Page 71 of Happy Trails & Honey Pots

“Yes. Clueless. As in, you have no clue. You think she’s just gonnaassumethat you, a professional actor, havegenuine feelingsfor her because youcalledandmessagedher a few times and sent some flowers?”

“That’s not what I…I called and messaged herevery day.”

Braxton leaned toward me and lowered her voice. “She is a single mom from a small town. You are Miles Fucking Ford. You only met her because you are playing her dead husband in a movie. That might be really fucking confusing for her. If you haven’t even told her you have real feelings for her, she’s not going toassumeyou do because you message her and call her every day. She probably thinks you’re just doing that because of the movie.”

Shit. She might be right. I thought that what I felt was obvious, but why would it be?

“Yeah, like I said.” Braxton leaned back in her chair. “Clue. Less.”

Sylvia approached us as she spoke on the walkie-talkie. When she reached us, she put it down. “AJ and Kendall are here. They’ve done all their paperwork, and they’ve been through hair and makeup. They are having breakfast and are not in wardrobe yet. Do you want them to go to set now for run-through?”

“Has Shania seen them?” I asked.

“She’s talking with them now.”

Today, I was on set in my co-directorial role only. I wasn’t shooting any scenes for the next four days. This was just going to be young Austin and young Zoe.

“After they eat, get them in wardrobe, and then we’ll do a run-through and shoot.”

“Sounds good.” Sylvia nodded, then went back on her radio, letting the crew know the plan.

Braxton’s phone rang, and she looked down. “It’s Tyler. I’m going to take it, or he’ll keep calling.”

I nodded and finished going over the notes that Chuck needed for his shot lists today. Then I responded to all the emails that wardrobe had with questions about different looks for both AJ and Kendall. When I got done with that, I had to finalize a few last-minute script changes that Andy and Shania had madefor the last couple of pick-up days we had before the talking head shoots. Once that was all done, Sylvia was radioing that the kids were ready, and cameras were up.

I stood and started walking down the hallway of the middle school. It was the same exact hallway where Austin had waited for Zoe and given her the pot of honey on the first day of school. I wondered how strange this was going to be for her.

Braxton was right that I’d just assumed she knew how I felt. I had no idea if she knew how I felt, just like I had no idea how she felt about any of this because I’d been afraid to ask her. It was wrong. I should have been there for her. I was the person who brought all this back into her life. I should have been the shoulder to cry on, the rock to lean on, the sounding board. I’d been there for her physically, but I should have been there for her emotionally and mentally. Maybe if I had, then she wouldn’t have been so upset the other night at the lookout.

“Miles.”

I turned around. Shania was walking down the hall with a wide smile on her face. “What?” I asked.

“They are adorable.”

“I know.”

I forgot that she hadn’t met them up until today. I’d seen Kendall on tape and watched the two of them interact at AJ’s birthday party. They had a chemistry that I hoped would translate on screen.

Within seconds of their arrival, Chuck was behind the camera, and AJ and Kendall were walking with Jessica to their marks. They both had backpacks on, and AJ was carrying the pot of honey. Ariana, Zoe, and Nadia were waiting in the wings, giving the kids space to do their thing.

I headed over to talk to Kendall and AJ as they were getting the rundown from Jessica.

“Do you guys want to run through it once more for blocking?”

“No,” Kendall responded assertively. “Miss Shania already camera-blocked it with us before we went into wardrobe.”

“Are you good with that, AJ?” I asked.

He nodded. I could see that he wasn’t quite as confident as Kendall. In fact, he looked white as a sheet.

“Okay, Kendall, why don’t you go to your mark.”

Kendall nodded and walked over to the X in gaffer tape on the cement walk, which was her starting point. I sat on the flower bed next to AJ.

“How are you feeling?” I asked him.

“Okay.”

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