When Stars Fall by Wendy Million

Chapter Thirty-Three

Wyatt

Present Day

We’re halfway through filming and the frost between us hasn’t thawed. Haven’s amazing, but parenting is fucking hard. The first time she threw a temper tantrum, I was sure aliens had invaded her body. Her attitude changed on a dime. All these years, Ellie has dealt with her mood swings by herself. Well, she had her family but still, it’s incredible. Alone.

Hair and makeup are retouching us before we do another take. The movie scenes are shot out of order, which is normal. This is the first take on one of two endings for the film. In this one, Ellie’s supposed to run toward me, and I sweep her up into my arms and kiss her. I offered to rehearse this moment several times, but she turned me down.

The three of us have spent a lot of time together over the last six weeks. Anytime I try to see Ellie without Haven, she finds a reason to evade me. Phone calls, meetings, people visiting, conveniently timed. Her crafty scheduling would be unbelievable if she hadn’t spent ten years avoiding me with expert precision. In another life, Ellie commanded an army.

James, the director, is grumbling orders, and the crew duck away, out of the shot. Ellie is framed in the natural sunlight, and she’s surrounded by an ethereal glow. Takes me back ten years. Life should be that easy—get the right lighting, everything else falls into place. James calls out a few minor adjustments to the person in wardrobe who is fixing Ellie’s coat. Winter scenes aren’t as much fun as I remember. It’s absolutely freezing.

A frown creases James’s face, and with difficulty, he gets off his chair and ambles to Ellie. They engage in a back-and-forth discussion that has Ellie shooting me a worried look over his shoulder. I’m tempted to leave my mark to see what’s being debated. Just as I’m about to go, she gives James a pained expression and nods.

When James walks away from her, she calls out, “Can you tell Wyatt, please?”

He turns on his heel and strides to her faster than I expected. His wide, thick back is to me. What he’s saying isn’t audible, but his stiff posture sets me off. Ellie and I might not be getting along, but there’s no way I’m letting him treat her with any sort of disrespect.

I leave my mark and approach them. “What’s going on?”

“Minor change.” James half turns to me.

“If Ellie doesn’t like it, it’s not minor.” I’m taller than him, and I have no problem using my size for intimidation if he’s harassing Ellie.

“Sell it, Ellie.” James gives her a warning glance before turning around. “You’re being paid to make me believe.”

“Are you okay?” What the hell is he getting her to do?

“It’s fine.” Glancing up at me, she says, “And I’m sorry for what’s coming next. I—I tried to talk him out of it.”

“Come on, Wyatt,” James calls, back at his seat now. “I don’t want to lose the light.”

The light is excellent, so I’m going to let whatever he said to Ellie drop for now. I give him the finger, and I stalk back to my mark. With a roll of my shoulders, I try to relax and remember the point of the scene. Easy. I’m in love with Ellie’s character. She runs up to me, one line, one kiss, done. I can do this. Whatever note he gave her, I can improv. Wouldn’t be the first time a director tried to get an authentic reaction by doing something underhanded.

As soon as James calls action, a light flips on in Ellie. Her expression becomes one I used to see when she looked at me. She sprints to me and I catch her, swinging her around, and her legs circle my waist. We laugh, and I drink her in. I want to live in this moment, this false happiness. Doesn’t matter if she’s pretending. I’m not, and I smooth back her hair. “You came. Wasn’t sure you’d come.”

For a beat, she stares at me. Deep in her dark depths, the light dims a fraction. Her features soften before she says, “I love you. There’s nowhere else I’d want to be.”

My sharp intake of breath stills everyone on set. Three extra words seize my heart. The quiet is eerie. Fuck it. They don’t get this moment. It’s mine. Blocking everyone out, I secure Ellie tighter, and our lips collide without hesitation. She kisses me like a woman in love—slowly, deeply, a kiss full of promise, a kiss that doesn’t end when a director calls cut. My heart beats a staccato, afraid to believe, wanting so badly to believe. I don’t want this moment to be fake.

“Cut,” James calls, laughing. “Yes!”

Ellie draws away, and we make eye contact before her focus slides over my shoulder. Bulky winter clothes or not, she must realize the effect our kiss has had. She slides along my body, and I keep her pressed tight. I want her to notice, to peer up at me again.

James claps us both on the back and whistles. “I knew you two had chemistry, but that’s the first time I’ve seen it combust on the screen. Whatever happened there needs to happen more.” Turning, he laughs and then shouts, “Fire. They were on fire!”

Ellie glances at me, a small smirk on her face. “Not the only thing on fire.”

“What can I say?” I grin and when she shifts back, I adjust my pants. “You have a way with words.”

“James said . . . I don’t want to mislead—” Her eyes are filled with uncertainty.

“I get it.” Grabbing her hand, I link our fingers. “But if that take ends up on the cutting room floor, I’m stealing it.”

“All right, let’s go again,” James calls out. “Everyone reset.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Ellie tells me she loves me over and over. There may be a special place in hell for James, our director. Listening to her say the words and knowing she doesn’t want to mean them is torturous. But kissing her over and over is worth the agony. By the time we break for dinner, my engine has been revving on high. I need an ice bath. And a stiff drink. One of those I can do, the other I cannot.

When I get to my trailer, Haven and Stacy are bundling themselves up in winter clothes. “What are you two up to?” I take off my coat. We have two hours before the lighting is right for the next shot.

“One of the crew mentioned there was a dogsled demonstration at the park entrance tonight. I was hoping to take Haven. Ellie said it was okay . . .” Stacy bites her lip.

She’s fallen into a habit of checking with both of us before committing to anything. Ellie and I were in a giant pissing contest when the shoot first started. We’re mostly beyond that now. “If Ellie said it was fine, then I guess it is,” I say. “Haven, you want to go?”

“I like dogs. Mom says she travels too much for us to get one. Aunt Nikki doesn’t want to take care of it.”

“Jamal loves dogs too. Maybe I’ll get one for my place.” Slowing my schedule has been on my mind. I could spend time getting to know my daughter, and I could help Anna stay on the right track.

“Really?” Haven squeals.

“Yeah, we can talk about it. I’m not saying right away, but I can make a dog work.”

A knock sounds on my trailer door, and I call for them to come in. Ellie enters and focuses on Haven. “I was hoping to catch you before you left.” She envelops Haven in a hug. Her lips press to the top of Haven’s head, and she closes her eyes. Calshae was right. Ellie’s a good mother. Responsive and caring. Everything Anna and I never had as kids. And what Anna still can’t give her son.

“Dad said we could get a dog.” Haven’s voice is an octave higher than normal.

“Did he?” Ellie’s expression is unreadable. She unzips her heavy winter coat but keeps it on. She must plan on avoiding me some more once Haven leaves.

“I said we could talk about getting a dog.” I wish Ellie would acknowledge me. After the day we’ve had, I want us to be closer, even if that closeness is artificial.

“We need to get going.” Stacy checks the clock on the wall. “One of the crew said the start of the show was the best.”

“Okay.” Ellie steps back, giving Haven space.

Haven grabs me into a hug before embracing her mom one last time on the way out the door. Ellie watches them go, ignoring me. Once they’re gone, I expect her to leave, but she doesn’t.

Slowly, the trailer grows thick with a tension I recognize too well. Today was a challenge for her too. The realization gives me a jolt of confidence.

“You okay?” I set my phone on the kitchenette table.

Ellie glances at me over her shoulder. “I should go.” But she doesn’t move.

The slant of her shoulders, the way she looks back tells me she doesn’t want to leave. I close the distance between us, and I run a hand along her side, letting it linger on her hip. “Something you need, Ellie?” I murmur into her ear.

Her breathing is ragged. She turns into my arms without saying anything, and my lips meet hers, hot and hungry. I lift her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist. With my hands cupping her ass, I press her against the wall of the trailer. She sheds her jacket with a few quick movements, tossing it to the side.

I’d resigned myself to blue balls after eight hours of foreplay. If she’ll let this happen, I’m going for it, even if we have unresolved issues. My dick is so hard it’s aching.

On the kitchen table, my phone rings, shrill and insistent. Ellie’s fingers grip the hem of my shirt, and she tugs it over my head. Her soft hands glide along my chest, and the noises she’s making are going to undo me.

Her shirt is gone, and I’m unsnapping her bra when my phone starts again.

The only time it rings back-to-back is when there’s bad news. I draw Ellie closer, deepening the kiss. Maybe if I pretend my phone won’t ring a third time, it won’t. Ellie snaps the button on my jeans, and my phone bursts to life.

“Important?” Ellie murmurs against my lips.

“Not as important as you.” My hand massages her inner thigh. She still has her jeans on, but her bra hangs off her, ready to fall to the floor.

When my phone kicks off for the fourth time, I sigh, easing Ellie’s legs to the floor. I snatch it off the table. “What?” Irritation and frustration make the word more of a growl than anything coherent.

“Sorry, sir. Anna’s taken off again. I’ve got Jamal here. He was asking for you. I’ve called Tanvi, but you like to be in the loop.” Kyle fires the information off in a rat-a-tat-tat.

Even from this far away, he reads my mood. I run a hand down my face. A burst of swear words almost escapes. Trust Anna to run out on her son while I’m in another country. When I’m there and able to talk her out of leaving, she’s somewhat stable. Once I’m on a shoot or a promotional tour, the question of Anna leaving is never if but when, and then the next uncertainty is how long it’ll take her to return.

“Uncle Wyatt?” Jamal’s voice is small across the phone line.

“Yeah, buddy. I’m gonna come get you. I’ll be there tomorrow.” My anger circles and drains. None of this is his fault. “You go to Grandma Tanvi’s till I get there, okay?”

“Okay.” Jamal’s high-pitched voice causes an ache in my chest.

How does Anna leave him? Then I remember I wanted a drink today, and there have been a lot of days in the last few months when taking a Perc or oxy or mixing a glass of lean have crossed my mind. I relapsed so many times before I got it right. Kicking drugs is not easy. When I hang up, Ellie’s dressed.

“Anna, again?” She grimaces.

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to my trailer. You probably need to talk to James.” She zips her coat.

“Ellie.”

“It’s probably for the best. Sleeping together wouldn’t have meant anything. We’d still be in the same place we are right now.”

“We don’t have to be.” I tuck my phone into my pocket.

“No? You’re going to be honest about your drinking?”

“I am being honest.” Since I left the island, I haven’t touched a drop. I might have had a drink today, though, if she wasn’t here; I’m not sure. I grab my shirt off the floor and slip it over my head. She’s still creating too many artificial roadblocks for us. Maybe she doesn’t trust me, but I don’t trust her either. “I wasn’t drinking. How many times do I need to say those words before you believe me?”

She sighs. “Good luck getting Jamal. I guess my tutor-nanny will be working overtime?”

“Our tutor-nanny,” I say, an edge to my voice. Even now, she’s cutting me out as though I’m not part of these decisions.

She slams the trailer door behind her.