Page 5 of You. Me. Us.

He chuckled, not entirely disagreeing with her. “I could say the same to you, Princess.”

“Yes, well, your fans would have something to say about it.” Rebecca sighed. “I’ve got to get food. I’ll catch you in a bit. I want to run that fight sequence one more time before we film in the freezing fields of Scotland next week.

“Afraid I’ll get the upper hand?”

“Keep dreaming!” She called with a wave.

As Julius made his way back to his trailer, he noticed a young girl standing off to the side, clutching a worn-out DVD case. Her eyes widened as she saw him approach, and she seemed to shrink back, as if trying to disappear into the wall behind her.

Julius stopped in his tracks, his heart melting at the sight of the nervous fan. “Hey there,” he said softly, crouching down to meet her at eye level. “What’s your name?”

“L-Laura,” the girl stammered, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Laura,” Julius replied, his smile warm and inviting. “Is that one of my movies you’ve got there?” He wasn’t certain how she’d gotten here, but she was probably someone’s child from set to be back here.

Laura nodded, holding out the DVD case with trembling hands. “It’s my favorite,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the workings of the studio lot.

Julius took the case, running his fingers over the faded cover. “You know, this was one of the first movies I ever did,” he said, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia. “I remember being so nervous on set, worried that I would mess everything up.”

Laura’s eyes widened in surprise. “You? Nervous?”

Julius chuckled, handing the DVD back to her. “Believe it or not, even actors get scared sometimes. But you know what helps me when I’m feeling nervous?”

Laura shook her head, hanging on his every word.

“I remind myself that everyone feels that way sometimes, and that it’s okay to be scared. The important thing is to keep going, even when it’s hard.”

She nodded, her brown hair bouncing as she did, and a small smile spread across her face. “Thank you, Mr. Theon,” she said, her voice a little stronger now. “That means a lot to me.”

Julius stood up, careful not to touch her without her consent. “Thank you for being such a dedicated fan, Laura. It’s people like you who make all of this worthwhile.”

“May I…could I give you a hug?” She kept her gaze down, but her voice did not waver.

“I would love it.” He leaned down and made certain she wrapped her arms around him before tugging her in for a gentle hug.

“Thank you!” She beamed, pulling away and turning with a skip.

He watched her walk away, clutching her DVD case to her chest like a precious treasure. Gratitude wasn’t a large enough emotion for what he experienced any time he met with fans. He had always known that his work had the power to touch people’slives, but moments like these reminded him just how much of an impact he could have.

Lost in thought, Julius made his way back to his trailer, the events of the day playing over in his mind. The excitement of the upcoming convention, the thrill of discussing his craft with his co-star, the joy of connecting with his fans—it all blended together in a kaleidoscope of emotions that left him feeling both exhilarated and humbled.

As he sat down on the couch, his gaze drifted to the window, where the sun was just beginning to set over the studio lot. Julius couldn’t help but wonder what the future held. He had achieved so much in his career, had touched so many lives through his work on the big screen. But was there something more out there, waiting for him?

The thought of a relationship, of finding someone to share his life with, had always seemed like a distant dream. But now, with the love and support of his fans behind him, Julius couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, what came next wasn’t another role or another movie, but a chance at something real, something lasting.

And with a little luck, maybe he would find the love missing from his life, because he had everything else.

two

. . .

The vibrationand noise from the slammed door pulled Hillary’s focus from the computer toward Olivia’s door.

Let me just vanish into oblivion.

If it wasn’t immature, Hillary would have quite happily sunk down in her chair and prayed that whatever had her boss glaring wasn’t her fault.

Olivia’s arms remained crossed as she made eye contact with each and every person before stopping directly at Hillary. “Mitchell! Nice work on that last piece. It wasn’t horrible.”

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