Page 32 of Under Ground

He cocks his head. “You want the role?”

Shit.

I didn’t even say yes.

“Does a bear shit in the woods? Hell yes, I want it. The chance to work with you and Josh Carter after your Oscar clean-up is mind-boggling. I’d be an idiot to say no.”

“Ahem.”

I’ve been so focused on Reece, I barely noticed the woman standing beside him who smiles at me as I shift my gaze to her.

Reece shuffles his feet. “Oh, Alex. This is my girlfriend, Pania. Pania, my future co-star Alex Stone.”

Pania smiles and takes my outstretched hand to shake it. Reece raises his eyebrows at her.

“What? He’s cute,” she says.

I grin. “I like her.”

“Don’t like her too much. I just got her,” he says.

Pania and I laugh.

“We should have dinner or something to celebrate. Have you got some time?” Reece asks.

I look back over my shoulder. I’ve got another scene to shoot, but that’s not for a couple of hours. “I should be finished up here around four I think. It depends, though. You know how things go.”

He nods. “How about I give you my number, and you text me when you’re ready? And bring your partner if you have one. We’re not in a hurry to leave town.” He reaches for Pania’s hand and kisses it. “We can stay another night.”

Pania beams. “I like that idea.”

Watching them makes me think of Lana. I’m not sure if she can find a babysitter at short notice, but I’ll have to call and ask her. She’ll be so excited—she knows how much this role means to me. This could be everything for me.

“Sounds good. Things have gone pretty well today. I think we should be good.”

“Great,” Reece says.

He gives me his number before we shake hands again and say goodbye.

I don’t care about calling my agent—that can wait.

There’s only one person I want to call with this news.

* * *

“Alex? Is everything okay?” Her tone is cautious when I call her. I’ve never called her like this in the middle of the day.

“Oh, babe. More than okay. I have some amazing news.”

She’s breathless. “You got the part?”

“How did you guess?” I laugh.

“Oh. Only because you’ve been going on and on about it. Am I right?”

My chest swells. I’m so proud. “Yes. I got it.”

“I knew you would.”

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