Page 60 of The Backup Bride Proposal

“That makes sense. Plus, you have this nice trailer, which I’m sure helps you feel more at home.”

He shrugged. “It’s okay. Not like a big sprawling ranch, but as far as on-location living, it gets the job done.”

“Don’t they put you up at a hotel?”

“They would if I wanted that, but this is easier. I tend to have early calls, and driving back and forth from the hotel to location is a giant pain in the ass. Plus, hotels have a lot of people.”

“Ah.” She took a drink of her wine. “Which means a greater chance of being recognized.”

“Yeah. Not that I mind fans. I don’t. But sometimes…”

“You just want to be left alone?”

He nodded. “Especially when I’m working. So when they chose this location, with it being nicely remote, I knew the trailer would be ideal.”

She looked around. Even though she’d stepped in here before, she noted again how spacious it was. More like an RV and definitely livable. “I’ve lived in apartments smaller than this.”

He laughed. “Me, too. When I first started out in Hollywood? I shared a six-hundred-square-foot apartment with two other people—along with several roaches. And I could still barely afford it.”

Mae grimaced at the thought of the lack of space. The bugs would be a deal-breaker for her, but hey, sometimes it was necessary for survival. “That does not sound ideal.”

“It wasn’t, but we all worked a couple of jobs along with going out on auditions, so it wasn’t like we spent a lot of time there. Just to crash and shower, you know?”

She did know. “My mom and I lived in some tight quarters here and there after my dad died. I was too young to get a job, so she was the one responsible for making ends meet.”

“I’m sure that was tough.”

“It was, but we made do. And I got a job as soon as I turned sixteen, so I could help with rent.”

“Not easy when you’re trying to juggle school.”

She shrugged. “We all do what we have to do, right?”

“That’s true. But look at you now. Independent, doing what you love. That’s the dream, right?”

“It is. Same for you, right?”

He finished off his wine and laid the empty glass down. “Yeah. Sure.”

He didn’t seem as enthused about his career as she thought he’d be. But it wasn’t her place to ask.

They took the dishes to the sink, washed and dried them along with the pots and pans. Kane put everything away while Mae cleaned the table.

“Feel like a walk?” he asked.

She rubbed her very full stomach. “That sounds good.”

They grabbed their jackets and put them on, then stepped outside.

“Can you smell it?” she asked as she led him to her favorite walking path, away from all the trailers and toward the trees.

“Smell what?”

“The rain. It’s right there, lingering in the clouds, filling up and just waiting to burst.”

He took her hand and held it in his. “Interesting take.”

They entered the woodsy area, a path she’d taken countless times before. “You’re not buying it?”

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