Page 30 of Bound By Brielle (Crave & Cure Productions)

“Everyone take five,” I shout frantically from the ground as Cohen stands over me, more worried about the equipment than me. He helps me up and then falls to his knees, assessing the gear. I knew it.

The actors stand around in robes, looking to Aug and Lance for approval. Aug nods, his dark hair growing wavy from the moisture in the evening air. “Yes, take five,” he assures before coming to my side to help me up. Lance takes my other hand and together, they help me in an empty chair, propping my feet on Lance’s to assess my skinned knees.

“I know I called a break,” I say breathlessly. “Which I know is not my place but… we just had some slapstick shit happen, guys. A chain reaction of bumping things over?”

Aug rolls his neck before focusing on me. “I know.I know, I’ve never felt so out of control at work. I fucking hate it.”

I nod. “Okay, so let’s get control. What… What thehellis happening?” I lean in, my eyes flitting between his and Lance’s. “Is it whatIsaid? Because I’m very much on board with pretending I never said it.”

There. It’s out there. I already feel a million times lighter.

“I mean, I’m not adverse–” Aug starts but stops himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You know what, I’m not discussing this during filming hours.” He looks so tired, the corners of his eyes etched with stress lines, and I want so badly to cup his tired face in my palms and crush my lips to his, to make him feel good.

Whoa there.

“Drinks after shooting?” I turn to look at Lance. “Drinks after shooting, the three of us,” I decide, garnering head nods from both of them. Okay, I don’t know how the hell I’m doing this but…I think I’m actually fucking doing this.

Am I?My head spins and the bag of Cool Ranch Doritos I ate in the parking lot earlier after my coffee is really feeling like a bad idea. I don’t want to hate Cool Ranch Doritos.

We get through the remainder of the night shoot, filming a total of four scenes, the last one beingmy choice. It doesn’t matter what I chose, or if it makes the final cut.

Aug trusted me with time, money and resources, and that’s a big deal for a man who is intense toward his work. I know that.

And now we trudge up the sidewalk downtown, an oxymoron in itself, and I can’t believe we’re on the verge of something. But we are.I can feel it.

And Iknowwhat’s going to happen when we get drinks in a minute.

I’m going to find out why they broke up, and then I’ll offer myself again. Because despite the fact I’ve tried to ignore the fact that I offered it, I’m offering again, because they want it as much as I do. Ifeelit.

I don’t know what they’ll say, and I almost can’t even believe I’m going to do it. But going out on a limb has got me this far, and I’m really enjoying every day at Crave. Sure, partly because I am massively crushing on a very irritable but sweet Lance, and a broody but sweetly stoic Augustus. But everything beyond that has been… everything I thought it wasn’t. And I feel like a jerk for everything I believed to be true.

We slide into a booth, all of us taking a moment to catch our breath from the steep trek. Downhills are gonna be a bitch in heels, but whatever. I hope we’ll be taking a cab.

“Three Stellas,” Augustus says as soon as the waitress approaches, smiling awkwardly at Lance and me.

“Water, too,” I add, because I don’t want to get tipsy off of one beer. That would be embarrassing. But also totally possible because I almost never drink.

She leaves and I’m across from them in a private booth, the lights above us low, encased in a cherry red milk glass. It’s intimate. I lick my lips. “So you two were in a relationship.” I waste no time.

Augustus nods. “Yes.”

My heart beats heavily in my chest as my gaze bounces between the two of them. Holy shit.I’m doing this.“And you’re not anymore?” I want verbal confirmation because the amount of times I’ve found them bickering is unreasonable.

Augustus’s head drops, his arched shoulders prominent in the dull bar light. And I know now that Aug doesn’t like that they’re broken up.

Interesting.

Did he cheat?

No.He wouldn’t. Aug is a rare type of man, the kind that still values and lives by loyalty. That hardly exists anymore.He isn’t the type to cheat.

Then again, I never thought Joey was going to fall in love with Rachel because it made absolutely zero sense, and that totally happened.

Lance eventually nods. “Correct. We are not in a relationship anymore,” he says, drawing the last few words out painfully slowly, agony tearing through him at the discussion. It’s all over his face. In fact, sadness drips off both of them.

I have never been more confused. And though I have no right to the knowledge, I chase the all-consuming urge to ask. Because I think they want me to know. “Why not?”There, a careful selection of words that hopefully don’t pull blame. I don’t want them to argue. I just want to know.

Aug lifts his head, bringing his eyes to mine. His simmer with intensity, and for a moment I worry I’ve overstepped, crossed a personal and professional line. But he then says, “This doesn’t leave this table.”

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