Page 55 of Wrapped in You

"The rumor is they have the best pastrami in town!" the assistant director called.

Sophie began to tell him they'd just run out of pastrami, but Marcia gave her a look that meant,Keep quiet.

"We'll have that ready for you in a jiffy!" Marcia called just as her son Jeff hurried out the back door.

Sophie grinned inwardly as Marcia mouthed "sorry" at her. It was clear that Willow Creek had to put on their very best show for the Hollywood types. Likely, Mayor Ben Ackey had told them to.

Sophie was a regular. She'd always come back, pastrami or no pastrami.

She made a note to tease Marcia about this later. But she just shrugged now as though to say,No hard feelings.

But the assistant director wasn't the only one who entered the shop that afternoon.

Impossibly, Derek Brownlee came in after him, brushing snow from his shoulders.

Sophie's head rang with fear. Just yesterday, he'd been bundled up beneath a blanket on her sofa, drinking tea, watching the fire, and eating butterscotch cookies. Now, he seemed like a stranger again.

Where did you go? She wanted to scream.

Jeff had returned from the butcher with more pastrami, and Marcia passed out coffees for Derek and the assistant directorand ordered them to sit down. Mike pulled two more chairs around the big table.

"We're a family in show biz, right?" Mike joked, his Australian accent heavier than ever.

Derek and the assistant director sat down with their coffees. Derek sat kitty-corner from Sophie and avoided her eyes.

"Maybe when Sophie's business takes off, she can send units out to LA," Isaac suggested.

"That's such a good idea!" Mike snapped his fingers. "I'd like to ask that you cater every single film I work on for the rest of my career in sound engineering."

Sophie smiled nervously.I can barely wrap my mind around next week's baby shower, let alone a career in Hollywood.

Her palms were sweaty.

"Derek, I've seen you smash down some of Sophie's baked goods," Mike teased. "Maybe you can tell all your Hollywood director friends to hire her company? She's expanding!"

Finally, Derek looked at her for the first time. Sophie's hands were clammy. Where was her grilled cheese with ham? Maybe she could take it to go.

Derek's eyes were impenetrable.

"You're expanding?" he asked finally.

"We're talking about it," Sophie said in a meek voice. "But all this Hollywood talk is for fun. Really, Randy and I just want to expand around here. Small towns in Upstate New York. Maybe, if there's another film in Willow Creek next December, we'll help out then."

Maybe, she thought. Because the thought of catering another film exhausted her.

"Boo! Don't think so small!" Mike cried.

Derek's eyes were wounded. But why? What was he thinking?

Suddenly, two pastrami sandwiches appeared at the table. Marcia had even added pickles and potato chips, which usually cost extra.

Still, Derek continued to look at her as though she'd done something wrong.

Sophie flared her nostrils. She wanted to scream,What's your problem?

But she didn't want anyone to know how upset she was. Least of all, Derek.

"I'd better take my grilled cheese to go," she chirped to Marcia.

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