Page 6 of A Cameo for a Cowgirl

Hannah’s smile dipped as she glanced at Cassie. “You’ve been awfully quiet. How was your day?”

Darn. Now that she’d eaten all her food and finished her water she didn’t have an easy excuse not to talk. “It was a day.”

Hannah’s face softened in sympathy. “That good, huh?”

Yep. After her run-in with Harrison this morning, she’d needed to fix the leaking pipe in the dining hall. Fortunately, some of the production crew had proved more than happy to help her, but the taped-up pipe didn’t look very professional. At least it worked. She’d returned at lunchtime to overhear Harrison complain that his coffee wasn’t hot enough. And while she was tempted to think him a diva, it might well be because the pipes hadn’t worked properly yet, which was ultimately her fault, so it only added to her pressure.

Following that, she’d needed to check in with the horse wranglers, in the purpose-built stables for horses used in productions, to discover some of the stalls weren’t built quite to code, which had demanded her fixing things all afternoon. And this was day one! Still, the ranch needed the money, and she wasn’t about to admit to her lack of competency. Dad didn’t need that, anyway. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer not to talk about it.”

“Oh, honey.” Her mother paused from cleaning up.

Dad’s chair creaked as he sat back. “Wasn’t today the start of the new filming of As The Heart Draws?”

She lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “They arrived, but won’t start filming for another day or so.”

“Was Ainsley there?” Poppy asked.

Cassie nodded. “She’s always the first cast member on set. Such a professional.”

“And so pretty, too.” Poppy sighed. “I hope this year she and her Mountie finally get married.”

Cassie kept her face as Sphinx-like as she could. No way could she admit the truth.

“Anyone new we should keep an eye out for?” Jess asked, knowing full well that Cassie couldn’t explain. That didn’t stop her asking. Every. Single. Season.

Cassie pressed her lips together, as her heart twanged in protest.

“Ooh, that face says there is.” Poppy laughed. “That’s it. I’m skipping classes tomorrow to find out who it is.”

“Lincoln Cash isn’t back, is he?” Jess asked.

“Last I heard he’s involved with someone in Muskoka,” Hannah said.

Good. Change the subject time. “You know the most interesting things.” Cassie faced her soon-to-be sister-in-love. “How was your day?”

“Good.” Hannah smiled. “But don’t think you can get us off topic that easily.”

“She fits in so well, doesn’t she?” Franklin said, kissing Hannah’s cheek.

“Actually, I think the reason you’re here is so we can finalize a few more wedding details, am I right? And I still have more work to do,” Cassie said. A number of emails needed attention, then after that she really needed her sleep. “So we should really get started.”

“Fair enough.” Hannah’s expression held more than a drop of smirk. “But don’t think we’re not interested.”

“Yes, Ms. Reporter. We know.”

Not that there was any story here for Hannah or anyone else to sniff out. Because there wasn’t. It didn’t matter that Harrison or anyone else had arrived in her town today. She wasn’t interested in him, and he’d made it plain he didn’t like her at all. But she had a feeling that keeping a lid on her family’s curiosity would be easier said than done.

* * *

Unfamiliar night sounds crept past the window. Creaks. Chirrups. A humming kind of moan. And while he was pretty sure that last sound was an air conditioner, he wasn’t completely certain. Part of the reason why he didn’t like the country was that you never could trust it. There were always things out there trying to get him, whether it be bugs or unseen cow patties or wildfires. Not that he’d had experience with the latter, but still, the fact remained. The country was filled with unpleasant surprises.

He shifted as he glanced up from his iPad, and the trailer creaked slightly. Why the cast had to stay on site was a mystery. Mal and Lance had said it was good for cast and crew bonding, but Harrison wasn’t so sure. Surely it wouldn’t be so bad for him to stay at one of Calgary’s hotels another night. It didn’t even have to be the Hilton. But the wise heads in charge probably decided that renting a trailer for several months was cheaper, which was why he was here, and not there. And since Ainsley was staying as well, and appeared perfectly happy with the arrangement, it didn’t seem like he had any room to complain.

He sighed. The trailer was decked out with all the usual modern conveniences, and after viewing the town’s “accommodation” the trailer looked a darn sight better than the little apartments scattered through the town’s buildings. He wanted some link to modernity as well as a good-sized bed, rather than those antiquated things that looked straight from Little House on the Prairie. At least here he had internet service, even if it was a little spotty.

A groan escaped, his legs and backside protesting the exercise he’d been forced to endure. After the town walk, some of the cast had undergone horse riding “refresher” training, and he worked with the show’s riding expert to improve his posture. Ainsley hadn’t required corrective instruction. He was half tempted to go seek her out, but she’d made it clear she wanted an early night. Which seemed weird when they were all forced to stay on-site for cast bonding and the leading lady wasn’t around, but whatever. Nearly all of them knew each other, while he was the newbie, so probably he was the one who had to make the biggest effort to fit in.

A knock came on his trailer’s door. “Hey Harrison? You coming?”

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