Page 42 of The Backup Bride Proposal

“It went fine. Not as much fun without you.”

She laughed. “You mean without your real leading lady.”

“Everly’s fun, for sure. We’ve worked a lot together, came up in the business about the same time, so we shared similar trials.”

“How did you end up a big movie star, anyway?”

“I took a liking to drama in middle school, which surprised the hell out of me, since I was a big jock who thought sports were my future. I did all the plays in high school, and got noticed by a talent agent who got me a small part in a TV movie. I guess I did well, because I got booked on a series. After that, I moved to L.A. and got a few roles here and there while I went to college, working some side jobs in between gigs. Then I got a part in a movie, then another movie, and my career just took off.”

“Huh. It’s like it was meant to be.” Their server had brought warm bread, so Kane sliced pieces for both of them,sliding one onto her plate. She grabbed a pat of butter and slathered it onto her bread, taking a big bite.

“You like food,” he said.

“No, Ilovefood.”

“Yeah, me, too. It’s refreshing to be out to dinner with a woman who likes to eat.”

She waved her bread at him. “I’m not even going to ask.”

“Best not to.”

She smiled. “No worries here. I eat all the time. I like all food. There’s nothing I won’t eat, and if I haven’t eaten it before, I’ll try it at least once.”

“That sounds promising. We’ll have to explore more food.”

“Sounds fun.”

Their food was great and they talked through the whole meal without any awkward silences. She talked about her education and friends she had growing up. She asked him all kinds of questions about himself and none of them were movie related, which was refreshing. That didn’t happen all that often when he was out on a date.

After their plates were cleared away, Kane ordered coffee and Mae wanted a cappuccino.

“Are you sure you don’t want cheesecake?” Kane asked.

“I do like food, but I have my limits, and the bread was very filling. I’m good, thanks.”

“Okay.”

He paid the bill and they stood. Mae started to put on her cardigan, so Kane stepped in to help.

They walked outside and he breathed in the cool night air, took in the sounds of laughing kids, watching them run so freely. He wished he could remember that far back—how it felt to be that carefree. It was awesome to watch those kids.

He took Mae’s hand and they walked the grounds, movingtoward the pond where dancing spurts of water put on a light show.

“Want to take me through the pumpkin maze?” she asked.

“Are you sure we’ll make it out alive?”

She snickered. “I don’t know. But if we get lost in there…”

She let that thought trail off and smiled. He squeezed her hand. “Let’s take our chances.”

They wandered in and he could tell right away that this had been set up for the kids. You could easily see where you were going and how to get out, but still, it was fun to walk through with Mae while littles zoomed past them. Hearing their giggles and squeals made Kane’s stomach tighten with a need for something he’d never felt until just now.

“A lot of kids here,” he said.

Her happy smile was infectious. “I know. Aren’t they great? Noisy and messy and running around squealing with joy.”

“And you like that.”

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