” He checks his watch. “They’re expecting us in the main trailer for a final pre-production meeting in fifteen minutes. But I’d like to show you something else real quick first.”
He drives us in a golf cart to another part of the set, where an entire street has been constructed.
It’s not an exact replica of Lakeside’s Main Street, but it captures the essence of its small-town charm.
The kind of charm that can be both comforting and claustrophobic when you’re young and dreaming of bigger things.
“We’ll be shooting the homecoming scenes here tomorrow,” Marcus explains as we walk. “The crew’s been working around the clock to get everything ready over the past couple of weeks.”
“It shows,” I reply, genuinely impressed. I’ve been on plenty of sets over the years, but there’s something special about seeing your own story come to life right before your eyes.
When we finally make it to the production trailer, the rest of the team is already assembled. Jennifer, the lead producer, greets me with a warm hug.
“There he is! Our star and screenwriter,” she announces to the room.
I shake hands with everyone, trying to remember all the names and faces. Some I recognize from previous projects, others are new to me. The energy in the room is electric, holding a unique combination of nervous anticipation and creative excitement that always precedes the first day of filming.
After the introductions, Jennifer pulls up a chair next to mine. “Let’s talk about the treehouse scene. I know it’s important to you, and it’s the heart of the story, but we’re a bit concerned about the lighting challenges when it comes to filming at the actual location…”
For the next two hours, we go through the shooting schedule, scene by scene. I get caught up in the technical details, creative discussions, and the collaborative problem-solving that makes filmmaking such an addictive process. It’s a welcome distraction.
By the time the meeting wraps up, the sun is starting to set. I step outside the trailer, taking a moment to appreciate the golden light washing over everything.
Tomorrow, this quiet space will be filled with actors, extras, and the controlled chaos of film production. But right now, in this moment of calm before the storm, I can’t help thinking about what—or rather who—inspired it all.