Chapter 7
Londyn madeit through the scene, not entirely happy with her performance.
By the look on Hayne’s face, he wasn’t happy either. “Again!” he yelled.
Everyone resumed their positions from the start of the sequence.
“Action!” Haynes called out.
No sooner had the action started than a thumping sound thrummed in the air.
Haynes glanced toward the sky. “Cut!”
A helicopter roared into view, hovered over a nearby field and slowly descended.
Haynes groaned. “What now?”
Once the helicopter touched down, the side door slid open, and a man dropped to the ground. He turned and reached for the small woman standing in the door. Grabbing her around her waist, he swung her out of the aircraft and into his arms as if she weighed nothing.
She laughed, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then she tapped her palms against his chest.
The man lowered the woman to her feet. She stood a good head shorter than the man and had bright golden-blond hair.
The man reached into the chopper, retrieved a large duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. The blonde took the man’s hand and hurried toward the cast and crew poised to shoot the next scene.
“Holy shit,” Craig Ryland murmured. “That’s Sadie McClain.”
Word spread fast as the actors and crew abandoned their positions to greet the famous actress.
“Oh, please,” Sadie waved toward the cameras, “don’t let us halt progress. We’ll be quiet.”
Haynes shook his head and moved to intercept the woman who was considered Hollywood royalty.
“Ms. McClain,” he said. “It’s an honor to have you on our set. To what do we owe the pleasure?”
Sadie graced the man with her million-dollar smile. “We came to see Miss Tyler-Lovejoy. But if she’s in the middle of a scene, we can wait until you can take a break.”
“If you don’t mind,” Haynes said. “We’re on a tight schedule and have a bigger scene we want to get to before the storms reach us.”
“By all means.” Sadie waved toward the set. “Carry on.”
Hank and Sadie stood silently with Nash while Londyn, Craig and Troy went through the scene again.
Having a mega-star watching made Londyn even more nervous than she’d been when they’d shot her very first scene. Thankfully, her nerves helped make her desperate fight to be free of Troy look even more convincing. As well, she’d practiced her lines enough, she said them without error.
When Haynes yelled, “Cut!” Londyn felt drained. Being “on” all the time took a lot out of her. The introvert inside her wasn’t used to being with so many people watching her every move. She much preferred a herd of cattle over people any day.
As the director reviewed the footage, Londyn remained on the set, holding her breath. Some scenes were repeated five or six times. They didn”t have time for that many takes if they hoped to film the cattle drive that afternoon.
“It’ll do,” Haynes announced.
Londyn grinned at the collective sigh from cast and crew, only for her smile to fade when the sheriff pulled into the parking area.
For the next couple of hours, every person ran the gauntlet of questions. Haynes had those who weren’t being questioned working to prepare the equipment they would need to film the cattle drive.
Londyn hurried toward Nash and the two people with him. A crowd had gathered around them, gushing over Sadie McClain.
As Londyn neared, Hank held up his hand. “If you all don’t mind, we came to see Miss Tyler-Lovejoy.”
The crowd around Sadie slowly dispersed, leaving Londyn, Nash, Hank and Sadie alone.
Nash touched Londyn’s arm. “Are you okay?”
Londyn nodded, liking the reassuring feel of his hand on her arm as if it grounded her. “I’m fine.”
“You look pale,” he said, his frown deepening.
“I’m just tired.” She nodded toward Hank and Sadie. “Are you going to introduce me?”
“Yes, of course.” Nash turned to the movie star. “Londyn Tyler-Lovejoy, this is Sadie McClain.”
Sadie smiled and held out her hand. “Hank tells me this is your first ever movie.” She shook her head. “You were amazing in that scene. I was absolutely convinced by your performance.”
“You’re too kind.”
“No, really. I don’t say that to just anyone. If you don’t have any movie experience, you must have done theater.”
Londyn shook her head. “None. Not even in high school.”
“No?” Sadie’s blue eyes widened. “Your mother is Dana Tyler, right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Londyn responded, still holding Sadie’s hand.
“She didn’t get you into acting at an early age?”
“No, ma’am. My grandfather raised me on our ranch in Montana, far away from Hollywood.”
Sadie sighed. “Then it must be hereditary. She’s a very talented actor. I’ve followed her career for years and hope to be half as good as she is at this profession.”
Londyn’s brow twisted. “You’re already at the top of your career. You’re one of the most sought-after talents in the industry.”
“But I can always learn more,” Sadie insisted. “Especially from someone like Dana Tyler.” She patted their joined hands with her free one and let go. “But here I am fangirling, and you haven’t met the man who keeps me sane. Londyn, this is my husband, Hank Patterson.”
Hank Patterson was every bit as big, muscular and broad-chested as Nash. He engulfed her hand in his and gripped it firmly. “Miss Tyler-Lovejoy, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Your mother had good things to say about you. After seeing you act in that scene, I can see why she’s so proud.”
Londyn snorted softly. “The only acting she’s seen me do was when she prepared me for the audition. I can only hope to be half the actor she is.”
“From what we saw, I’d say you’re well on your way to meeting your goal.” Hank nodded toward Nash. “Swede has kept me up to date on what happened yesterday and what law enforcement is doing to find the person responsible for the explosion.”
Sadie pressed a hand to her heart. “I’m so sorry about your trailer, but I’m glad you weren’t in it.”
“Thanks,” Londyn said.
Hank continued, “Nash briefed me on the live bullets in the prop gun.” He shook his head. “Good for you not aiming for the other actor. That scene could’ve ended a whole lot worse.” He released her hand. “We stopped at your ranch on the way down from Eagle Rock. Sadie collected everything on your list while I touched bases with your ranch hands and your neighbor, Ben Standing Bear.”
Londyn leaned toward Hank, eager for news. “How is everything back home? I haven’t called in the past few days with everything that’s happened. Did they get the hay cut? Did the farrier make it out to work with the horses? Did they get the fence mended on the south pasture?”
Hank chuckled. “Let’s see if I can remember what Ben told me. Yes, the hay was cut, baled and stored in the barn. Yes, the farrier came. No problems. The south fence was mended, a tree fell on the west fence and a couple of steers found their way onto Ben’s place. His people rounded them up and moved them back onto your spread. Your paint mare had a filly. Mare and filly are doing great. Tom, the barn cat, had five kittens. And so far, everything is running smoothly.”
“Tom’s a female? He’s very skittish but a great mouser. Or should I say she?” Londyn shook her head. “I can’t believe Tom had kittens. And I’m glad the mare had a filly. Did she have her dam’s markings?”
Hank nodded. “She’s a beauty like her mother.”
Sadie laughed. “I had to remind Hank we needed to get your care package to Yellowstone, or he would’ve gone on a tour of the ranch with Ben and your ranch hands.”
Tears welled in Londyn’s eyes. “Thank you for the update.” A single tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She brushed it away and tried to laugh. “Sorry. I didn’t realize just how much I missed home.”
Sadie touched her arm. “I know how you feel. When I left Montana to pursue my acting career, I think I cried for a month. I never stopped missing home.” She slipped her hand through the crook of Hank’s elbow. “Now, I get to be home as often as possible with my husband and children.”
“In between movie contracts,” Hank amended. “Sometimes we bring a little bit of home to her on location.”
Sadie smiled. “That’s right. Hank came with me to Jordan recently. His team provided security for the production company. It was nice having him there,” her smile slipped, “though I missed our babies. I don’t like being away from them for long. I never go more than two weeks without seeing them. I’ve gotten to where I’m not signing up for as many projects as I did BK.”
“BK?” Londyn asked.
Hank chuckled. “Before kids.”
Londyn liked Hank and Sadie. For a movie star and the hotshot founder of what seemed like the fastest-growing security company in the US, the pair were down to earth, loving and seemed to really care about others. Even complete strangers like Londyn.
“Speaking of kids...” Sadie glanced up at her husband.
Hank nodded and turned to Nash. “You know, all you have to do is call or text, and we can send backup. I can have them here in less than two hours, especially since we have a helicopter now.”
“Thanks,” Nash said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Hank glanced around at the people scurrying about, moving equipment. “I’d love to stay and watch the cattle drive, but as my wife reminds me, we need to get back to the kids.”
Sadie grimaced. “Not that they’ll miss us as much as we miss them. Uncle Chuck and Aunt Kate are staying with them right now, and they brought their little boy Oliver with them. I’m not sure how much the adults can stand with a couple of hell-raising four-year-olds. Emma tries to keep them in line, but those two boys together seem to find trouble.”
“Right.” Hank shook Nash’s hand. “We’d better get back before they burn the house down.” He waved toward the vehicles parked nearby. “I can stash your things in Nash’s truck. If you need anything else, let us know. It might be a day or two before we can make the trip back down.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Londyn said. “Thank you for going out of your way to pick up my things. And thank you for bringing news from home. I’ll be glad when this project wraps up.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how you do this for a living.”
Sadie shrugged. “It paid the bills. Now, I only take projects I truly love. I’d much rather be home with my family. Come see us when you can. We’d love to have you and Nash stay at White Oak Ranch with us.”
Hank and Sadie set off across the field and climbed into the helicopter. Moments later, the rotors started spinning, and the aircraft lifted off the ground and banked toward the northwest.
“That was really nice of them to go to all the trouble of going to my ranch for my things. It’ll be nice to have clothes that fit. Not that I didn’t appreciate your contribution to my modesty.” Londyn said with a twisted grin. Her gaze followed the chopper until it disappeared. She turned to Nash. “Hungry?”
“I am,” he said. “What do you do for food when you’re in a remote location? I can’t imagine everyone drives into town to the nearest fast-food restaurant.”
Londyn snorted. “Considering the nearest restaurant is thirty minutes or more away, they bring food to us. We’ve had a chuckwagon preparing pretty decent meals. Since we’re tight on time, I don’t know what they’ll have, but let’s find out. I’m starving.”
Londyn found people gathered around the chuck wagon where the cook had hamburgers and hotdogs sizzling on the grill.
Londyn grabbed a paper plate and a bun and held it out for the cook to deposit a charred hamburger patty in the middle. She went back to the table with all the fixings and loaded her burger with lettuce, tomatoes and dill pickles. A squirt of mustard, a handful of potato chips, and she was set.
Nash appeared beside her with two burger patties on his bun and a dollop of mustard.
She cocked an eyebrow. “What? No vegetables?”
“This is easier,” he said.
“Not even a pickle?” she asked.
He shook his head. “When I’m feeling particularly civilized, I might opt for a pickle. But this is enough.”
After the gravity of the explosion the day before and the horror of nearly killing one of her castmates, Londyn relaxed in their light-hearted teasing about their inconsequential preferences of toppings on a burger.
Taking it a step further, she said, “I can understand no lettuce or tomato. And, yes, I skip the onion when I don’t want to blast anyone with onion breath.” Londyn shook her head. “But a hamburger isn’t a hamburger without a dill pickle. That’s pretty much a dealbreaker. I could never be with someone who doesn’t put a pickle on his burger.”
Nash tossed a handful of potato chips onto his plate, then turned to follow her to a picnic table. “You set a high bar for a woman who showed up for work this morning in baggy sweatpants.”
Londyn swallowed the giggle that threatened to bubble up her throat. She laid her plate on the table and sat on the bench. “You have a point. But a girl’s gotta draw the line somewhere.”
“Yes, she does.” Nash laid his plate beside hers rather than across the table and slid onto the bench.
His thigh bumped against hers, setting off an electrical charge that shot through her system like a lightning bolt and got her blood pumping hard through her veins. She sucked in a breath, held it and let it out slowly, willing her pulse to return to normal.
Nash held up a package. “You might reconsider when you realize I snagged the last package of chocolate chip cookies.”
Londyn tipped her head. “You think I’d lower my standards for a cookie?”
“A chocolate chip cookie.” He waved the package under her nose.
“Mr. Nelson, as much as I hate to admit it...” Londyn heaved an exaggerated sigh, “you’re absolutely correct. I can be swayed. But not for anything less than a chocolate chip cookie.”
“Let’s be clear...I don’t have to put a pickle on my burger to be with you?”
She shook her head. “Not if you come bearing gifts involving chocolate chips.”
He tore open the package, extracted a cookie and held it out. “And they said she couldn’t be bought.”
“In a heartbeat.” She plucked the cookie from his hand and sank her teeth into it.
Nash’s eyes narrowed, the corners of his lips twitching as if he were holding back a smile. “Aren’t you supposed to finish your meal before you jump right into dessert?”
“I’m a firm believer in having dessert first,” Londyn said as she chewed.
Nash grinned. “Obviously.”
“Given the attempts on my life,” Londyn said, “I might not make it to dessert.”
Nash’s grin disappeared. He reached for her hand and held it in his. “I’m going to do everything in my power to see that you make it to dessert.”
She stared down at the hand holding hers. It was such a simple touch, yet it was like dropping a lit torch into a huge box of fireworks.
Her heart raced, her pulse pounded so loudly in her ears as to be deafening and every nerve exploded, sending a cacophony of messages zinging to her brain.
“You have my promise,” he added. Then he removed his hand from hers and lifted his pickle-less burger to his lips.
Londyn sat for a few moments longer, her brain trying to process the assault on her senses.
Was she so starved for affection that all a man had to do was hold her hand, and she’d forget her name or how to breathe?
No.
Not any man.
Hank had held her hand in his, and nothing had happened to make her lose her mind.
Nash was the only man who’d ever set her body and her world spinning out of control with a simple touch.
And frankly, it scared the shit out of her.